The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-08-17

least the rudi-
ments of his profession before he
should enter upon active practice made
him deaf to all paternal entreaties to
return home until ono morning he
walked up to find that his thick bronze
beard had developed several actually
gray thr lads.
Conse 1uently, one fine spring morn
ing all blissfeld was electrified to see,
as 1T passed the quaint old Dayton
homestead, modest, little gilt sign
bearing the simple words, CDR. Charles
Dayton"
He didn't take" at first. He wore
short coats in direct opposition to all
former idea of the professional man.
dress, and he didn't seem to remem-
Der anybody whom he had known in
his youth.
1t wasn't because he was proud, he
knew, but he had been occupied with
graver 'iugs during his absence than
remembering who was the sister to his
Sunday-school teacher and who mar.
riel the " Gngest of the Barker girls.
But after n year or 80 of doubt they
began to understand him, especially
when his superior skill had saved the
darling of nearl y every household in
town when the scarletfever threatened
to I'LL the tiny graveyard on the edge
of the mil.
DIR. Charles, as they learned to call
him, had an additional trait in his
favor; he knew how to neglect each and
every woman in Blissfeld with equal
severity. Not that women enjoy being
neglected, but they always develop n
sort of respect for man who doesn't
stoop to them, providing he is consis-
tent in his frigidity to all the women
in the place.
At the end of five years two things
had taken place in Blissfield. DR..
O. lies was the idol of the town, and
young Tom, the baby of the Dayton
family, was going to celebrate reach
ing his majority by taking unto himself
wife.
1t was an awful mistake, thought the
whole household when the downy-
checked Tom stood up in blushing
bravado on his return from his Junior
year mt college, and persisted in his
statement that he was never going to
school again. For that fall he was to
become the husband of the dearest lit
tic girl in all the world
But reason settled upon them, and
the only stipulation was that little
maiden should come for visit to the
family Of her future husband some
time that summer.
One morning late in July Miss Day
ton and her younger brother set ont
for the East, aud returned week lat.
or with the tiny laly, who was in q
pretty state Of nervousness at the
strangeness Of the situation.
DIR. Charles was ont in the country
ut the bedside Of patient, and when.
after midnight, he stumbled in, drip
ping, splashed with mud after his LONG
ride in)tbe storm and sick Mt heart (his
patient had died in spite Of his effortsl,
nc had forgotten all about the expect
ed visitor till he caught sight Of lit
tie sailor hot and pair Of crumpled
gloves on the table in the hall.
II seemed so very odd to find any
thing so young, so daintily feminine
in this staid old house that he stood
long in the dimly-lighted hall, absent
" smoothing ont the tiny gloves
pressing each finger in place and not
ing with an indulgent smile that &
button was missing from the left wrist
DR.. Charles slept badly that nigh
and awoke with the sun in spite Of tn,
late hours Of the night before. Som,
way the first thing TO come into hi,
mind as he opened his eyes was tn,
rumpled, tiny, buttonless glove i'm Tn,
hall below, and the more he tried t.
throw of the memory the closer il
chung 10 him
When ne reached the lower hall Inc
found himself again by the little tabl,
with the little hat aud gloves. and j.,
put ont his hand with n touch almost
caressing. Just as his fingers met tn,
pretty feminine trihes heheard n fresl
young voice Just behind him saying.
OH take these, II they are in youi
way 7 forgot them last night.
pr Charles wheeled about guiitily
There, on the lower stop, was a young