The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-05-10
I4& ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
| Che Dap Star Of TIE !:
Orknep'S.
Romance..By Hannah B. Mckenzie.
A Romance.-.By Hannah B. Mckenzie.


has been Of any real help to the un-
fortunate. And he is apt to become
cynical In consequence.
Richard Falconer had started in life
with more rather than less of the
usual romance and impractical senti-
ment of youth. The last thing he had
thought of had been the hard realities
oflife. And, as a natural consequence
those hard realities were now assert
ing themselves and forcing themselves
upon his attention more and more ev-
cry day in the hard struggle to estab-
lish himself In practice on the slender
basis of parish appointment in big
provincial town where he was as yet
little known and had host of wealth
Ter competitors. 1t was so different
from the career his glowing anticipa-
tions had pictured in the happy old
college days. He had left the univer-
sity with good degree, and his
chances Of ultimate success were most
highly estimated by those professional
friends who knew him best; but he
had himself almost lost heart. He
looked every day with sinking spirits
and frightening face on his young
wife and son-now rapidly growing
boy with a portentous appetite, whom
he must soon begin to think of placing
at school-and his heart sank lower
still one morning when the only WISH
tor to his surgery was ragged mes
senger, who produced from his pocket
a dirty and much-folded slip OF paper,
which, on being smoothed out, proved
to be only the usual parish order to
visit pauper patient in the poorest
quarter Of the town. 1t looked just
like any other such as he was in the
daily habit Of receiving, and he glanced
at 1t almost mechanically as he an
swered:
Peter Ingram, 3 Paradise Row-ur-
gent Very well, / shall be there In
about half an hour"
1t was not promising duty, but it
was at least better than to sit
eating his own heart in the bitterness
of enforced idleness, as he had too oft
en- been compelled to do of late; so,
waiting only ia put his stethoscope and
thermometer in his pocket, he seized
his umbrella and started. The streets
through which he passed to his destin-
alton, each darker and dirtier and more
thickly studded with public houses
than the last, seemed to his morbid
fancy to symbolic his own position
and prospects. In one of the darkest
and dirtiest of all he stopped before a
house even in such neighborhood
was conspicuous for it's neglected APP
pearance. The paint had long ago
peeled In great patches off the door,
and more than half the panes OF glass
were broken in the window, while the
remaining ones were perfectly opaque
with dust and cobwebs. Nine out of
ten persons would have passed the
house as uninhabited, but DR.. Falconer
knew better. Finding his knock un-
answered, he tried the latch, but the
door was locked. Again he raped
sharply, this time with the handle OF
his umbrella, and after a second repe-
tition key grated in the lock, the
door opened three inches, and a gilt
tering eye, under red bushy eyebrow,
sharply scrutinized him from behind
1t. Then 1t closed again; he heard
chain unfasten. the door was opened
just wide enough to admit him, and
closed, locked, and chained behind him
the moment he had entered.
'Are you afraid of thieves, my
friend?" said the doctor, glancing round
the four bare walls as well as the
light permitted. You need hardly be
neroyus on that score, think"
No." said the man who had admit
ted him; lone who has parted with
the very last rag and stick he can
spare has at least that consolation.
Vacuus cantabit, you know. But
have still little pride left, and don't
like every one 10 see me In this
plight"
All" said Faiconer, catching him
by the arm to draw him near the light
you have come down in the world,
then. Was ii drink? Be frank with
me-"
Il won't deny that drink began 1t,
he answered, quietly. But don't make
a mistake, doctor; drink isn't the cause
of my present illness. / was once a
university man myself.and looking for
ward to profession. Drink ruined
my prospects, and l found myself a
private soldier instead. But ! pulled
up. | haven't tasted drink for many
years. An old wound received at Abu
klea, and repeated doses OF malaria
have brought me to my present condi-
tion.'
Am / TO understand, then" said the
doctor, that you are yourself the pa
tient ! was sent for to see? Why are
you not in bed. them"
Because there is no one to open the
door but myself I am alone In the