The Topeka state journal., 1905-12-05
TIE EVENING STORY
CupId. AIedicaI .AssIstaEt.
lBy La Touche Hancock. }

lBy La Touche Hancock.l
Dick Fremont was in an unroman-
tic state of mind. A little Cupid,
which was holding a finger to its lips,
and gazing at him from the top of an
inkstand on a table by his side. seemed
to warn him that he had been phySie-
ally exhausting himself lately he had
been working too hard. At present he
had pains all over his body. His tongue
was distinctly discolored, and his
pulse was weak. His head was throb-
bing. and there was scarcely portion
of his body which did not ache. Loss
of time meant loss of money to him.
for he wrote for a living. If he did not
work he was perfectly aware that some
one else would get ahead of him. Not
that he had easily given up, but the
task of putting words together had
proved, in his present condition, as
hard as carving blocks of stone.
In his extremity he thought of
doctor. OF all medical men he had
horror. At the moment, however, there
seemed to be no excuse for not con-
quering his aversion. SO he dispatched
a bell-boy with orders to bring the
nearest medical practitioner IN
hurry.
He had made a heroic effort to fore
stall any aid from such a source. On
the table near by were bottles OF all
sizes and shapes, containing nearly
every advertised patent medicine
which he thought suited to his peculiar
kJAs4t4Al I1E IleAQ pdiA telfAGtt u ti4Ct4A
all with much the same result as if he
had drunk s.hazing" eoneoetion. At
last he had given up all hope of sue
eessfui self-treatment and resigned
himself to a dubitative trial of kill or
cure" at the hands of a doctor.
The little Cupid attracted his eyes
to photograph lying close at his
hand He took it up, looked at it earn
about to press it to his lips a knock
came at the door. He said wearily,
Come ini' and a woman's voice re-
sponded:
Pardon me- but are you the gentle
man who sent for doctor? The boy
who called me said you lived on the
third floor, but I did not quite catch
the name he mentioned"
The tones of the voice seemed famil-
lar to Dick. He hastily hid the photo
graph he had in his hand behind the
pillow on his chair, and looked up at
his visitor.
"Why, NIay-Miss Montgomery
you?''
With a blush the woman he ad-
dressed turned, as if to SO away.
1T must have been a mistake" she
began. when he interrupted her.
NO! MOI Please come in!"
She hesitated, and then closing the
door booked at him.
There was a pause and neither
spoke. Then Dick said in a half whis-
per, Are you "a doctor ?"
am. SI16 IeDl1eQ WIKI q Slllies
but I don't think you meant to send
for me-
well" he hesitated-'Im glad to
see any doctor"
'"Fhank yqui'
She almost laughed at the doubtful
mol l don't mean that. II really
had no idea of seeing you I told the
bellboy to go for the nearest doctor,
and I never thought"
ITO Tna2 No 7 eglnnnGn nAf KnT
didn't know I had taken my degree. OF
course not. 1 don't suppose my af-
fairs interested you after
after our quarrel? Oh, yes, they
did. I assure YOU"
She stopped him with d glance.
You do look sick said she, "real-
" sick, and" advancing to the table
what OF earth have you been dos
ing yourself with %
"A little medicine"
"A little medicine? A little poisoni"
she exclaimed with a laugh as she
took up the several bottles, one after
the other and examined them.
''Toothache drops. Paragorici
Dear me! You must have a compli-
cation of ailments!''
Il suppose I have he wearily as
sented. I've tried them all, and I'm
not bit betterl"
She burst out laughing. Then she
came a little nearer to him, and said,
hesitating, Let me feel your pulse.''
He put his hand in hers. His pulse
was beating at fever heat. She count
ed mentallv then touching him on the
shoulder gently pressed his body for
ward. and placed her ear to his back.
J AS she did so, the pillow fell down, re-
| leasing the hidden picture. She start
ed as she saw her own photograph.
Then with a quiet smile, she said, Are
you in pain ?"
Awful" he replied. pressing his
heart.
I
mantelpiece. There. staring her in the
face, was another photograph of her
self. She turned and looked at him.
''Whyl" she exclaimed, Il really be-
! lieve you still
"Yes!" he replied, looking straight
into her eyes. 81 do still care for you.
Won't you forgive me for my share in
that silly quarrel we had two years
! ago2 I"
She made no reply. as he hesitated
'tAhi say yes " and he tried to rise.
/ but sank back with an expression OF
'Don't get up. she said gently.
''You are too sick!''
Cant you help me p
/ She smiled. II think I can"
| She took out her prescription book
and wrote on a leaf.
Here is a prescription. which
"Ohi bless the medicine I don't
want that. If you only"
''Win you take it? See what it is!''
"Oh! I can't read doctors hero
glyphics=I mean. don't understand
/ Latin"
! She handed him the slip of paper.
/ He took it. and carelessly scanned what
she had written, which was merely her
name-'AIay Montgomery
seWilI I take it?" he almost shouted
''WiI you give it to me?
She nodded her head.
The cure was omplete.-( Copy
right. 1905. by z. c. Parcells.)
QUAKER REFLECTIONS.
from the Philadelphia Reeord.1