The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-08-12
A Doctors Story

[Origlnall
A physicians life is like the sunligh,
hecked by the leaves OF tree. 1t Is
q mixture OF light and shade, though
I admit that the shade greatly pre-
dominates. He will announce to a
family that one of its loved members
is doomed jump into his buggy and
drive to his next patient to find hap
by household getting couvalescent
out Of bed
The greatest relief I have felt In my
| professional duties has been In bring
ing child safely into the world. The
strain over, the mother smiling, the ia
Their taking a "bracer," the nurse put
ting on the baby's first clothes-nll
these are as delightful to the physician
who has borne the responsibility MS
to any member of the family. had
gone home one night from such a
scene as this and, tired out, had
thrown myself on lounge | was
falling asleep when the clock struck
IL, and at the same moment my night
bell rang violently. Rousing myself, l
went to the door. There stood a man
white as 4 sheet, and | noticed blood
On his coat sleeve.
you surgeon?'
Yes; physician and surgeon"
Come with me, quick. Ny wife viii
die before you can get there"
My man had not finished unhar-
Messing my horse, aud | directed him
to put him back in the buggy Then
| asked the stranger to get in and got
in myself AS we drove off ! asked.
rs it far?"
about six miles"
Six miles! Did you walk it?"
Yes no. Whip up your horse. We
shall be too late"
There was something uncanny about
this person and / began to feel an in
stinctiye dread Of him. Though he was
sitting beside me | could neither hear
him breathe nor see any rising or fall
tAAN VI iAiH Nhtets lDuA dIIIInNltl lulS
to my own disturbed feelings, for do
not know that l could have heard the
one or seen the other. My horse
seemed as uneasy as and SHE'D at
every object beside the road. Con
stantly urged to drive faster, ! was not |
long in making the distance, and on |
arrival at massive dwelling standing |
alone In large grounds ] was ushered |
into parlor There on a lounge lay |
young woman. Beside her knelt d man |
about her own age, and another WON
an who looked younger than the invalid
sat weeping at the foot of the lounge /
Removing an afghan with which the
Invalid was covered ] saw blood on the
and soon discovered large
knife wound in the side. 1t was my
mans life was ebbing out and that she
could live but a few moments. All
made way for the man who had |
brought me- and guivering in every |
nerve he leaned over her. heard her |
say, Il forgive you, darling" There
was Il lhihtiti&, IL idliiN III tlN tlllUit
md the woman was dead.
, have no recollection of anything
'urther till in the gray of the morning
found myself sitting in my buggy,
ny horse tied to post before the gate
# the house | had been in How !
anne there | could not conjecture. The
louse was closed and not light was
o be seen within. Then | noticed that
very shutter was closed and the house
ad a dilapidated appearance. r. was
ard for me to believe | had been In IN
dwelling In which ! had |
assed through a death scene My
crves or, rather, my brain. seemed top
ling TO pull myself together | en-
Favored to Danish that which was
ow n confused picture by calling up
cure was a newborn child. Again |
i'd the infant beside its mother aud
Nv the heavenly smile with which she
reeted IT, white the father heut over
nd gave both n kiss. This gave me
me to recover. and ! turned my at
'ntion again to the house before mo.
s a wind blew over II, rustling the
aves on the trees beside IT. there was
want Of response which told me for
le first time that no one was within.
Where had that death group gomez
| got out of the buggy and unhitched
y horse with n view to putting d.
nee between me and the grewsome
ace as quickly as possible when I /!
,ard the sound of wheels. and pres
lily q milkman drove by, | hailed
m and he uultcd I'm his horse