The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1896-09-24

Four days afterward Guichemerre
| returned to Saint Leon from journey
| he had undertaken. He had found a
distant, and he and his daughter were
| preparing to pack their things ready
| for removal. He had not been in the
house an hour when there came ring
at the bell, and his daughter ushered
in the constable.
Doctor" exclaimed the man, his
| eyes filling with tears, ''we're very
sorry, me and the missus. You've been
very good to little Bob, and we should
not have gone to Doctor Preville.
But, doctor, poor Bob's worse" sob
land Doctor Preville doesn't seem to
do him any good-says as the little
chap has got some dreadful complaint
with a long name-we've never heard
1t before in these parts. Looks as if it
was all up with him, poor chap" (sob)
though the doctor won't say any
thing. And Bob's ben asking for you.
Won't you come? just to please him!
Perhaps you can cure him"
He tried to keep stern face and
make excuses; he knew nothing of the
case; Doctor Preville would take it as
a slight and so on; but the sorrowing
father had an answer for all. Doc
tor Preville knew that he was going to
call Doctor Guichemerre; he now felt
that he had done wrong in not having
the older doctor, who must know more
than a young one; and much more to
the same effect So Guichemerre, who
was secretly overjoyed, set off with the
village constable for the sick-room.
There was no doubt that little Bob
was very i'll, that was quite clear; but
what on earth was the matter with
him? Guichemerre felt the boys
pulse, looked at his tongue, sounded
him, tapped his thin body in different
parts, but could arrive at no decision.
He was dreadfully perplexed; there
was no apparent cause for disease, yet
the boy was evidently wasting away
and would undoubtedly die if some
thing were not done to rouse him and
make him eat. His mother was crying
and his father doing his best to keep
back the tears; this naturally had a
depressing effect upon the child, who
had frightened up little on the ap-
pearance of the doctor, but was now
lying in listless condition and occa-
sionally whimpeHng. Something must
be done to drive away those gloomy
faces.
wen soon set him right" said the
old man, cheerily. He uttered a few
long medical terms so as to reassure
the parents, and soon afterward left
the house to make up some medicine
which would do the boy a lot of good.
Heaven forgive me" murmured
the doctor, as he walked home. Il
would give something to save him, but
don't know what ails him and I'm
afraid he will not recover"
Actuated by desire to save the boy,
for the parents sake, Guichemerre,
whose prepara tons for removal were
suspended, did all he possibly could.
He went two or three times each day,
he changed the medicine, and he of
fered up earnest prayers on the childs
behalf; but neither the one nor the
other made any apparent difference;
at the end of three days there was no
improvement and the doctor was at
his wits end.
In the meantime some of his former
patients came back to him. The fact
that Doctor Preville no longer attend
ed Bob and that Doctor Guichemerre
was curing him--so the rumor ran
operated in favor of the latter. 1t was
terribly anxious time for Guiche-
merre. If the boy recovered, what
happiness for the parents, what honor
for himself! If he died-the doctor
shuddered at the thought.
On the fourth day the doctor would
not allow the parents to be in the
room while he was examining the
child. The fact was, he wished to hide
from them that he could do nothing;
he was afraid that they would see
through his ruses, and would give way
to grief when they learned the truth,
and thus, perhaps, spoil what httie
chance still remained Of saving the
boy. He must be alone, he said; ne
was going to treat the boy in speciai
manner-by an invention of his own.
He shut the door and locked 1t. I'hen
he sat down by the child's bedside ana
began to talk to it in an aimless way
he did not know what else to do. he
had box with him. A friend had
sent present-a toy-for his grand
son, and he had been to the railway
station to fetch 1T.
He thought he might as well open
the box and see what it contained. IL
would serve to while away the nrteeh
minutes or so which he usually stayeu
in the room, and Bob might like to see
the toy.
1t was a splendid toy engine, going
by clockwork, and according to a