The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-05-21

/
useful advice and information, his long
experience rendering all he impaired
Of great value to young physician.
Scarcely an evening passed but found
me at his cottage to discuss the cases
of the day. in each and all of which he
took keen professional interest.
| But, before | had been year in
Gresham, found my professional talks
| formed but a secondary interest in
1 my visits TO DR.. Farnell's cottage.
/ When these were over, and the aged
/ doctor dozed in his chair, or nodded
over book, Leonie Farnell, his grand
+ laughter and housekeeper, would touch
/ the piano keys to accompany her sweet,
/ clear voice in my favorite songs, or
I would talk to me in her womanly way
] Of the patients, who were all friends
/ Of her own, many of them her pension
ers. Let me try, looking through the
i clouds that rolled soon between US, to
| picture, Leonie Farnell as she was in
that first year OF my love fer her. My
/ love, say, for it sprang into my heart
strong and undying the first time her
soft, brown eyes met mine in shy greet
/ ing.
She was pretty, but no wonder of
beauty, her great charm lying in her
| grace of movements. her low, sweet
voice and a gentle, refined modesty.
She had been carefully educated, but
had no brilliant accomplishments, un-
less gift of making home an altogeth-
er charming place may rank in that cat
egory. Orphaned in infancy, she had
been the darling of her grandfather
| heart, but, dearly as he loved her, he
was never ayerse to my suit. He read
my hearts secret even before guessed
its depth, and in his quiet way favored
the friendship between Leonie and my
self.
A year, the one bright year in my
solitary life, passed away. and pre-
/ pared to speak to Leonie of my love.
had waited until | felt secure of my
position at Gresham, and | hoped to
waken some warmer token of love on
Leonie's part. For even then guessed
dimly, what know. and soon knew GER
tainly, that ! had won only calm. sis
terly affection in return for the absorb
ing devotion of my heart.
have said nothing yet of my inter-
course with my Uncle Gresham, the
grandee of the little village, whose
large, handsome house was the center
OF attraction to all strangers, and whose
income was supposed to be something
of almost fabulous extent, and really
was that of very wealthy man.
During that first bright year of my
life in the village he had started, my
intercourse with my uncle was as pleas
ant as all other parts of my life, and
| was a frequent and welcome visitor
at his house.
But in one brief sentence | may re-
cord the event that wrought a change
in all-my love, my friendships, my
welcome at Gresham Place. My cousin,
Sidney, Uncle Gresham's only child,
came home from Europe, where he had
been travelling for five years.
From that time | marked change
in my reception at the house, where
had been assured of most cordial well
| come, and my visits soon became those
exacted by my gratitude only. 1t hurt
me cruelty to see that my uncle's atfec-
| ton was being won from me, but there
was far more bitter cup soon to be
placed at my reluctant lips.
Sidney came to DR.. FarnelPs as a
| guest sure of a welcome, to renew a
friendship only interrupted since boy
hood by his travels. And the first time
| / saw him with Leonie knew why my
love had failed to meet its return. a
childish friendship had grown by that
long separation into a life love. The
| eyes that had ever met mine with the
| frankness of friendship dropped shyly
beneath Sidney's gaze. while the cheek
that had never changed color for me,
flushed ut his coming, even before he
spoke.
Yet | would not quite despair until
meeting them together, on a hazy June
evening, walking slowly, as lovers walk.
| | heard soft, signing voice whisper:
III have always loved you, Sidney"
In their happiness they never guessed
my presence, and strank back behind
a friendly tree till they passed me by,
and were lost to my sight.
| Then | threw myself into my profess
sional duties. trying so to feed my stare-
ing heart, studying diligently. and CIV
ing every case in my care ardent infer-
est. DR.. Farnell guessed all my misery,
and. when | came more and more sell
dom to his cottage. he crossed the road
frequently to visit me. Once only he
! spoke. II am sorry Leone loves Sgd
ney." he said. after telling me of their
engagement. "for he is a man | never
liked nor trusted. But woman's heart
Is hayward and must follow it's own
will. There is no reason-not one-to
| set against her love. so must bear my
disappointment as best may"
And knew my kind old friend meant
that he had hoped my love would win
Leonie's heart.
While August was burning up the
| vegetation with long drought. we had
several cases of malignant fever in the
village, and one morning was shocked
| at receiving note from my uncle, say
ing Sidney had the symptoms.
| hurried to the house, and my uncle
led me directly to the sick room. But as
] approached the bed Sidney cried:
what brings you hereP Where is DR..