Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-01-04
A Doctors Story
TOriginal.1

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f1ecked by the leaves of tree. 1t is
@ mixture of light and shade, though
l admit that the shade greatly pre-.
dominates. He will announce to
family that one of its loved members
is doomed, jump into his buggy and
drive to his next patient to find hap
py household getting a convalescent
out of bed
The greatest relief l have felt in my
professional duties has been in bring
ing a 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-all
these are as delightful to the physician
who has borne the responsibility as
to any member of the family. l had
gone home one night from such a
scene as this and, tired out, had
thrown myself on a lounge. l was
falling asleep when the clock struck
IL and at the same moment my night
bell rang violently. Rousing myself,
went to the door. There stood a man
on his coat sleeve.
you a surgeonW
YES; physician and surgeon"
"Come with me, quick. My wife will
die before you can get there"
My man had not finished unhar-
Messing my horse, and l 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
stinctive dread of him. Though he was
, sitting beside me | could neither hear
him breathe nor see any rising or fall
ing of his chest. But | attributed this
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 l 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 standin ;
alone in large grounds ! was ushered
into parlor. There ON lounge lay a
young woman Beside her knelt a man
about her own age, and another wom-
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
clothing and soon discovered a large
knife wound in the side 1t was my
duty to tell those present that the wo-
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 quiyering in every
nerve he leaned over her. | heard her
say. Il forgive you, darling" There
was fainting. rattle in the throat
and the woman was dead.
| have no recollection of anything
further till III the gray of the morning
l found myself sitting in my buggy
my horse tied to post before the gate
of the house ! had been in. How
came there | could not conjecture. The
house was closed and not light was
to be seen within. Then | noticed that
every shutter was closed and the house
had dilapidated appearance. 1t was
hard for me TO believe had been in al
inhabited dwelling in which I had
passed through a death scene. My
nerves, or, rather, my brain, seemed top
ping. To pull myself together l ell
deavored to Danish that which was
now confused picture by calling VI
its predecessor, in which the centra
figure was newborn child. Again
laid the infant beside its mother and
saw the heavenly smile with which sht
greeted it, Whine the father bent ovel
and gave both kiss. This gave mt
time to recover, and | turned my at
tention again to the house before me
AS a wind blew over 1t, rustling thu
leaves on the trees beside 1t, there wa
want of response which told me fo
the first time that no one was within.
Where had that death group gone?
got out of the buggy and unhitcheC
my horse with view 20 putting dis
lance between me and the grewsom'
place as quickly as possible when
heard the sound of wheels, and pres
emily a mllkman drove by l hailed
him, and he pulled Ia his horse.
"Is that house occupiedf" asked.
mo- and 1t hasn't been in ten years.
singular" said musingly.
I'VE was talkin' about 1t last night
II was 1ist ten years at midnight tina
the Morrison murder took place there
Mrs. Morrison was oonndante In a low
affair Of her sister that was forbid
den by the girls parents. Her hus
band didn't know nothin' about 1t. bu