The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-02-10
THE DOCTORS MIDSUMMER
NIGHT.

where the silver light. A heavy thun
der storm in the early evening had
discharged its artillery till the solid
earth had trembled and the high hills
shaken, had poured down It's deluge
of waters till it had cleared the mar
row valley Of the heat, which for IA
days had been almost insutferable, had
laid the dust, had washed the great
trees till their heavy boughs hung
down pendulous, and dripping with
moisture: had freshened the foliage
all along the roadside till each little
fern and leaf had held up lis head in
new life; had filled the dried up river
till its banks had overfiowed; pushing
its noisy way over its stony bed. The
insects and creeping things which
hide from the light of day had been
holding high feast, tree toads had
trilled, frogs had croaked, snakes had
crept out of their holes, and wriggled
their way over the road with nobody
to molest, or make afraid; little birds
had twittered in their nests, and on
many tree top a wise looking owl,
with one eye cooked on the moon, and
one on the sleeping earth, had footed
out his solemn note.
Here and there up and down the
roadside stood houses, but their open
windows emitted no ray of light-their
sleeping inmates were being refresh
ed by the rest and GOODNESS of the
night.
No human being was in sight save
one, and he solitary rider, whose
horse, well trained, and sure footed,
hasting not. resting not, but with
head bent and ears at rest, stepped
fearlessly along, as if bearing his mas
ter over accustomed ground.
A casual observer might have no
ticed that the man in the saddle paid
no attention to the motions of his
horse; if he had been close obser
yer be would have detected that the
right hand which held the reins, and
the left hand. which hung down at
the side, were both inert, that the bo-
dy was relaxed, that the head was
bent forward, that the breathing was
deep and regular, that the eyes were
shut, that the man was asleep.
If such one had pressed closer in
his amazement, he would have detect
ed the presence Of a subtle odor, which
he would have interrogated as hold
ing a possible clew to this strange
condition. We're the mans senses
stepped in alchohol, was he drug
ged? Not so; PAIR of saddle bags
hanging over the saddle revealed his
profession and the nature of this mid
night ride. He was doctor, more
properly he was the doctor.
1t has been more than once demon.
strated that soldiers sleep on the
march This man was a soldier
though his marching order took nc
note of bugle or drum. He wore nc
straps, no uniform; he recognized no
commanding officer; he obeyed the
voice of no superior; but at mid
night, at cock Growing, or in the morI
ing through winters drifts or sum
mer's dust, whenever the call from
the sick and the suffering came t(
hlLI, ho OpCsSu
He and his black horse Dragon be
came familiar figures along the wind
ing river roads, and up and down The
steep hill sides, speeding on their er
rands of mercy, through many town
ship, and every man, woman and rhilC
along the route Enew them well
watched for and welcomed them al
ways, but most wherever the tigh
ragged hottest.
And SO it happened that on thi
particular night, which brought TIT
first refreshing sleep of IA days t.
worn laborers, the doctor was not al
lowed to rest in his bed, but had t,
snatch such bits of sleep as he coul(
along the highway, under the mid
night stars.
After six miles OF river road tn
horse turned off, without any sugges
ton from his master and began th
ascent of steep hill on the right
picking his way carefully over tn
rough road, as if he knew that th
man he was carrying still slept an,
must not De disturbed.
Dragon was of such mettlesom,
nature that the doctors man Mike wa
the only one who ever attempted t,
manage him, and he always approach
ed him with becoming Difference, an,
handled him with mitten5." Bu
with the doctor Dragon had becom
as docile as an old farm hack. Their
seemed to be tacit understanding
between them, of mutual dependenc
and sympathy, as of many anothe
pair of friends, who share each 9th
ers sorrows and mutual burdens bear
Bnt the doctor felt the cooler breatl
of the hills as he made the ascent, ant
his system vigorously responded
Drawing a long breath, and lifting u
his head, he squared his broad shoul
ders and tightened the reins.
Dragon, where are we?"
The horse stopped instantly. Th
doctor rubbed his eyes, and turne
around in his saddle. They had reach
ed the first plateau, from which tn
whole river road could be seen. !
white line Of fog marked It's lengt
and breadth Cursed malaria" NUT
tered the doctor, we shall have
harder time ye-, Dragon, before tn
harvest moon. Well, go on. We hav
only four miles before us now; on
stop more and then-homer'
The word home, which seemed t
give winss TO Dragons feet, possesse
a counter spell for the doctor, Draw
ing heavy sigh, his head sank agail
but not in sleep. With rein well
hand, he allow.d Dragon to choos
his own gait, and in Is minutes ther
after the noble animal had cleare
nearly the whole of the remaining
miles, and drew up of his own accol
at the last stop"
The dec or dismounted, and pas
ing his bride over clothes pole, We
, briskly up the short path. and in
the open front doc r of the little stor
[ and half rown house, standing
the ripht of the roadside No Da