The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-06-25
A LUCKY FALL.

I was young, poor in love-three as
bitter trials as human nature could
bear; for 70 be young is to have ardent
hopes and burning ambitions that ma
turer years have learned to temper or
lay resignedly aside as futile; to be poor
is to bound by a chain against which
the impatient one chafes like a prisoner
In his cage; and to be in love is to suf-
fer the long agony of hope deferred,
4 III der such conditions
had graduated from the medical col
lege with honors and a diploma: my adj
lDiring friends predicted a useful, hon
cradle and relnunerative career before
me-but at the end Of six months, T
hrnd myself with neither honors nor
emoluments, but with a heavy heart,
2tcumulating obligations, and, as yet,
me- Star Of hope OF prosperity to light
thu, way to the girl / loved
had met her during my last year at
rcollege--met and fallen in love with her
ard ere my college course was finish
ed lad the ecstasy Of knowing that L
was loved in return
But although her heart was mine, I
knew had small hope of winning the
favor OF her proud mother, until had
something better to offer than my sin
cere devotion for her daughter
sf@ Others there Were-plenty Of them
with characters as good as mine, and
with the substantial III 1rit of wealth to
lCi: increased luster to their attractive
nf,s$-and what was I to enter the lists
against them? ..
sJuoner or later the day would come
WHEN l must see my darling drift from
1riG---When our bright love-dream must
DE forgotten, or laid away as only a
Of
favored by fortune, would lead her to
thr altar as his wife.
IF mother could only know you as I
do my darling had said in some of our
stolen interviews, "she could not help
bH1 love you, Frank, and be willing to
welcome you as a son, and let me la
Dor with you until we gained little
'cOmpetency-fO [ never cared for a
fortune. But she is all I have-except
-you-and could not marry against her
WILL No, we must wait until fate is
1lnder-until you can find some way to
win her regard-for if [ am denied the
happiness of working with you, will
wait for you, Frank, my darling!'
Then what could do but fold her in
my arms and tell her she was one of
scarth's own angels, and then go back
to my bachelor den-that was at once
my office and dwelling and eat my
very heart out with impotent longing
for the success that seemed to mock
me? ~
Then at last the unwilling tide seem
ed to turn. Seated in my little office,
one night while a pitiless STORMY was
hoWling outside, there came a furious
ring at the bell, and Fastening to the
door 1 encountered Thomas Mrs Will
hal -crto i,,to
the room, for the violence of the storm
had well-nigh spent what strength he
had-put note in my hand.
In moment I recognized my dar-
1ing's handwriting, and turning my
back to him so that I might give the lit
tie mlSSive a furtive but passionate
kiss, 1 opened it and read: .
Dear nk,-Mother is suddenly
and seriously-perhaps fatally-ill, and
our physician is away. I have at last
prevailed upon her to send for you, and
she even says that if you can save her
life, there is nothing she will refuse
you. Come at once, dear-I know you
can save her if any one can-and, oh,
what joy it will mean for us! Yours de-
yotedly, Grace Willis"
What joy indeed! I knew we'll what
my darling meant Mrs Willis was
one Of those who had most excessive
fear of death a love of life that made
the prospect of dissolution terror
She must have been in dire strait in
deed to be willing to risk her case to me
as yet an unknown practitioner, and [
knew that Grace must have brought
an unusual pressure to bear upon her
to gain her point. Bless my darling.
Her fai tn in me should be indicated
/ had made somewhat a speciality of
nervous diseases, such as [ believed
Mrs. Willis subject too, and had con-
fiqence in my own powers; moreover,
that very afternoon I had received Il
letter from a friend of mine-anOther
medical student who had graduated
some years before me, telling of Il new
remedy that he had discovered to be of
great avail in nervous diseases, and
promising to send me a sample by mail
He was the proprietor of large drug
store, already gaining eminence in his
profession, and the concluding sentence
of his letter had been:
IF this remedy does half Of what 1
am disposed to claim for it, your for
tune, as well as mine, is secured. old
boy, for you shall have the merit of
fist introducing it in your town"
l thought of that as l buttoned up my
>ott' preparatory W SOluS Olll Will
Thomas. ~"
He had brought a. buggy, but the
storm beat in so that we were drenched
by the time we reached the house
Throwing off my heavy coat, how
ever. | found my other clothing were
reasonably dry, and I was shown into
the sick ROOM
found as / suspected, that Mrs. Will
Tits was suffering from an acute nervous
disease, and administering such rene
dies as l had with me, 1 left, promis-
ing to bring something the next day
that would certainly relieve her-and
on my way back to the Office that night,
! telegraphed to my friend to send me
q sample Of the medicine he had recon-
mended.
| found it among my morning mail,
and with my heat lighters than it had
been for months, / made my way to MY
patients house.
| knew that beside the great reward
4 hoped for,to cure her would open for
me the entree to the best families in
the place, and my success and prestige
would be assured.
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