Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-09-30

:1l@2%szs time thee other
@S$9QsS. physicians in the
tIMysMHW&. town, and during
Em#,THGy,MN my four weeks
1w + stay I had been
favored with but fow patients.
boarded with an elderly lady. whose
grandson cared for the garden and
stable. My boarding mistress was
precise and methodical in everything,
aud WAS model of punctuality, so ]
one day set my watch, and the clock
in my little office, ten minutes fast, in
order to be prompt at meals when
ut home. On the evening of that day,
just before the clock struck ten, my
telephone bell rang. I had only the
day previous had the instrument put
in, and fastened to answer my first
call. "Ceme Immediately to Millville,
20 High street. Take the 10 O'Clock
train"
cit is too late for me to catch that
train, but I will drive over with my
team if that will do. What is the
csse?" I asked.
No reply. "Hello'" called again,
but all was still. Then rang up the
central Office.
"Please connect again with the
parties who called for DR.. Wildes," !
said.
"No one has called for DR.. Wildes,' u
answered the voic e Of the operator in
the central office.
"You must be mistaken, for have
just been talking with some one
through the telephone who wants me, u
was my reply.
1.-The wires must be crossed some
where. 1 will see if I can find out
where the trouble is, sir" came in q
sleepy voice from the central.
put on my hat and started toward
the stable, meeting Jimmy with Ian
tern in hand.
IT was just coming after you, doc
tor" he said. "Your horse seems to
be dreadfully lame, and I can't find
out what ais her foot"
I sent the boy to n livery stable near
by to procure team for me, aud was
bathing and bandaging my own horse
when + heard the whistle of the 10
o'clock train. Then, remembering
that my watch had been too fast, /
muttered a very unorthodox express.
sion as I thought OF the sixteen-mile
drive must take in the cold March
night.
1 had hastened in doors and put on
heavy ulster, when l heard the boy
drive up to my door with the team.
Again I went to the telephone, and
ringing up central" inquired if lie
had ascertained who had called fol-
DR.. Wildes.
IT cannot find that any one has
called for You this evening"" came the
reply over tho wire.
Suspecting that som ebody might be
trying to play joke on me, L stepped
to the door and had the team returned
to the livery stable.
seated myself in an easy chair by
the fire and after reading short time
I fell asleep. L awoke just as my
clock was striking twelve, and as the
last stroke ceased my telephone again
rang.
I fastened to reply, aud received
the call, "Come to Millville on the
midnight train to 20 High street."
"Who wants me?" I asked, as ]
knew not soul in Millville.
I received no reply, although rang
several times, and, putting on my
overcoat and cap, I seized my medi-
cine case and hurried to the railroad
station, few rods away, where the
night train stopped on being signaled.
Before l o'clock I had reached Mill
vile and found the place to which I
had been summoned.
1t was an old -fashioned house, which
had been modernized by the addition
of bay windows in front, from one OF
which shone q faint light. I hastened
up tue steps, but before my hand
could touch the door it was opened
from the inside, and I passed in. A
very old lady, with pale face and snowy
hair, silently pointed into the next
room. I entered and found was in
a good-sized apartment that seemed to
be half parlor and half library. A
leather covered lounge was drawn up
before an open fire. and upon it lay a
man of perhaps sixty years. An ugly
cash was in the right side OF his head,
which. with the partially dried blood
upon his face, formed picture at
which I shuddercd.
I bent over him and felt for his
pulse. His hand was cold, but in his
grasp he held peculiar shaped key,
which I saw plainly in the light of the
fire. His lips moved, and without
opening his eyes he said: "The second
bunch Of grapes, the second bunch Of
grapes"
"The man is delirious." I thought
as stepped into the hallway.
MADAM" / called as I peered
around in the darkness, "please bring
me basin of warm water at once"
heard no sound except my own voice.
could family see by the light OF the
fire that shone from the library that
there were three or four other doors
leading from the hall. One after an
other I tried to open them, but they
were all locked fast. ran back into
the room from which had just come.
The leathe en- covered lounge was still
drawn up in front OF the fire, but the
man was gone. Hooked wildly around
the room, but no sign Of him could be
seen. I drew my hand over the lounge
aud found my finger showed plainly
on the dusty covering. The firO was
burning low, and seized my medicine