Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1912-07-26
Strange Experiences ia the Life
of a Doctor.
Copyright. by ". G. Chapnan.)
By A. T. MEAD


which had seen many patients, a
,advvgiving the name of Mrs. Tanker
vile asked for an interview. She was
admitted and one glance told me that
she was not an ordinary patient. Her
eyes were dark, restless and filed
with nervous force and determination.
Her whole face was very much lined,
her cheeks sunken.
81 have come, Doctor Halifax she
said ito beg of you to save the rea-
son of a miserable woman"
you allude to mental trouble?"
queried.
Yes; to heartbreak. shame and dis
tress. 1 came up to the city last
night. wondering to whom I could
turn for aid A friend had once told
me of you, and resolved to seek
your sympathy"
"I will give you my best attention,
Mrs. Tankerville," said, "as soon as
have dispensed with several pa
tients who are waiting for me in the
reception room"
Having finished with my callers
returned to Mrs Tankeryille. She
was standing by one of the windows,
and | noticed with surprise that she
was reading a manuscript of mine
which l had been preparing for
medical journal and had left open on
the table. The paper dealt solely with
technical subjects, and wondered
what she found of interest in it. She
laid it down when / appeared and
without seating herself began to
speak.
Doctor Halifax, l will tell you the
cause of my trouble in moment or
two. But, in order that you may clear
ly understand my position, J should
first like to give you some particu-
lars of my past life. married young:
/ had a husband who deeply loved
me- We had plenty Of private means
and one child, girl. Six years ago
my first sorrow came; my husband
died After his death all my love
was lavished on my girl, Susanna, and
she was worthy of all the affection I
bestowed upon her. Between three
and four months ago came the begin
ming of that awful tragedy which
causes me to seek your aid today.
Susanna was invited to visit an old
relation of her fathers, an extremely
wealthy and eccentric woman. Her
name was Stuart; and was unmarried,
and lived in a lonely cottage on the
outskirts of Westchester, N. Y. Miss
Stuart was a confirmed miser, and it
was reported that she had much treas
ure hidden away. My husband was
Miss Stuart's first cousin, and she
wrote expressing a strong wish to
make the acquaintance of his daugh-
ter. Susanna wrote back that she
would come if her mother was also
invited, but Miss Stuart refused, stat
ing that Susanna was her own blood
relation, but that was not. Susanna
tbereupon declared that she would
not pay any further attention to her,
but thinking that my girl might bene-
fit by it in the future, I insisted upon
her going to Westchester by herself.
She had been with Miss Stuart for
six weeks, when one day the door
opened, and Susanna walked in. I
started with amazement at the sight
of her face. All the color had left
her cheeks, her eyes were filed with
wild look of terror. She came
straight up to me and caught hold Of
my hands.
Hide me, mother she walled;
hide me. 1 have run away
But why, my dear?' I asked.
What have you run away from?
Something terrible has happened
she answered. Cousin Jane and !
we're alone in the house last night.
We went to bed early, for was tired;
| had walked far in the country dur
ing the day. / fell asleep and began
to dream. The night was moon
streamed into my room. In my dream
a man came into my room, took up
knife of mine, laid it down again,
stared hard at me and went out. A
great horror seized me, for it seemed
That l knew the man and that his
FACE was quite familiar. I awoke, and
there was no one there-I called out,
Il SAN tASAS Was uO dISW0T. 1 u0 IOOA
was empty save for myself. After a
time ! dropped asleep again. In the
morning I rose early, and went into
my cousins room. Mother, she was
dead. She had been murdered in the
night, Some one had stabbed her to
me heart. 1 rushed into the yard
and sspoke to the man who came
night and morning to help with the
domestic work. / brought him into
the house, and he looked at the body,
ano went of at once to fetch the po-
nee and doctor The police came,
ana went into my bedroom. They
round knife there, my knife. that !
mad bought not a week before, and
me blade was stained with blood.
When l saw the blood and noticed
the look on the policeman's face, I
seemed to lose my reason. He turned
10 talk to the other policeman, aud
70 old Hitchin, the gardener, and |
was alone for moment. / snatched
up my hat and purse and ran away.