Year: 1863

AN OLD DOCTORS STORY.


You have no faith in the supernatural! have
You do not believe in necromancy, or astrology
or the power of the evil eye! do. The reason
for this is you are Americans, descending from
English ancestors. while have German blood in
my veins, and inherit a reverence for what you
sneer at. Were q disembodied spirit to arise at
my bedside tonight, l should question it, and
own to be frightened while you woul Id throw u
candlestck at its immaterial head, and insist to
the last that it was burglar in disguise Yet
mark me, in spite Of yourself, your hair would
rise and your blood curdle, ana you would feel
what you would not acknowledge for the world.
Bah! it such things have no existence what do
our strange shiverings mean? and why do we
look about US with awe stricken eyes when we
pass grave yards after dark? You do not, you
say? Are you sure OF it? | have never seen q
ghost, and l cannot say desire the spectacle.
There must be an uncomfortable beating OF the
heart ut such a terrible sight. doubt if many
could retain both life and reason through such on
ordeal.


I am doctor. Years ago was very poor and
very young. I came from my own country with
my diploma and nothing else. | found that the
great cities eff the new world were full Of doctors
young and poor as was. l settled in the State
Of Indiana. 1t was then great forest, with
clearings here and there for fields of corn and
rude log houses Amy one led hard life there,





all. Miles and miles Of hard riding through rain
and mud, to visit patients who could pay moth.
ing; miles back again, steal n few moments re-
pose before another announcement Of some one
being "very bad!" l was skin and bone in q
twelve-month, but that was nothing uncommon in
that part of the world The only wonder is that
l did not have what they called the 'fever'n ager'
Il was the only person free from it for fifty
square miles. However, prospcred. after GER
tain fashion, and in year or two made consd.
cradle reputation. The place was growing and
my spirits began to revive.


1t was about this time that first saw my watch,
to which all have now to tell relates cold
night in November had set in. was at supper
in my little home, enjoying it as only hungry
and weary man can enjoy food. Don't ask what
l had it was 'out west" remember OF course
there was preparation Of pork. and prepara-
tion of whiskey; corn meal, pork and whiskey
are the staple articles offered "out west" was
enjoying my supper, as have said, and q loud
knock at the door was not the most delightful
sound which could have broken the silence
However, said "come in" with rs good grace
RS possible, and stranger entered. He was q
tall broad shouldered man, in the dress Of q
backwoods man. and his large features wore q
troubled expression. l saw at once that some
thing serious had occurred.


cts bad night to trouble you to come so far
doctor" be said, looking at me from under his
fur cap, but there's a bad accident happened
over 20 Our clerin' and if you can do anything
for the poor chap, I'll be glad to see it done,
more particularly as helped to shoot him."


HELPED to shoot him." l said, with start
what do you meaI?'


ave took him for some kind of critter. that's
how it WAS" answered my visitor mot pur-
pose stranger We think heaps Of him. Id
sooner hev shot myself"


l knew the man spoke the truth, and taking my
box oil surgical instruments under my arm, fol-
lowed him to the spot where his horse was tied.
Mine was already sIddled, my little darkcy knew
we'll enough what the arrival portended. and had
made him ready. We were off in u few minutes.
Few words were spoken as we rode along
through the darkness. l asked whether the
wounds were serious, and my companion replied
I'm afraid they be, Doctor" l asked If the
man WAS young or old, and be answered.: ''Ris-
| ing forty;" and then after q few remarks upon
the badness of the road, we relapsed into 81
| lence.


At last glimmering light told that we had
approached Il dwelling, and with shout, awe
are thar, Doctor" my companion sprang from
his saddle and entered the door, followed him
The room was feebly lit by Pickering candles
About bed in the center was grouped four Of
five men and woman large and broad shoulder
| ed rs any OF her companions. child, too, lay
crying in its cradle, but no one seemed 10 notice
it. They made way for my approach, and saw
figure stretched upon the bed. 1t was that o
man with snewy limbs and weather beaten
face His shirt was unbultoned, and the breast
and sleeves were soaked with blood.
| 'Tan't OF no use DOCTOR" he said as bent
over him; "l'm N gone coon; Doctors stuff ant
no account to me now.


| did not believe him. His face was not that
of dying man, and his wounds scarcely seemed
dangerous.


These bullets are bad things TO have in ones
side" said, but men have lived through moro
than that. Cheer up''


II an't down hearted, DOCTOR" answered the
man. II shan't leave no children nor no wife &c
fret after me and suffer for want of my rife.
never have been much atIaid of death. But
| can tell you all you c IN do is no use; there's 4
sign that can't be mistook."


The group about the bed glanced at each other
and the woman shook her head at me rs though
she would have said, Never mind his words"
did what | could for him. The bullets were
extracted, the wounds bound up. He WAS veal
but not desperately so l looked at him ant
smiled. How are you now?" said l.


= 'Taint no use-the watch is stopping fast,
said he.


Then, for the first time, I noticed that beside
him on the bed lay q great old fashioned silve
watch, the case battered the face disc olorcd. ant
that it licked with a dull sound as though it VIA
very old and feeble.


That watch has been injured by the bullets,
suppose" said Il besides, all watches stop a
| times"


Not this one, stranger" said the wounded man
| They've laughed at me hundred times abou
the watch; now they'll find my story true,
recken. The watch and will stop at the SAM
minute"


The woman at the bedside shook her heat
again. "It's an old fancy o. yourn, Mike Bar
low" she said; you'll live to see the folly o
it,"


$50 they talk" said the man. "Now. lste
doctor. You've come fur to see me and done al
you could. III give you that watch. Its none
value amt much, but it'll do you service. 1t wa
given me by an old Frenchman, out o Canady
when he was lyin' just as am lyin'. 1t had bee
his fathers, and his grandaher's, and his grea
grandather's before that, and this is what he tol
me about it, and this is what you'll find to
true: That watch will tick slow and steady. reg Ia
as the sun, as long as whoever it belongs to
7 we'll, and safe and thriving. When there's dal
ger coming it begins to tick faster and faster vi


til it is past, and so loud that you can hear


across the room rs plain as though you had il


vour hand When death ia coming that WatC