Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-09-07

his face, while he was utetring low
humming noise, as if he were practis-
ing the art of initiating a musical bee.
What have you been doing, Bob? ?"
said Rich hastily.
me. Miss? Doing?" said the boy
wonderingly. Il amt a-been doing no
thing. 'Tain't likely emong all these
here dangerous things" and Bob
waved his hand round the surgery, as
If indicating the bottles and speci-
men jars.
Because you have been warned fire.
quently, sir, not to NEEDLE"
Course | have, Miss, and | wouldn't
do no harm"
us my father asleep?"
list like a top, Miss. He took his
drops, and he's lying on the sofy,
sleeping beautiful. You can hear him
breathe if you come and put your ear
to the keyhole."
"No. no." said Rich hastily; but, all
the same, she walked quickly to the
consulting-room door and opened it
softly to look in and see across the
table, with its chemical apparatus, the
| light of the shaded lamp thrown upon
the calm, placid handsome face, as the
doctor lay back on the couch, taking
his drug-brought rest according to his
nightly custom.
Rich sighed and walked right in, the
door clsoing behind her as she crossed
the room, and stood gazing down, her
head bent, and hands clasped, while
for the moent she forgot her nerve
pains, and the tears started to her
eyes.
Poor father!" she sighed; always
so kind and gentle in spite of all.
How do l know what he may suffer be-
meath the mask he wears?"
She thought of the prosperity they
had once enjoyed, the many patients
who came, and how, in this very
room. as a child, he used to play with
her long curling hair, while she, with
childlike delight, emptied the little
wooden bowl, and counted how many
guineas papa had received that morn
ing.
She recalled, too, the carriage in
which she had sat waiting, while he,
the handsome young doctor, had made
! his calls upon rich patients; and then,
/ like a cloud, came creeping up the
memories of the gradual decline OF
, his practice, as he had devoted him.
self more and more to the dream of
his life-this discovery of vital fluid
which should repair the waste of all
disease, and with the indulgence in his
! chimera came the poverty and despair.
poor father!" she sighed again,
bending down and kissing the broad
white forehead; there has never
been anything between us but love-"
| She rose slowly, went to a corner
where a faded old dressing-gown hung
upon a chair, and this she softly laid
over the sleeping man, gazed at the
fire, which was burning brightly. and
then stole away with the agonizing
pang, forgotten for the moment, sweep
in back, and seeming to drive her mad.
/ 81 see yer a-kissing of him, Miss"
said Bob, grinning, as she closed the
door.
Rich turned upon him angrily; but
the boy was looking dreamily towards
the doctor, and rubbing hiss hook heaa
of hair.
Don't he look niste when he's
asleep like that? There amt such a
good-looking gent nowhere's about
here as our master"
There was so much genuine admira-
ton in the boys tones that the angry
look gave place to one of half amuse-
ment, half pity.
1--WE often wondered whether If
ever I'd had father, he'd ha' been like
the doctor. Miss. Amt yer proud on
him?"
Eyes, Bob, yes" she cried, laying her
hand upon the boys shoulder, while a
strange sensation of depression, as of
impending trouble, came over her,
making her forget everything, and
hardly notice the next act of the boy.
1t Is hardly fair to say that Bob's
hands were dirty, but they were very
coarse in grain, and discolored, the
nails were worn down, and the fingers
were blue with chilblains where they
were not red with the chaps which
roughened them; and those were the
hands which took hold of Rich's and
held it for a few moments against the
boys cheek, while he rubbed the said
cheek softly against the smooth palm,
his bright eyes looking up at her as a
- p.