Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-11-08
The Argus Daily Short Story
A ProposalEBy Jane Pinckney Burnett
Copyrighted. 1919 by Associated Literary Press.

reclining Oh a louuSr beautifully and
becominSly dressed Mrs. Whiting was
born with a fine sense of harmony in
color and had chosen shade for the
lamp on the little table beside her
with a hue contrasting with her cos
tune. Being a light shade of rose. it
also gave her complexion the warmth
it needed
Leaving his satchel in the hall. Dr.
Pitman entered the room with the
encoura ging smile that was his in
variable preliminary tonic in visiting
a patient. The widow gave a feeble
return of the smile and extended her
hand. displaying TO the elbow a shape
ly arm. The doctor clasped the hand
lightly in his own and placed the tips
of the fingers of his other hand on
the wrist.
Slightly above normal" he said,
but no fever
The physician then gave the patient
a professional look with his large
handsome eyes. which meant tell me
your symptoms" 1t was not usual
with him TO ask questions Of his lady
patients. He left them to give their
Information themselves
IT was sitting in the library af-er
dinner" said Mrs. Whiting, when q
singular feeling-well, 1t IS best de
scribed as loneliness-cameo over me. i
felt the need OF a stimulant and drank
a glass of wine. 1t did me no good.
Indeed. the Requirement was not a
physical but a mental or rather spirit
ual one. 1 have never suffered any
symptoms of melanchoia. but I should
fancy my feelings were OF this order"
ANY unusual action of the hearth"
asked the doctor. his finger tips still
on the Iady's wrist.
ayes; slight huttering." q,
"PainfuI" .
"No"
"Disagreeable in any respect?"
Rather pleasant"
"H'mn' said the doctor, Withdrawing
his touch upon the wrist, and, bend
ing down, with an apologize 'Ex-
cuse me-" placing his ear over the
heart, he listened for several minutes,
then. rising. looked at the patient with
an expression that was more than pro-
fessionaiiy sympathetic.
no one very near or dear to you-that
there is a void which needs to be
filed 1t is this that is affecting the
action of your heart"
al am sure your diagnosis is right,
doctor l am lonely. have the
means to acquire anything l wish ex-
cept love-
This statement commended the lady
| especially to the doctors delicate SEN
sibilities Another woman might have
put It bluntly. "One of the advanta ges
a man. especially II poor man, may de-
rive from marrying me is my wealth"
Instead of this harsh announcement
Miss Whiting had said. Il have the
means to acquire anything / wish ex-
cept love" And another man would
have made bold TO interpret this as 1t
was intended. Not so the refined Pit
man. He ignored it, except in a pro-
feSsional sense.
81 think. dear Mrs. Whiting" ne
said encouragingly, that what you
need is not drugs. l found a slightly
accelerated cardiac action when / lis
tened to your heart beat just now and
could give you n sedative. but l doubt
that it is necessary. You need rather
to mingle more with the world. We
medical men are now inclined to build
up the whole system rather. than an
affected part, the part deriving benefit
from the whole and being thus
strengthened to throw off the trouble
I wish you to cultivate such associa
lions as are pleasing to you. If there
is any one whom you wish to be with
you a great deal yield 10 the longing
l need not say that in the case of so
charming a woman
"Oh. doctor. how good of your