Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-06-06

"a "
IMUl prising story the other day
S Doctors-and Wilmore is one
do meet with surprising cases at times
1 had not seen my friend for som
time when he invited me to spend few
days with him at his pretty villa over
looking the Royal gardens at Kew. o.
the first evening of my visit 1 sat witt
aim on the balcony of an upper room.
Close to us was the great palm house
WilmOre pointed to it.
whenever l look at that house." b,
said, II think of the events Of a nigh
that l spent in II with q man VIII,
would have committed q murder ha(
not been instrumental In preventing
him"
done-asked Wilmore to tell his story
Don't mind il 1 do" he replied, ''onlJ
I must not be too long about It."
"Well, 1t Is almost twenty-five year.
since 1 settled here near this wonderful
garden. 1 put up my brass plate and
waited for patients. I could do thii
with little anxiety. for l had q sligh,
Income to keep me going.
There came to Kew about the same
time n colonel, his wife and his daugh'
ter. Apparently they did not intend to
reside here permanently-they took q
furnished house by the quarter.
Il met the three Of them In the gar.
aens constantly. Like myself, they had
obtained a private pass and used to
enter by that little gate opposite to US.
They were seldom In the gardens when
the general public were admitted.
ITO be candid with you, the beauty
Of the colonel's daughter was to me far
more enchanting than the beauty Of the
gardens. Yes. it was a case Of love al
arst sight
Il am not going to describe her ex.
sept to say that every man before he
reaches my age experiences the sort OF
lntoxication that did then, and to him
the beauty Of the loved object is in
comparable.
''The girl, 1 must tell you. was one
Of the most healthy looking girls have
ever seen. We doctors know at a glance
where health has Its abode.
81 took a dislike to the colonel-nat.
urally, perhaps, for he seemed to guard
his daughter with exceeding sternness
BE disliked me, too, it was plain.
shall never forget how he used to
watch me and frown. Though was in
love, was not quite devoid Of reason,
and could find many excuses for the
mans apparent antagonism. Doubtless
be wanted quiet time, as did. Be-
sides. the colonel might well have Inn
agined at times that I followed them
It had really reached that stage with
me that felt respondent when could
not see them. OF the colonels wife l
need say little-she seemed to be an
woman.
For two weeks I had to be absent
from Kew on business.
-On returning, my first visit was to
he gardens-to the rhododendron walk
They were a splendid sight, but saw
nothing Of them-I was looking for a
face. Just as reached the open saw
three figures coming from the direction
II the grove Of bamboo.
II fancied 1 betrayed my feelings Q
nttle-I could not help it. 1 was
shocked, almost paralyzed, to see the
girl. upon whose image every fiber of
my brain had dwelt, supported by her
mother, pale, sickiy, utterly broken
down in health.
"She looked at me-Oh, what q pit1.
full look! Her eyes were unnaturall,
large and unnaturally bright. Her
face had become thin; its color had
deepened. She was plainly suffering
from some sort Of slow fever, a fever
that was consuming her strength little
by little.
Later In the day I was at the rail.
way station, getting some books from
Smiths library. I saw the colonel at
the ticket office. He was inquiring for
. ticket to Holyhead. He did not see
me.
"It occurred to my mind all at once
that might see his wife and daughter
by themselves next day. Perhaps ]
should have a chance to introduce my.
self in my professional capacity. That
night cOncocted all sorts Of plans. In
the morning was in the gardens early.
As the time drew nigh that those whom
I wished to see arrived l was close to
their customary gate. They came In
somewhat late, and 1 followed them.
I felt mean-very mean-in doing SO.
"They made their way to the quiet
est place in the gardens-the rhodo-
dendron valley. There is a fountain
beside the path to it. They stopped al
1t. 1 saw the elderly lady take hand.
kerchief, saturate 1t at the fountain
and apply 1t to the girls forehead as
she stood beneath the arching shade Of
a yew tree, leaning against branch OF
it. Presently they proceeded slowly,
following. Fortunately there were
no others at that early hour to see me.
The two disappeared round a turning
into the valley. As they did SO saw
something white fall. When reached
II, found 1t to be the handkerchief.
well, as 1 am telling the story,
had better tell 1t all put the handker
chief to my lips and kissed it. To my
amazement an odor came from it that ]
had smelled but once before and had
never forgotten. 1t was the odor of the
Thug plant
1T was fortunate thing that 1 ha6
Travelled in the East. While doing 50 ]
met a lady, the wife of Madras artil
lery officer. who told me that she wa
on the point of death. She described
her sickness most carefully. None Of
her doctors had been able to cure her |
She had done some service to the medi |
Olne man Of the Ststioa. He Was note1 !