The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-07-09
A DOCTORS STORY.
BY B. NJ. NELL.

When NJ. u. was tacheo W my hdme,
1boved at two shrines, my profession
lad|my Angelina, Her name was
ant Angelina, but my wife being a
n ns"dast little lady, desires she shall
NV be dragged before an inquisitive
n wv Let, then, Angelina represent
tbs real woman
p;chard Somcrs; age, twenty-six;
naUpraI appearance, striking and hand
some. character, very bad.
NJ Neither my affection for this gentle
man nor his affection for me would
I caused a confagration on any
i've. r of which I know. We dislik ed
i zach other heartily from the first.
Bsipg much handsomer man than
mvself, he might have been a danger
nns rival, However, he saved me all
trouble. He committed forgery
wbich was discovered sooner than be
s,pected. He was arrested for the
osspse, tried and convicted. I was
one Of the principal witnesses against
him, When the sentence was passed
mon him, he requested moments
conversation with me. l shall never
FORGET the look of hatred upon his
face as he Kissed out:
"You have ruined my love and my
life Remember that, and fear mel"
attached but little Importance to
his threat. l thought it simply the
buster Of self-defeated and disgraced
rival.
Shortly after, Angelina and were
married, and for two years 1 heard
nothing Of Somers. His sentence had
been comparatively light one-a year
and six months. After his discharge
from prison, however, I neither saw
nor heard of him.
For 50 young a man, I had been
very successful as q physician, prin-
cpally due to my strict attention to
practice. No matter how late, or dark
end stormy, might be the right, I
promptly attended to all summonses
to the bedside Of suffering.
One night, little while before the
hour of retiring, the door-bell rang,
and shortly afterward man entered
the room where we were sit
ting. He was not prepossessing. His
hairwas short and thick, and the
general cast Of his features villainous.
Without hesitation, 1 put on my
coat and hat aud prepared to 60 with
him.
"a gentleman, "he said, chad broken
bis leg."
thought it q pity that, if the gen.
tleman were anything like his mes
seBger, he hadn't broken his neck. L
did not tell my wife where I was
going, for it was q distant part of the
town, and in anything but o respect
able neighborhood. l did not wish to
make the little woman nervous.
On our way, the unprepossessing man
was very communicative. He an
Swered my inquiries about the injured
gentleman in surly monosyllables. He
was apparently in no haste, for he
walked very slowly-more slowly, /
thought than was consistent with the
welfare of my patient.
At last we arrived at our destina-
ton. It was a very dark-looking
house, in very dark street.
My guide led me up two flights Of
very dirty and rickety stairs, that
creaked objections to our weight upon
them. In the third story, we stopped
before door, which, to my surprise,
my companion opened with a key
which he took from his pocket. Was
ne afraid that man with q broken
leg would escape? l was still more
surprised when,o on entering the room,
found it empty!
he motloned me to a chair, and, re-
marking he would return soon, left the
room.
For the first time was somewha
nervous and suspicious. The empty
room-the last action of my guide
his carelessness, on our way, as to the
health Of the supposed injured man
the lonely house and neighborhood-
oil combined to make me suspect fou
play.
stepped to the door, only to fine
IT locked from the outside-to tn
window, only to find escape impossible
there. 1t was many feet from tn
ground.
Ny suspicious were now certainties
Twas trapped. None Of my friends
not even my wife knew where [ was
might be murdered in this den, an
my death remain mystery.
suppose 1 waited about an hou
before l heard the key turn in tn
coor' Then, to my dismay, half
dozen men entered.
When nature made the iail-bird VIII
mad led me into this trap, she did nc
break the mould. These men were {
me same pattern. All wore the sam