The Van Buren press., 1895-02-16
THE SURGEONS VISIT.
By JAN MAcLAREN.

the hearthrug with an air of wisdom
bordering on the supernatural, because
neither the Drumtochty houses nor his
was accustomed to deliver himself In
the yard, and to conclude his directions
with one foot In the stirrup; but when
he left the room where the life Of Annie
Mitchell was ebbing slowly away, our
doctor said not one word, and at the
sight Of his face her husbands heart
was troubled.
He was dull man, Tammas, who
could not read the meaning Of sign,
and labored under perpetual disabil-
ity Of speech; but love was eyes to him
that day, and mouth.
''Is't as bad as yir loolkin', doctor?
Tell the truth; wull Annie no come
through" and Tammas looked Mac
Lure straight In the face, who never
Ainched his duty or said smooth things
IA wud gle onything tae say Annie
hes chance, but q daurna, a doot yir
gaein' to lose her, Tammasl'
MacLure was In the saddle, and as
he gave his Judgment he laid his hand
on Tammas' shoulder with one Of the
rare caresses that pass between men.
.'It's sair business, but ye Ill play
the man and no vex Annie; she Ill dae
her best, all warrant"
"An' all dae mine;" and Tammas
gave MacLure's hand q grip that would
have crushed the bones OF q weakling.
Drumtochty felt In such moments the
brotherliness Of this rough-looking man,
and loved him.
1ammas hid his face In Jess name,
who looked round with sorrow In her
beautiful eyes, for she had seen many
tragediep, and In this silent sympathy
the stricken man drank his cup, drop
by drop.
IA wesna prepared for this, for a
aye thoct she wud live the langest.
Shes younger than me by ten years,
and never Yves Ill. We've been mairit
twal year laist Martinmas, but IT'S
juist like year the day. A. Yves never
worthy o. her, tho bonniest, snoddest
(neatest), kindliest lass In the Glen.
A never cud max oot hoo she ever
loolsit at me, at hesna he'd ae word tae
say aboot her till It's over late. She
didna cuist up toe me that a wesna
worthy O. her, no her, but aye she said.
sYir ma ain gudeman, and name cud be
kinder tae me- An o. ives minded tae
be kind but a see moo mony little
trokes a. micbt hae dune for her, and
moo the time is bye. Naebody kens hoo
patient che Yves WI me, and aye made
the best O. me, an never pit me to
shame afore the fouk. We were MAR
man and wife, we were sweethearts a.
the time. Ohl ma bonnie lass, what
I'll the bairnies an me dae withoot ye,
Annie?"
The winter night was falling fast,
the snow lay deep upon the ground,
and the merciless north wind moaned
through the close as Tammas wrestled
with his sorrow dry-eyed, for the tears
were denied Drumtochty men. Neither
the doctor nor Jess moved hand or foot,
but their hearts were with their fellow
creature, and at length the doctor made
. sign TO Marget Howe, who had
come out in search Of Tammas, and now
stood at his side.
'Dinna mourn tae the brakin' O. yir
heart, Tammas," she said, "as II Annie
an you had never loved. Neither death
nor time can part them that love;
there's neathin' in a the warld sac
strong as love. If Annie gaes frae the
sicht O. yir cen she'll come the nearer
tae yir hert. She wants tae see ye,
and tae hear ye say that ye Ill never
forget her nicht nor day till ye meet In
the land where there's nae pairtin'.
Oh, a. ken what am sayin', for it's Ave
years moo sin George gied ava, an he's
mair with me moo than when he ives In
Edinboro' and ives In Drumtochty."
THANK ye kindly, Marget, thae are
guide words and true, an ye hev the
RIGHT tae say them; but o. Gamma dae
without seein' Annie comm tae meet
me in the gloamin, an gaein' In an
oot the hoose, an hcarin' her ca me by
ma name, an all no can tell her that a
luve her when there's nae Annie In the
hoose.
"Can naethin' be dune, doctor? Ye
savit Flora Cammil and young Burn
brae, an yon shepherds wife, Dun
leithwy, an we were a sac prood O. ye,
an pleased tue think that We he'd kept
deith frae anither hame. Can We no
think O somethin' tae help Annie,
and gle her back tae her man and bair-
nies?" and Tammas searched the doc-
tors face In the cold, weird light.
"There's nae pooer in Heaven or
airth like. love-" Marget said to me
afterwards; "it maks the weak strong
and the dumb tae speak. Oor hcrts
were as water afore Tammas' words,
an a. saw the doctor shake In his
saddle. A. never kent till that meenut
hoo he he'd share in a'body's grief,
an carried the heaviest wecht O. a the
Glen. A. peetied him wi Tammas
lookin' at him sac wistfully, as If he
he'd the keys O. life an deith in his
hands. But he ives honest, and wudna
hold oot false houp tae deceive
sore hert or win escape for himself"
'sYe medina plead wi me, Tammas,
to dae the best a. can for yir wife. Man,
a. kent her lang afore ye ever luved
her; a. brocht her intae the warld, and
a. saw her through the fever when she
was bit lassikie; a. closed her mith-
er's cen, and it ives me he'd to tell her
she ives an orphan, an nae man ives
better pleased when she got q guide
husband. and a. helpit her wi her fower
bairns. Ave naither wife nor BARNS
O. ma own, an a. coont a the faux o.
the glen ma family. Div ye think a.
wudna save Annie II cud? If there
ives a man In Muirtown at cud dae
mair for her, a'd have him this verra
nicht, but a the doctors in Perthshire
are helpless for this tribble.