Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1896-08-22
A STRANGE COURTSHIP.
BY ANNIE sTEGER WINSTON.

BN ANNIE hlNSIONs
1t was a real relief when papa's new
doctor was gruff and terrifying TO say
Shear" all to myself. But, perhaps,
diverted my attention too much from
what he was telling me by this device, or
he scared me into temporary idiocy by
his grim demeanor. At any rate, l was
conscious that as a nurse / had cut a
poor figure.
1t seemed a special pity that poor
papa should have had that illness just
then, when mamma and Isabel were in
Baltimore. Mamma had gone there to
be under the care of DIR. Baker, and she
could not come home, and Isabel could
not leave her. If we had only had our
good old doctor it would have been
better, but he was in Europe, and papa
had called in this DR.. Griffin who peo-
pie seemed to think. was something
wonderful. 1t was said that his practice
was really phenomenal for so young "A
man Che was verging on 30; l am sure
that is not so very young for any
amount of practice), and l suppose he
had to economic his forces, but it made
him dreadfully disagreeable.
/ was sitting by papas bed when he
came in that first day. Some people
made such hero of him that 1 felt
little curious to see him, anxious and
troubled as Twas, and smiled at him rs
nicely as 1 could as papa said: MY
slaughter, doctor'-though he was lit
tie less than appalling; extraordinarily
tall and gaunt and awkward, with a
rugged. serious face and a shock of
tawny hair like lions name.
was about to go. but as he did not
Elance in my direction he was probably
not aware of my intention. He slightly
inclined his head and said: Miss Macon
will please go out" Which Miss Macon
did with all due celebrity.
That was but the beginning of a series
of shrinkages that l underwent during
this illness of papa's. l am only five
feet four to begin with, but every inter
view with the doctor made me feel foot
or two shorter.
When looked out of the window one
day, and actually saw mamma and Isa-
bel getting out of carriage at the
door, it was as if ton weight had been
lifted from me. The doctor was then
with papa (who, however, was almost
WE'LL, and was in my own room keep
ing out of his way. l dashed down
stairs like a mad thing, and hung my
foot somehow, or caught my dress on a
loose screw Il have never known which,,
and fell almost from the top to the bot
com. The doctor rushed out of papa's
room and was at the foot of the stairs
almost as soon as / was. Mamma and
Isabel appeared frantically from tire
opposite direction, papa calling from up
stairs all the time to know what it all
meant. 1 was so ashamed of having
caused the commotion that tried to
get up hastily and close the incident.
''> "Oh, it is nothing. just slipped"
began, struggling to my feet--and then
. great, palpitating darkness settled
over all. / revived TO find myself, as il
were, lin the clutches of griffin" UI
had long applied his name to him in
distinctly opprobrious sense.)
-What do you mean by tearing about
the house in that fashion ?" he demand
ed. stopping at the door as he was leav-
lng.
But somehow 1 was not so afraid of
him now, and for reply only laughed
feebly and innately from my station on
the sofa. It was well that my terror
of him had lessened, for that miserable
aprained ankle required his attention
more or less throughout that winter.
A strange thing happened soon after
mamma and Isabel came home. Isabel
- very pretty and very bright. We
were sitting together after tea when the
tell rang, and who should be ushered in
but DIR. Griffin. And with his hair cut
(which was not at all an improvement
though ] had thought that any
change would be. twas so wonderful
% see him sitting there laughing and
tnlking, like folks" as Nanny Judy
used TO say, that could not do anything
A,ui stare at him. And when Fred Carey
same in was positively provoked. But,
alien, ! never saw Fred quite so stupid
and uninteresting.
Not very long after that another very
remarkable thing happened. The first
wonderful thing, by the way, began 10
happen pretty frequently after awhile.
think have little knack OF rhym-
fnR. and one day a magazine real
tnneazlne took one Of my pieces. Such
y thing had never happened before and
has never happened since. II was a SEN
t|nrtlal l|6llc eifusion, which was not
4H.eI ntllh'nt tof ppyhQdg n paFtie- !