Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-01-24
THE SURGEONS VISIT.
BY JAN aIACLAREN.

AaAuS -IoOLu, anu give MS opinion from
the hearthrug with an air of wisdom
bordering on the supernatural, because
neither the Drumtochty houses nor his
manner were on that large scale. He
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 a dull man, Tammas, who
could not read the meaning Of sign,
and labored under a perpetual disabil-
lty OF speech; but love was eyes to him
that day, and mouth.
us t as bad as yir lookin', doctor?
Tell the truth; wull Annie no come
through" and Tammas looked Mac
Lure straight in the face, who never
-dtnched his duty or said smooth things
"A wud gle onything tae say Annie
hes chance, but a daurna; a doot yir
,gaein' to lose her, Tammasr'
Mcclure 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.
Its sair business, but We ill play
the man and no vex Annie; she ill dae
her best, all warrant"
IAN all dse mine;" and Tammas
gave MacLure's hand a grip that would
have crushed the bones of weakling.
Drumtochty felt in such moments the
brotherlinesso fthis 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
tragedies, 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 Largest.
She's younger than me by ten years,
and never ives ill. We've been mairit
twal year laist Martinmas, but it's
JUST like a year the day. A Yves never
worthy O. her, the bonniest, snoddest
(neatest), kindliest lass in the Glen.
A never cud max DOT hoo she ever
1ookit at me, at hesna he'd ae word tae
say ABBOTT her till it's over late. She
-didna cuist up tae me that a wesna
worthy o her, no her, but aye she said:
'Yir ma ain gudeman, and name cud be
kinder tae me- An a ives minded tae
be kind, but a see moo mony little
trokes a MIGHT ha3e dune for her, and
moo the time is bye. Naebody l1ens. hoo
patient she Yves WI me, and aye made
the best O. me, an never pit me to
shame afore the fouk. We were mair
man and wife, we were sweethearts a
the time. Oh! ma bonnie lass, what
\
.Annie?"
The winter night was falling fast,
the snow lay deep upon the ground,
and the merci1ess 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
q 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, las if 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 gacs frae the
SIGHT O. yir cen she'll come the nearer
tae yir bert. She wants tae see We,
and tae hear We say that We ill never
forget her NIGHT nor day till te meet in
the land where there's nae pairtin'.
Oh, a ken what am sayin'. for it's five
years moo sin George gied ava, an he's
mair with me moo than when he ives in
Edinboro' and ives in Drumtochty."
Thank We kindly. Marget; thae are
guide words and true, an we hev the
RIGHT tae say them: but a canna dae
without seein' Annie comm tae meet
me in the gloamin'. an gaein' in an
DOT the hoose an hearin' her ca me by
ma name, an all no can tell her that a
luve her when there's nae Annie in the
Iaoose.
Can n.sthin' be dune, doctor? Ye
,savit Flora Cammil and young Burn
brae, an yon shepherds wife, Dun
leithwy, an we We're a sac prood o We,
an pleased tae 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 ne
afterwards; lit maks the weak strong
and the dumb tae speak. Cor herts
were as water afore TamTuas' 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 Yves honest, and wudna
hold DOT false houp tae deceive
sore bert or win escape for himself"
aye medina plead wi me, Tammas,
to dae the best a can for yir wife. Man,
a ken. her lang afore We ever luyed
her; a. brocht her intae the warld. and
a saw her through the fever when she
was bit lassilxie; a closed her mith-
,er's cen. and it Yves me he'd to tell her
she ives an orphan, an nae man ives
better pleased when she got guide
husband. and a helpit her wi her Tower
BARNS. Ave naither wife nor BARNS
% ma own, an a coont a the faux o
the glen ma family. Div We think a
wudna save Annie if 1 cud? If there
ives a man in MuirtoVFn at cud dae
mar foc her, a'd have him this vera
NIGHT, but a the doctors in Perthshire
are helpless for this tribble.
.'Tacnmas. ma puir fallow, if it could
avail, a tell We n wud lay down this
auld worn-oot ruckle o Z body o mine