Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1910-10-14
THE DOCTORS
LOVE STORY
By Mary Belle PooIe-Mason

Everything suggested success. en-
ergy. alertness Of purpose. and the
strength OF the man seemed 10 speak
forth from his surroundings.
Yet over the doctors strong. rugged
face there came stealing look OF
despair. He had worked so hard
worked without ceasing. with that in
domitable viii which had strangiei
: Failure whenever she came thTusfing
her unseemly visage upon his path
way. Over IS years ago he had ar
rived in the growing western city. with
/ little else than the sheepskin. 50 proud
ly possessed. that proclaimed him. the
beardless youth. a licensed physician
Without influence or friends he hs1
fought his way. step By step, until he
vas acknowledged 10 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 4
patient gentle-faeed woman who
had come 400 miles because OF thu
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. a.
she held his strong. brave hand-the
hand she felt that had given her lie
itself back unto her; ~Ah. doctor, you
only need the right kind OF q wife ID
make you indeed the perfect man. A
woman who can grasp al the splendid
possibilities in your deep nature
Somehow. the words so kindly
meant ranked and scared and hurt
His thoughts went straying back 10 a
little town in the far east where he
first came back from the medical col
lege. young 81 D.. full Of joyous hope
and ambition. A bit raw and aWk-
ward. bu1 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 viilage-he hardly
dared raise his eyes in her direction.
Was she not almost as lar OF as the
stars? Had she not already written
poem that had actually been pub
lished in the county paper9 Did she
not dress better. look better. talk bet
ter than any other girl IN an the sur
rounding country An how often. in
the plain little room OF his fathers
dwelling did he nor lie awake. dream
ing OF the time when he had won for
himself honors and fame in the FAR
west: that ne would return and claim
her-his by right q every noble pur-
pose and desire
But in the strenuousness OF gaining
success, in other environments. the
girl IN the pink muslin dress became.
after q while. only a pleasant vision.
memory. Yet tonight her face kept
coming up before him-just as it
looked in the olden days He remem-
bered, with almost = start OF alarm.
that ne had heard some years ago that
she was married and living in a large
city; then in a vague way
he had heard that her husband was
dead
Why not 90 now and find her ana
win her. as he had planned so raptur-
1usly many years ago. An, she must
be just The same girl yer in the pink
muslin dress-the girl who wrote
poetry and laughed and danced
through life-the girl with always
smile ia her dark ewes. He would SEND
Ter telegram. de had noticed in
he papers a few weeks ago and had
hardly paused 10 read the nolicel thar
he was visiting a small country place.
Al. how glad he was now Tor a mem
ny as TO detail and little things THAI
lad painted the name OF this town on
lis minds eye. All. why had he ieft
Ter alone so long? No thought OF
ival came to him No: she was lust
lis girl: the woman he had wanted
nd waited ior so long. all OF his life.
The grave. serious doctor was gone.
. was only a man in love-in love
nth q woman OF the past-who board
d the train that night for the far
asst How long and tiresome the
1urney seemed. He so longed 10 see
er Would she laugh in the same old
ladsome way?
It was in the early morning when
be train slowed up at little station
! the country
Even as be reached the platform a
ender woman. in pink muslin dress.
nd a big Tuscan hat with pink roses
D around it, came forth 10 meet him.
The doctor caught both her hands
thin his big. strong ones. and looked
1wn deep deep into her eyes. Then
: cried out in a great JOY; oh. girl,
Y girl, I've found you again-at last
on are not 2 Bit changed: you are
ST my girl. my girl
And the woman answered SOFTLY.
Tot quite the same. dear; there are
.od many silver threads among the
rk now. and the rose-bloOm in my
EEK is a Bit faded" And then she
aghed-just the old girlish, gieemi
ugh And as she took her seat in the