The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-26
The Country Doctor.
I From the Commercial Advertiser.l

The new country physician, Dimitry
Starzev, sat one day in Turkn,S draw
ing room and listened first to the nos,
tess reading aloud her own novel, and
later to her pretty daughter, Catherine.
who played the piano very noisily. Then
the Turkins and the doctor stepped into
the dining room, where they drank Tea
while the host emit ,ained them with
amusing anecdotes.
Suddenly the bell at the entrance
door rang. The host and hostess rose
to receive the new visitor, and StarEev'
selling the opportunity, said to Gather
Inc In whisper quivering with emo
ton:
For Gods sake, implore you, don't
torture me. Let's go into the
garden"
Catherine shrugged her shoulders, but
rose nevertheless and walked out of
the room.
First you play the piano for three
or four hours at a stretch" he said,
following her; then you sit close to
your mother, and 1 can't say a word
to you alone Grant me a quar-
ter OF an hour, beseech you!'
Autumn was approaching. All was
quiet and melancholy in the garden,
and the alleys were covered with with
cred leaves. 1t was near SHUTDOWN
Il haven't seen you for a whole week, :"
went on Starzev- How 1 suffered dur
ing all this time! Be seated, pray, and
listen" Both of them had a favorite
spot in the garden-the bench beneath
the old spreading maple tree. They
now seated themselves upon this bench.
well, what is it you wish?" asked
catherine in a matterOf fact tone Il
haven't seen you for a whole week;
haven't heard your voice SO long, l am
madly anxious to hear you speak,
He was bewitched by the naive ex
preston of her eyes, and the unusual
simplicity which marked her bearing
appealed to him strongly. Notwith-
standing her naivete, she seemed to him
extremely clever. With her he could
speak about literature, art, and life.
Il must speak to you, 1 must explain
myself" he muttered emotionally.
She rose from the bench and looked at
him as though she wanted to say some
thing. Then, all of a sudden she aWk-
wardly thrust a note into his hand,
rushed back into the house, and seated
herself by the piano.
Tonight, at IL o'clock''-read the note
inject me in the cemetery-near the
statue of Demetti."
We'll, I call this lunacy," he thought,
when he came to himself, at last.'What
has the cemetery to do with all this ?'
He felt certain that she was not in
earnest, that she was testing. For what
sane person would think of making an
appointment in the cemetery at night,
since it was so convenient to meet in
some public park? And, besides, how
unbecoming 1t was for so solid and
sensible man as DR.. Starzev to sigh,
cemetery to meet his beloved What
would be the result of this love affair?
What would his colleagues say if they
had learned of it?
Thus thought Starzev as he walked
about in the clubrooms excitedly; but
just at half-paSt ten he called his coach
man, Panteleimon, and ordered him to
drive to the cemetery. 1t was quite
warm for an autumn night The moon
was shining, and the dogs were barking
in the distance StarZev alighted on one
of the deserted streets and started off
towards the cemetery on foot.
Every person has his own peculiari-
ties,'' thought he. Catherine is a rath-
err peculiar girl-and who knows. Per-
haps she was in earnest-and she may
come after ALL
He walked about half a mile through
the field. All was huShed in deathlike
silence The stars twinkled meekly and
mournfully in the sky, and Starzev's
heavy footballs sounded rather strange
and out of place.
Nobody was near the statue of
Demetti But Starzev came to a halt
and waited. He sat near the statue for
some time, then he rose to his feet and,
walking through the alleys, holding his
hat in his hand, he thought of the num-
erouS beautiful and fascinating women
buried in the graves about him. Starzev
felt like crying out that his soul was
now thirSting for love at any coSt-and
soon the marble stones somehow SEEM
ings, modestly hiding in the shade of
the trees.
Suddenly the moon disappeared be-
hind the clouds, and all was plunged in
to darkness. Starzev worked hard to
find the way out, and when he reached
his carriage it was about two o'clock in
| the morning.
On the next day Starzev directed his
steps to the TurlSins to propose to
Catherine. But this proved impossible,
as she was in her room dressing her
| hair. She was preparing to go to a ball.
Starzev had to wait long in the din
| ing room and listen to her fathers jokes
and anecdotes, which bored and irrita-
ted him painfully. After sleepless
night he now felt as though intoxica-
ted with something sweet and pleas
ant. He waited for Catherine with bated
breath Finally, when she appeared,
dress, Starzev was SO overjoyed that he
could not utter a word-he only gazed
at her and laughed. 1T is so late al
readyp' she remarked, looking at the
clock, and she babe him goodnight"
But Starzev followed her, saying that
it was time for him to go home, as
patients were waiting for him there.
1.-THE club is on my way-may / take
you over there in my carriage?" he
asked timidly.
Very WELL" consented Catherine.
1t was a dreary, rainy night. Cath
crime and the doctor boarded the car
riage and started off to the club.
81 was at the cemetery last night .
began Starzev. TT wasn't at all kind
of you to ~