Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-15
The Argus Daily Story
Her Illness-By F. A. Mitchell.
copyrighted. 1911 by Associated Literary Bureau.


But since the heart is affected by nervous
conditions 1 do not fear organic trouble.
1 rather infer mental influences. How
ever, since l may he mistaken in this oil
agnosis / would recommend watching the
action Of the liver. the kidneys, the spleer
and other organs.
Dorothy kept her room and refused
herself TO visitors. DR.. Archibald
Swain-C Chichester. whose practice was
among the ultra fashionable set. next
took up her case, read DR.. Treats
diagnosis--or, rather. scanned It con-
temptuously-asked the patient great
many questions. gave especial direc'
lions as to her diet, wrote the Gus
tomary prescription-or, rather, pre-
scriptions, for there were three of them
and departed, promising TO return
again in a week. Since Mrs. Cum
mings was now much troubled about
her daughters condition Dorothy did
not dare to burn up her prescriptions.
but when the medicines came she daily
poured small portion of each In a
sink. Since she thwarted her physi-
clans intention in her behalf it is not
remarkable that she gained no benefit
But, on the other hand. IL she gained
no benefit she suffered no injury.
Now, Dorothy in her feminine way
was far better diagnostician than any
of her physicians. Though she had
met the Rev. Charles Fordham but n
few times, she had noticed in his eye
that peculiar spark Of love which
flashes at times between two persons
of opposite sex, as well as felt. 1t in
her own heart. During his first SER
mon she had kept her gaze fixed upon
him and had several times noticed his
momentarily concentrated upon her.
| During her illness-or, rather, her Sc
clusion-he had made repeated inqui-
| ries of her family as to her condition
| and had manifested the usual solicit
tude Of a pastor for one of his con-
gregation. He even expressed n re-
greet that the rule he had made with
reference to refraining from private
i visits to the women of his church had
| prevented his giving the sick girl the
benefit of spiritual comfort.
The statement seemed to have a bad
effect when Mrs. Cummings repeated
it to the patient. for the next day Dor
othy admitted to her mother that ono
Of the causes of her ailment WINS a
self conviction of her own sinful con-
dition. When Mrs. Cummings repeat
ed this to the clergyman he threw his
rule to the winds and informed the
good lady that he would visit the in
valid whenever she desired to see him.
The next Monday afternoon, Monday
&txa al ansa x-tcftt do
he rang the bell at the Cummingses
and was ushered into an upstairs liv-
ing room where Dorothy. whose pal
lor had been caused partly by confine
ment and partly by face powder skill
fully applied, was half reclining on
lounge. She was dressed in becom-
ing kimono-like gown and partly coy
cred by q silken spread with colors
to correspond with the gown. She
was a very pretty girl and never looked
prettier than now. at the same time
enlisting the sympathy Of an invalid.
How far the young clergyman stuck
to the subject of that he had come to
talk about is not known to any one
except him and Dorothy. When he
departed the girl seemed to have been
more benefited than by all the drugs
she was supposed to have taken. Mr..
Fordham. having broken his rule once.
found it much easier to break IT Sec
ond time. after which 1t was far easier
to break than adhere to 1t.
1t was shortly before these visits
began that DR.. bingham Treat, meet
ing Mr.. Cummings. asked after bis
no r.
had had four physicians and gave DR..
Treat a summary Of their opinions as
to what was the matter with Dorothy.
Dr. Swain Chichester thought the pa
tent was threatened with melancholia.
. The next practitioner attributed her
illness to her liver, the next to the
, nerves. the next to q nonassimilation
of food. There was one point on
which they all agreed-that the pa
, tent gave no response whatever to
the medicines they prescribed. This
, was not remarkable since she had
, taken none of them. Dr. Treat listen
, ed to these diagnoses, looked wise and
, said nothing
The visits of the Rev Mr.. Fordham
, to Miss Dorothy Cummings were con-
7 tinued with excellent results. Her
: physicians were discharged. what re-
manned of her drugs was destroyed. and
| it was not long before she was driving
out for an airing Then she was seen
frequently in company with the clergy
, man. and members OF the congrega-
ton began to talk of an engagement
1t was whispered among some of the
, unmarried ladies who bad themselves
. had designs on the reverend gentle
: man that Dorothy Cummings was max
r ing dead set for him.
: They were all Of them behind the
t times At one of the earlier visits Mr..
/ Fordham had made on Miss Cummings
8 he had proposed 10 her and been &C.
g copied Since their engagement and
D Dorothy's recovery they were simply
having a courtship fc- the world. and
D more especially the congregation OF
: the State Street Presbyterian church
J When this outside intimacy bad con
e tinued long enough TO satisfy appear
l. ances the engagement was announced