The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-03
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'PAID IN FULL
Observation-Disclosures
HAD been graduated two years,
and had q practice sufficiently

and had q practice sufficiently
large, 1 deemed. to warrant my
Il taking apartments. Apartments
surround a young doctor with an all
of prosperity which people like to en-
courage and add to. A month later
was comfortably. almost elegantly
established on the first floor of q
handsome North Side apartment
house, with a careful, middle-aged
woman to act as my housekeeper and
cook.
Pretty we'll fixed, old man, eh?'
said Jack Winters, my college class
mate and chum, who had come over
that evening from the West Side to
make a house warming for me-, "All
YOU need to complete your happiness
is to get acquainted with the pretty
widow on the floor above you. She is
John Redmond's cousin, you know
and a sweeter little woman neve--
Thank you," said, checking Jacks
enthusiasm-Jack always goes OF on
q tangent when a pretty woman is
discussed. II am trying to get pa
tients, and have no time for social
pleasures, and, besides, I don't mind
saying it, Jack, I'm not fond OF wild
ows."
"An have to say to that is" said
Jack, "you don't know Mrs. Traine.'
However, my professional duties
were not so arduous that did not
find time to notice trim little figure
that fitted in and out through the
big entrance door, dressed always ex'
quisite, but quietly.
NV interest in Mrs. Traine deep
ened when I heard her story. Her
husband had been killed in a railway
accident three years before. The in
surance money was almost gone. and
the little widow added to the income
that must support herself and invalid
mother by giving music lessons to a
few wealthy girls.
A daintier little rosebud of woman
It would have been hard to find. Soft,
brown hair, tossed in truant curls
about the low forehead, a voice that
spoke always gently, blue eyes full
of mirth and complexion that looked
like it had been bathed in the morn
ing dew.
once or twice I had held the big
door open for her to pass out. and
bowed in response to the low thank
you" Early after my coming to the
building a boy on the top floor had
been accommodating enough to get
hurt in the elevator, and 1 had been
called in as the most available pdysl-
clan. Luckily, brought the boy
through so we'll that his parents. as
we'll as the youngster himself, sound
ed nv praises so loudly that 1 found
myself with quite reputation, and
incidentally a practice, in the neigh
borhood. Still, 1 had not met Mrs.
Traine, and 1 was beginning wickedly
to hope some accident-ever so slight
q one, of course-might happen to her,
a sprained ankle or wrist, that 1 might
have the Joy of caring for. However,
the fates preserved Mrs. Traine from
accident, and I continued to watch
for glimpses of her from my Office
window.
I had bowed the last patient out for
the evening, and settled myself for a
smoke before bedtime. My medita-
tions, mingling with the blue curling
smoke, were interrupted by piercing
scream, and then another. rushed
into the hall. The screams came from
the Traine apartment above. In an
other moment I was knocking on the
door. which was opened by Mrs
Traine herself, white and breathless'
'Oh," she gasped, catching hold of my
arm, we've got him-out therein
the pantry-poor mamma"
"Who?" I asked.
1.-THE burglar. He was hid in the
dining room-mamma saw him and he
ran into, the pantry-and locked the
door-and-he's trying to jump out of
the window"
I heard a noise as Of some one try
ing to push up a window, and open
ing the pantry door there he was. a
sure enough burglar, evil browed and
sullen, who dropped the window and
turned to face me.
"You can't make q jump from that
window, my man." said. "You had
better be quiet"
I turned the lock again, but Mrs
Traine, divlning my purpose, clung te
my arm. Don't CO." she said, franti
cally. 1--WE can't stay here alone
minute" Then to my relief that same
small boy who had served me so vel
professionally appeared on the thresh
old, attracted by the cries. OF h'
want to call the police, while triet
to quiet two hysterical women.
In q few minutes the burglar wa
handcufted and led away. but tn
shock had proved too much for Mrs
Traine,s invalid mother. The faintin.
spell was followed by delirium. ant
her daughter and watched by be-
bedside until morning.
OF course I was installed as attend
ing physician, and never failed to cal
morning and evening. When the pa
tient was able to sit up I sometime
read aloud to her, as an excuse to re