Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-05-21

L =
me out"
Lead theway," said 1. I'm willing. !
sacrifice"
In five minutes I found myself talk
ing to Miss Gray, while at little dis
tance Burroughs and the fair Brazilian |
were progressing famously IN spite or !
the lingual limitations. Still farther !
away the buxom mother of the splendid |
creature was playing discreet chape-
ron and discoursing with one of her
countrymen.
There was glorious moon overhead, |
and the steamer ran smoothly over the !
TRANQUIL sea. These details come !
back to me, far more distinctly than
the words of folly, commonplace, or
wisdom we may have exchanged. Prob |
ably we talked of the ship, the officers
and the passengers, of Brazil and the
United States, and, last, but not least,
of the beauty and charm of the night.
The girl had something white and fluffy
thrown over her head, and her light |
Jacket was buttoned about her trim fig |
ure, for the evening air was cool, IN
spite of our latitude. The moonlight
was kind to her, as it is to many OF
her sisters, and had ! attempted to
revive my afternoons opinion of her
face, my new finding, l fear, would
have been far less severely critical.
In that first evening came TO like
her exceedingly. There was nothing of
the coquette in her; in fact, there was
hardly touch of frivolity. She seemed
grave rather than gay, although one got
from her no suggestion of morose dis
position. In short, there was something
in her manner to bring to mind the
self-repression one often notes in per-
sons long accustomed to close attend
ance upon an exacting invalid. AS il
happened, she came rightfully by this
air, inasmuch as her aunt was chronic
searcher for the health which she be-
lieved herself to lack. With this aunt
Miss Gray had been travelling for sew
eral years.
When she bade me good night gave
an hour to tobacco and Burroughs, who
chartered enthusiastically about the
flower of Brazil. Incidentally, he ex
planned that he had met Mrs. Loring
and her niece but once before the
Bedouin sailed, and that he knew next
to nothing of them.
The old lady's queer one, though"
he added. IF you confess that you're
Il doctor she'll make your life burden,
you know. Shun her, old chappie, shun
her"
Events proved that, even had been
disposed to accept his advice, 1t would
have been extremely difficult to put 1t
into practice. Mrs. Loring gave me no
option In the matter. No sooner did
she discover my profession-and that
she did speedily-than she sent for me.
l found her propped up on pillows i'll
her berth, with a novel in one hand and
n fan in the other.
$50 kind Of you, DIR. Morris, so very,
very kind" she began-"sokind to come
so soon. Really, was in despair, yes,
In abject despair, until I heard that you
were u physician. I am 80 i'll, 80 mis-
erably Ill, doctor, and the ships sur
geon misjudges my case SO terribly.
Would you believe it-can you be-
lieve it?-ho actually tried to humbug
me into thinking that l was well, per-
fectly well. And Il"
She fell back upon her pillows, as IL
overpowered by the remembrance of
her sufferings. Yet In n moment she
was again sitting up and pouring into
my ears IA torrent Of words. She was a
tall woman, thin, though not emaciated,
very nervous, and one of the most
voluble persons it was ever my fate TO
encounter. Her age was not far from
As years.
In spite of her repeated assertions
that she was very III, and the evident !
faith she put in them, IL was clear that |
Mrs. Loring might as well have been |
on deck as In her state-room. An I'M |
due indulgence in certain triumphs of
the ships pastry-cook, and an over
taxed digestion, would explain her all
ment TO the satisfaction of anybody |
but herself. The surgeons view of the
matter, expressed rather brusquely, |
had served TO convince the lady that no
was brute. Perhaps had she been
lone traveller she might have bad oc- |
casion 10 put me In the same category; |
but, with one thought for her and two |
for her niece, listened patiently to the |
tale of sorrow and agony.
"Well. Mrs. Loring," said 1, when the |
opportunity came, II think have
diagnoaed your case. With your CO.
operation, we'll have you we'll again |
long before this voyage Ia over. I'll |
prepare some medicine which think |
will be effective. I shall have TO ask |
you TO put yourself on n restricted dict,
In order that the delicate chemical |
changes which / count upon the medi- |
cine TO produce as on aid TO the diges- |
tive ferments may progress under the |
most favorable conditions. The dose |
will be n teaspoonful just half an hour |
before each meal. So accurately calcu- |
lated nre the effects thatI must ask you |
70 follow the drections TO the minute. |
The slightest variation In the time may |
utterly destroy the efficacy OF the |
drugs."
ooh, you may rely upon me, doctor"
she cried. dclightedly. 81 understand
you perfectIy-ycs, perfectly. To the
minute, TO the very minute, the medi-
cine shall be taken. Oh, doctor, doctor. |
1t is a comfort, such Il comfort, TO see |
that you understand my trouble go |
thoroughly-yes. 30 thoroughly. Now,
that surgcon-"
But / bowed myself out OF the state
room, and fastened In search of the
Official medicine-man, who, 10 must be |
admitted, learned with entire sRtisfnc-
tion that another had assumed charge |
of Mrs. Lorlng's case. Moreover, he
checrfully assisted In the preparation
of tho medicine for her use. II was
warranted TO be harmless; IL tasted
much ns II little sugar had been dis
solved In n generous quantity OF wa
ter. IA IL met the patients craving for
doses, however, and ns she was up and
about again In the course OF n few days,
It may be said TO have accomplished It's
benevolent purpose.
In the meantime Mirs Gray and i
were getting on famously. We walked
the deck together, we hazarded small
bets on the steamers daily run, aud VIC
shared in the somewhat limited list OF
mid-occan amusements. While the
moonlight evenings lasted we gave the
Queen Of Night every chance in the
world 10 exercise her mischicyous swnyj
but for once, at least, her powers failed.
l do not mean TO suggest that our con
versation was always coldly mattcr-of-
fact A vein of sentiment ran through
~ at timcs, but on the whole we kept
well within the bounds OF everyday