The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1910-07-14
By Mary Belle Poole-M Mason

- '5h"o ~ IL ySoAo u6O nc AAfIu al-
rived in the growing western city. with
little else than the sheepskin, so proud
~ possessed, that proclaimed him, the
beardless youth, a licensed physician.
Without influence or friends he had
fought his way, step by step, until he
was acknowledged to be the most
successful surgeon, with nerves Of
steel and hand and brain keenly alive
to every detail, in this or any other
city for thousands of miles around.
Only today he had operated upon a
patient-a gentle-faced woman who
had come 400 miles because of the
faith she had in this doctors wonder
full skill.
Perhaps it was a remark of hers
that had caused this strange halt,
this vague unrest, in,the doctors siren
uous, arduous life. She had said, as
she held his strong, brave hand-the
hand she felt that had given her life
itself back unto her: "Ah, doctor, you
only need the right kind of a wife to
make you indeed the perfect man. A
woman who a grasp all the splendid
possibilities in your'deep nature"
Somehow, the words so kindly
meant ranked ~and,seared and hurt.
His thoughts went straying back to a
little town in the far east where he
first came back from the medical col
lege, a young M. D., full of joyous hope
and ambition. A bit raw and awk-
ward, but with the glad, tingling blood
Of young ambition thrilling his veins.
And the girl, the beautiful girl in the
pink muslin dress, the belle, the veri-
table queen Of the village-he hardly
dared raise his eyes in her direction.
Was she not almost as far off as the
stars? Had she not already written a
poem that had actually been pub.
lished in the county paper? Did she
not dress better, look better, talk bet
ter than any other girl in all the sur
rounding country? All, how often, in
the plain little room of his fathers
dwelling did he not lie awake, dream.
ing Of the time when he had won for
himself honors and fame in the fa1
west; that he would return and claim
her-h1s by right Of every noble pur
pose and desire.
But in the st~renuousness of gaining
success, in other environments. the
girl in the pink muslin dress became
after a while, only a pleasant vision, a
memory. Yet tonight her face kept
coming up before him-just as IL
looked in the olden days. He remem.
bered, with almost a start of alarm
that he had heard some years ago that
she was married and living in a large
southern city; then in a vague way
he had heard that her husband was
dead.
Why not go now and find her and
win her, as he had planned so raptur
ously many years ago? All, she mus
be just the same girl yet in the pink
muslin dress-the girl who wrot,
poetry and laughed and danced
through life-the girl with always q
smile in her dark eyes. He would senG
her a telegram. He had noticed in
the papers a few weeks ago (and had
hardly paused to read the notice) thai
she was visiting a small country place
All, how glad he was now for a mem
ory as to detail and little things thai
mad painted the name of this town or
his minds eye. All! why had he LEFT
her alone SO long? No thought of ?
rival came to him. No; she was iusI
his girl; the woman he had wanted
and waited Tor SO long, all Of his life
The grave, serious doctor was gone:
1t was only a man in love-in love
with a woman of the past-who hoard
ed the train that night for the fa7
east. How long and tiresome thu
journey seemed. He so longed to Sc,
her. Would she laugh in the same or
gladstone way?
1t was in the early morning whe1
the train slowed up at a little static,
in the country.
Even as he reached the platform
slender woman, In a pink muslin dress
and a big Tuscan hat with pink rose'
all around 1t, came forth to meet him
The doctor caught both her hand,
DAo, otAoA6 OACS, anu lOOk0(
down deep, deep into her eyes. The]
he cried out in a great joy: ooh. girl
my girl; I've found you again-at last
You are not a bit changed; O ar,
just my girl, my grill"
And the woman answered softly
mot quite the same, dear; there are
good many silver threads among tn
dark now, and the rose-bloom in m.
cheek .is a bit faded" And theft sh
laughed-just the old girlish, gleefu
laugh. And as she took her seal in tn
buggy beside him and met his fond
strong look Of love, the girl, to whor
life had oftimes been hard and crue
laid her head upon his shoulder an
whispered: I'm so glad you've com
to love me and take care of me.
had grown tired of taking care Of MI
sells
These stone eggs are going to b
mighty tough on tho ton fuont, nj,