The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-04-20
A GHOST STORY.

night night just before separating for
bed; you've never seen one. For my
part, I've been more fortunate, and
I believe in them.
When 1 was a lecturer In the ana
temical course of the school, years ago
I was In the habit of frequently giving
lectures at the dissecting table with
the class around me there.
Sat the same time l was In full
practice, and l had one case in particu-
lar that was enthralling to me. This
ase had baffled the skill of every ply
sician of note in the country. | was
the last employed upon 1t; and being in
love with the young lady / struggled
against it's progress like a mad man.
here were recorded in all u medical
chronicles but four cases Of this type
had occurred. nearly 100 years
ago and had been poorly diagnosed
then; the third was a twin sister of
my patient, who had not died of it
simply because in an early stage of the
disease she had been drowned. I saw
that there was no help in science or
sympathy for my patient; and as day
by day passed and she steadily declin-
ed, and my love did nothing but in
crease for her unfailing sweetness and
her beauty. that blazed only brighter
with the disease, it used to seem to
me as IL my brain would burst with
despair and desire and suspense. /
will no attempt to tell you how beau
tiful she was, even in her Illness and
incipient decay; her features nodded
like some antique statues, were ala
bastrine, the flames of her spirit
burned behind them till they were fair
ly luminous; her great dark eyes glow
ed-with the hidden fever perhaps
but still like stars and a faint rosy
flame went and came on her cheeks
that many a time l longed to deepen
with my lips, but never dared-for had
l told her of my passion l should have
been of little good as a physician; and,
in fact, !. was Of little good. Let me do
my best and try my utmost, study
and ponder, search and compare, all
my efforts were but alterations; the
disease like an underground fire whose
issues have been closed at the surface,
burned steadily underneath.
"She saw the absorption In which
she held me; but she knew that I was
devoted to my studies and If she recog-
| nized 1t to be anything but profession
II zeal she gave me no sign. But my
neart beat wildly for one Of those
smiles of hers that SHE she'd around so
rarelesly in moments freed from par
pxysms Of her pain, for n Of those
smiles that should be given to me and
ne only. 7 stole one day a long tress
Of her yellow hair, while she was
s1eeping;I. betrayed my profession in
doing 1t; perhaps it was alb litter solace
to me, and /. have it yet. There was
nothing earthly in this passage of
mine; how could there be when 1t was
for n whose body was passing away
/ from earth? I had a certain sort of
bliss only in seeing her from day to
day, in the freedom and the friendship
of our relation-of taking her hand,
whose touch almost made my heIrt
leap into my throat-of receiving .hel
c~onfdence-of being looked for and ex.
pected by her E. Sometimes when the
man and lover become the student OF
science and I saw that even this must
end before long; I cursed the day ]
] was born and -groveled on the floor in
darkness. OF what use was my profes'
sion to me, all my skill. my nerve, my
courage, my steady hand, my judg
ment, if in one my one need they avail
ed me nothing, absolutely nothing
They were my bane, for had 1 never
possessed them / should never have
been consulted in relation to this case
l should never have been tortured tt
agony by knowing that l could save
any rat-catcher's daughter from all thu
fevers that infest the slums, while be
fore the life of my SOU as it departed
I could only veil my face. You mus
not think me a positive monster wher
l assure you that 1t would have beer
some satisfaction to me after things
came to the worst, could l but have
had the liberty to make an unfetteret
Investigation. into the anatomy Of thu
disease, which I could and would hav'
done-we are strange compounds--a
any rate a physician is.
Gone day I was summoned away b.
a message which l could not disobey
my father was ill where I alone coulC
he of service to him. I went to Ellis
and gave my written orders for he
treatment during the next three days
I thought / might venture to sleav
her for that length of time, since til
changes of her disease were so slow i
their prOgress-and at any rate I must
IF anything strange or new occurs
Elise, desert my directions at once
said, and send for DR.. Haussman-
but do not lose your heart to him.
said that lightly, for Dr., Haussmar
though almost unrivaled in his ar
was a bachelor laughing-stock anon
young ome
IF I did," said Elise, The shout
never know it."
"Why not" l asked. with somethin
very like hope, a ghost of hope, risin
in my heart. IF a man loves you,and
loved by you, has he not a right t
know it,"
.Ah, do you think I am such
wretch as that?" sighed Elise. TO eI
courage so hopeless a love as one fo
me must be-" g..
You are an angel I said. I wer
out with my blood dancing for Joy i
my veins: I had learned all l wante
to know-and even if she died
should know that Elise would be wal
ing for me-mine, and mine only
the life beyond.
II was detained by my fathers il
ness the three days, and started on m
return. Overtaken by q great n
storm, and our coach broken down, an
horses that could make Roadway bein
hard to find, 1 was terribly delayed
l did not arrive at the end of my jou
|, new till the evening of the fifth da,