Sharp County record., 1910-08-12
HEDOCTOR'S
LOVE STORY
By Mary Belle Poole-Mason

therein strictly up to date, from the
desk telephone at his side to the tiny
symbol of the celebrated order OF
Elks on the lapel of his coat.
Everything suggested success, en-.
ergy, alertness of purpose, and the
strength of the man seemed to speak
forth from his surroundings.
Yet over the doctors strong, rugged
| face there came stealing a look of
despair, He had worked so hard
worked without ceasing, with that in
domitable will which had strangled
Failure whenever she came thrusting
her unseemly yisage upon his path
way Over Is years ago he had ar
rived in the growing western city, with
little else than the sheepskin, so proud.
ly possessed, that proclaimed him, the
beardless youth, 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
patient-a gentlefaced woman who
had come 400 miles because of the
faith she had in this doctors wonder
full skill
Perhaps It was 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 wife to
make you indeed the perfect man. A
woman who can grasp all the splendid
possibilities in your deep nature"
Somehow, the words so kindly
meant ranked and scared and hurt.
His thoughts went straying back to
little town in the far east where he
first came back from the medical col.
lege, young NJ, d., full Of Joyous hope
and ambition, A bit raw and awk-
ward, but with the glad, tlngllng 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
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 far
west, that he would return and claim
her--hls by right Of every noble pur.
pose and desire
l'ut In the strenuousness Of gaining
success, in other environments, the
Girl IN the pink muslin dress became,
after Il while, only pleasant vision,
memory. Yet tonight her face kept
coming up before hIm--Mst as II
looked In the olden days. lie romem.
bered, with almost start OF alarm,
that he had heard some years ago that
she was married and living In large
southern city; then In vague way
he had heard that her husband was
dead,
Why not 30 now and find her and
win her. as he had planned so raptur.
ously many years ogo9 All, she must
be just the same girl yet in the pink
muslin dress-the girl who wrote
poetry and laughed and danced
through llo--tho girl with always n
smile IN her dark eyes. lie would send
her n telegram. lle had noticed In
tho papers fcw weeks ago (and had
hardly paused TO read the notice) that
sho wNs visiting small country place.
All, how glad he was now for NON.
0ry ~ TO detail and little things that
had painted the namo OF this town on
his minds eye, Ahl why had he left
her Nlono so long? No thought of a
rival eNmo TO him, No; she was just
hls girl, the woman he had wanted
and waited Tor 80 long, all of his lfe
The grave serious doctor was gone;
II was only man in lovc-in love
with u woman of tho past.-.who board.
cd the train that night for tho far
east How long and tresome the
Journey goomed, lie 30 longod to 500
her, Would she laugh in tho same old
gladsomo w0y2
II was IN tho early morning when
the train slowed UP Ut a little station
in tho country,
Even "a he reached the platform a
slender woman in pink muslin dress.
and big Tuscan hat with pink rosos
Oll around II, cNmo forth to moot him,
Tho doctor caught both her hands
within hia big, strong onos, and looked
down doop, deep into her eyes, Then
| Ia. ~. a 4.