The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-01-17

myself on diagnostics Your wrist,
madam, if you please, said tho doc
tor, proceeding to feel the pulse of his
patient, with an air intended for a
very professional one. "Tensc fire.
quent-this pulse of yours, madam
showing great irritability. Your
tongue, now. Ay-rubric-dry and
streaked; usual prognostics of neu-
ralgy. Pretty much made up my mind
about your complaint coming along
madam, having learned from your lad
here something of your troubles and
fright ON losing your home. And was
right. 1t is neuralgy--decidedly Il
neuralgy'
"What is that doctor?''
| Always happy to explain, madam,
SO as to bring my meaning within the
comprehension of common minds.
Neuralgy, madam, is arrangement of
the nerves. Your disease precisely. -
why l am not at all nervous sir, "
responded the patient looking up in
surprise.
"You may not think so. madam.
Few do in our case. -
And then doctor l have an intense
inward fever persisted the other,
and lungs seem much affected.
Nervous, fever, madam, " returned
the doctor, too wise to be instructed,
and lungs sympathetically affected
that's all. Quiet and strengthen the
nerves, and all will be right in short
time. shall prescribe Radix Rhei,
in small doses, assafaetida, quinine,
and brand bitters of my own preparing.
These, with nourishing food, as soon
as you can bear it, will speedily restore
you, madam.
Having dealt out the prescribed
medicines, calculated rather to in
crease than check the poor woman's
malady, which was inflammation of the
lungs, the self satisfied doctor, swelling
with his own Importance. departed,
leaving his patient now to contend
with two evils, instead of onc-a dan
gerous disease, and the more danger
Gus effects of ii quack's prescription.
'Wha: time is it now Barty?" asked
the invalid with a deep sigh as she
awoke from troubled slumber into
which she had fallen after the Doctors
departure.
"Whew, don't know exactly, mis-
tress,' answered Bart rousing himself
from the dreamy abstraction in which
he had been indulging, as he sat looking
into the decaying fire don't know,
exactly; but it has got considerable
piece into the night. About nine
O'Clock, guess; may be more"
Mine O'Clock at night, and Harry
not yet returned!' sighed the invalid.
well, we'll, | will complain no
more. p"
''Can do anything for you, mis-
t,,tn utt
ant, touched at the sad and respondent
one of the other.
You may bring me in pitcher of
fresh. cold water, with some ice in ii,
if you will. Barty, replied the former.
1T seems to me rs If this inward heat
was consuming my vitals, since | took
the doctors medicines. -
The youth, with noiseless step, then
disappeared with his pitcher, and, in
few moments, returned with it filed
with water and several pieces of clear,
pure ice, which were heard dashing
against its sides.
"How grateful - said the sick
woman, as she took from her lips she
wooden cup which had been filed and
handed her by her attendant, and from
which she had eagerly drained nearly
IL
single draught There, now, set the
pitcher on the table yonder. and raise
the largest piece of ice up in sight. so.
as lie here, | can look at it, The
mere sight of it seems TO do me good. :
Another dreary hour rolled away in
silence, which was broken only by the |
restless motions and occasional sup
pressed groans of the invalid within, !
4 IL - do, hu
of the rain against the win |
dows without, when slow, heavy step |
was heard coming up to the house.
That is he that is his step |
family exclaimed the sick woman. !
partially raising herself in bed, and |
gazing eagerly towards the door: while F!
her pain contracted features were, for /
the moment, smoothed by the smile of |
affection and pleasure that now broke !
over them, like the faint electric il
of a weeping cloud.
Tn quick ears of the afflicted moth !
instant Harry Woodburn entered the
room, and. with a gloomy. distracted
air. proceeded to divest himself of his
wet coat and muddy boots, without
uttrring a word, or bestowing any
IIllR more tIlull casual EIditC W
wards the bed, to which he supposed
his mother had Just retired, as was
usual with her. about this hour, and
not suspecting that she was more iu
disposed than when he left her. But
as he now turned and approached the
fire, his eyes fell, for the first time, on
her haggard features when, stopping
short, with look Of surprise and
lively concern, he exclaimed, -
Mother! are you worse, mother?'
'.Yes. Harry, | am very. very sick;
and O, how glad am that you are
come. =
For several moments he said nothing,
but stood gazing at her with the dis
tressed and stupefied air of one strug
CLING to shut out painful apprehensions.
At length, however, he reused himself,
and made few hasty inquiries relatiN g
to her disorder and what had been
lone for her; and, having been in
formed of all that had occurred in his
absence, and now appearing fully to
the the danger of her
situation. he sat down by her bedside.
when his lip soon began to CULVER
and his strong bosom heavc with tumul-
tuous emotions, while bitter tears