Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-04-03
DR.. vARNuM's PROPOSAL.
BY James Horton Wales.
Copyright, 1919, by the Mcclure News.
paper Syndicate.)

SGT oOMI at MS les III all llltlcA
oiflce. And close the door on your way
out Then he deliberately laid a sheet of
note paper before him and regarded the
Enc enc or ms fountain pen for inspiration:
the letter ought to be written, and for
two lays the press of professional duties
mad Kept him from il.
Hang it all" he muttered aloud.
Wish ! could write a prescription and
be done with it. How does u man ask Il
sirt TO marry him. any way"
,al nr; nas"nm was "a and had neTer con
was harder than he had expected. For
the last five or six years he had thought
that he should probably some day want
daughter of his old friend. DIR. Hilton.
who had left DR.. varnum at his death
trustee of Fanny's Nc4y meager inheri-
lance.
drawn very heavily on this money to
go through college instead of leaving
enough for a small annuity. He had told
her that She should regard her education
as an investment. so that she would later
pe able TO take care of notwithstanding
all the time that he proposed to take that
responsibility himself when the time
had seen her on the day of her gradual
ZION from college full OF womanly grace
and charm. 1t was this very fact that
maze the task of proposing so difficult.
He hadn't spoken to her then because she
mad been SO fun of the Importance OF the
OCCASION. Besides. as she had probably
never thought of him in the light OF a
future husband. it might be easier for her
to receive the first intimation of it in
writing.
So he began to write: Dear Fanny:
h Sou a may-, Their was a loud rap on
sternly. Then he heard Fanny's voice on
the other side. William said you didn't
want to be disturbed" she said, so don't
scold him."
Then, after he HAD greeted her. the doc
1or hurried to push the letter into a
pigeonhole of his desk. Go on. please
said Fanny: II will just wait here till
you are through. l have something ever
SO important to talk to you about" she
said. and as the doctor apparently did
not want to finish the letter, she went
way to a house party at the seashore and
! want to talk something over with you.
i want some good. fatherly, b~is-brotherly
adVlce.. She took both his muscular
and pulled him to IA seat beside her on
the lounge. Promise to take me serious
ly. won't you?"
~ promise said the doctor.
L nave an important announcement
have told. Guess what 1t is"
You aren't going to get married." he
SAID. and then with infinite relief he
heard her light laugh that denied it.
or course not. you big silly she said.
i am going to study medicine. and be
a aoStoF-llke you
For heavens sake" gasped the doctor
looking with amazement at her slight.
Eiirilsh figure as recollections of clinic and
aispensary days flashed before his mind.
into your head?'
YOU did. of course. want to do the
sort OF work you do. Oh. Tn strong
snougn, II that is why you hesitate" She
aim: reel that m~uscle-that's from ten
ms anu rowing: And ! won't be squeam-
tsn, either. Why. I've been dissecting
lhat hrst time when 1 fainted l haven't
minded them at all. Besides, 1 have to
90 something. You told me an education
was better than a fortune
The doctor was still examining tho fora
arm. II thought you would probably want
10 marry, he said. II had always thought
that when you finished college You
How funny" she said. I'm not the
least interested in that sort of career
anyway" she said. sitting up very
stra.sht and looking him squarely in the
needn't preach" ou
That's just the point" the doctor
be- pesh had 1e ,h for one passing second that
fanny's nimble tongue got ahead OF his
You are going to let me. aren't voi,9
NOW what want you to do is to decide
- o Lne medlcai college and tell me some
DOCKS to read during the
Apparently the cue was not comipp ca
the doctor told Fanny that as he had
some important professional duties for the
M Mearthig, th hey ,o1d hd talk it over at lunch.
ibrary and amuse herself till he could see
her. ~ 'So
When they met again his plans were
well laid-better than Fanny reaned
Fanny took the advice he gave her as
final. 1'
He told her that if she ever hoped to
succeed In medical college she would need
to harden herself. and that this could be
best accomplished by spending the sum
mer in a doctors office.
u Will be able to take you in here he
said. II Will pay you a small wage and
you can live in the boarding house down
the street. Start in tomorrow morning so
as not to lose any time"
Fanny protested that she had promised
to go to the house party, but the doctor
insisted that she must begin at once: so
She yielded. The next day Fanny arrived
at the doctors office at $3.50, dressed In a
girlish eminln summer frock. and as she
waited in the doctors office for him she
stole a rose from the vase on his desk and
tucked it In the open neck of her blouse.
few minutes later the doctor came in,
mis- watch in his hand. He looked at her
critically "A little late, aren't youy" he
said, not smiling; II forgot to say that
way, l meant to tell you that in view
of our present relations. shall call you
Miss Hilton. Please wait in the pharmacy,
where L can call for you in case ! need
YOU
That night at 9 o'clock. Fanny, very
weary, was working ever DIR. Varnum's
bills in the inner office. He had told her
to work there till he came back. Finally,
when he did come. Fanny jumped up to
greet him with her old girlish enthusiasm.
But Dr.. Narnum merely raised his broWs
and took his chair. 'If you have finished
with these, you may CO." he said. Re
member. s o'clock tomorrow"
Fanny rose and took her hat from the
wardrobe where she had left it. She
hesitated for a minute. waiting for the
doctor to offer to see her to her boarding
house. ut will be ali right for me to go
home alone?' she asked at last.
II suppose So said the doctor. without
looking up. and. by the way. Miss Hill
ton he added. Tomorrow, please. you
might wear a more professional costume.
Those frou-;rous and roses are all very
We'll for a Woman to Wnar at hOme.'