The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-07-21

you WITCH you NtHt ilto Stdi Nouit,
| which was but reasonable precaution
| in some other localities.
My first introduction TO il was owed
TO Rebecca Bent, who called upon me
one very warm evening in late August
to ask for medical advice. l had seen
her before, for she had been charwoman
for a few weeks at the little house l oc-
cupied when one of my two domestics
was away. l remembered her because
she had worked so hard ("like horse, "
my cook had said) during that tempo
rary engagement and given much great
er satisfaction than charwomen usually
do. Otherwise there was nothing about
her to enlist the memory. She was not
young-five and forty, one would say,
at least-and she had not even the
remains of good looks. A tall, big
boned, masculine woman, her only claim
on the sentimental emotions that look
of hopeless discomfort worn by so many
of her class and age, she was certainly
not an attractive person. She was strong
enough, however, and to all appearance
healthy and the last person l should
have expected to need my professional
services. Still, strange as it may seem
in the case of those who have so many
genuine troubles, it is not more unusual
for the very poor to imagine themselves
i'll when there is little the matter with
them than for fine lady. If they cut
their finger, they think they are like to
die. And the woman had rung the sur
gerry bell, which-though scarcely in
the city seuse-meant business.
"Well, Rebecca, nothing gone wrong,
] hope" said cheerfully. "You look
all right,
Appearances are deceitful, sir, heav-
en- knows" she answered, with what
seemed for co trite proverb a most
unnece ssary significance. Its weak
ness so that one cannot lift ones hand
to ones head and thirst so that one
wants bucketful and a cough that
seems TO tear one inside out, and besides
that there's fever.
$50 bad as that, is it?'
made the usual examination. Her
pulse was all right, her tongue quite a
pleasure to look at as compared with
most of those organs submitted to my
inspection especially that most COM
mon variety, the drunken tongue). She
had not coughed at all throughout the
ordeal and there was not trace of fever.
you're nervous about yourself, my
good woman" said, (which in your
case surprises me. You're too hard a
worker to have such fancies. a."
'Still, them are the symptoms" she
answered doggedly, land | want a pre-
scription. And she held out her hand,
with Is pence i'll it. Such is not the fee
in Wimpole street, but in the east end
we are less eXacting, and we have the
same excuse for taking less as the bar
rister gave for taking half crown in
stead of a guinea-it is often all our
clients have Ill the world.
II don't want your money, Rebecca,
any more than you want my prescrip-
tion," said.
'For mercy's sake give it mer' she
cried imploringly. "It'snot for me, sir;
it's for my sister. f"
"For your sister? / did not know you
had a sister. How is it possible for me
to prescribe for patient l have never
SEEM"
"She is i'll, sir, deadly ill.," she
pleaded.
1.-THE more reason / should see her.
"But she will not see you, sir. She
made me promise that would not bring
you. She has seen no one but me for
years. She's an invalid"
well, of course, and has an invalid's
fancies no doubt Come, take me %
her" And l took up my hat.
Then, to my amazement, the big,
strong woman burst into tears. ooh,
sir, you don't understand" she sobbed.
"She is not accustomed to be seen like
this. You will break her heart. "
Pooh, pooh!' l said. con the con.
trary it is my business to mend it,"
Not that | had the least belief III
what she said, for, indeed, | began tc
think that her sister might be a lusuS
nature, Of which / had seen more than
one IN my east end practice-poor crea
lures that were not good enough or bao
enough for show; two headed night.
ingales who had just missed theil
chance, as it were, by half head; ele.
plant men with imperfectly developed
trunk. When poverty goes hand in HAND
with Disagreement, it cannot close door
and windows or hide in secluded
grounds, but still it will shrink from
observation all it can, like some shy
creature on the seashore whose shell i!
too small for it.
Seeing it was useless to argue will
me, Rebecca led the way to Star court
Dry, dusty, airless and without sun
shine, because the tall black houses arr
huddled too close together, it was i'll
deed cherries spot for the sound, fal
more for the sick, to dwell in. a few
ragged children were dancing in thu
center of it round barrel organ, TO thu
superficial eye an example of how hap
| piness is found III every spot, but well
knew that in more than one Of thes,
abodes lay women and children dowl
| with fever, to each Of when every not
| of the instrument y as torture, Lut tier,
| was no livcriCd lCctGGn rECEe TO wSTI
Il