Year: 1874




London there lived a young lady who
was handsome, tolerably wealthy, and
more than usually we'll educated. Her
father was an invalid, her mother was
an insipid, cold and heartless woman.
Two years ago physician of London
was called to attend her father. In this
way the young lady saw him. He paid
no attention to her-his mind was en-
crossed with his professional duties. A
few weeks ago this doctor, after paying a
visit to his patient, was somewhat sur
prised by being asked by the young Ia
dy to give her the favor of a private in
terview. She took him into a drawing
room and led him 10 the further end of
the apartment. Doctor" said she 81
suppose that gentlemen OF your profess
ion are accustomed to receive strange
condolences. have a confession to make
to you" He supposed that the impend-
ing confession had somewhat to do with
the state of her own health or with that
of her father, and he begged her to pro-
ceed. "You will, however, be scarcely
prepared for what l am about to say"
she continued, "but wish you to hear
it. 1t is now just two years since first
saw you. You have scarcely ever ex-
changed a word with me, but / have
learned much about you. / am not mis-
taken in believing that You are unmar-
ried?"


"No," said he, "I am not married"


"And your affections are not engag-
ed?"


"You scarcely have the right to ask
that" said he.


"Well, then" she replied, Il will not
ask il; but 1 will make my confession.
/ love you with all my heart. wish
you TO marry me- have loved you
from the FIRST moment saw you. said
to myself, will wait for two years; if
he then speaks to me 1 will know what
to say. You have not spoken; and now
1 speak. 1 say love you with all my
heart; you are necessary for me; will you
marry me?"


The Doctor, who, although not very
old man, was twice the age of the young
lady, recovering little from his sur
prise, tried to turn the matter off as a
joke; but the young lady was very ser
ious.


"No," said she, az am in very sober
earnest. know all that you may say or
think as to the indelicacy of my propos-
al, but / cannot help it. ask you once
more, can you love me, and will you
marry me?"


'In sober earnest then" he replied, 81
cannot marry you."


"Then / shall die" said she, very
calmly, and she left the room.


The doctor had heard people say be-
fore that they should die, and he left
the house without attaching much i'm
portance to the prophecy, although won
dering greatly at the other part of the
interview.


A few days after this the young lady
was found dead in her bed. Two letters
laid upon her dressing table. One was
addressed to her family solicitor H. re-
called to his mind a promise he had
made her. She had gone to see him, and
had asked him to make out paper
transferring the whole of her property
to person whose name she would not
then give him. He was to prepare the
necessary paper and send it to her to fill
up the blanks and to sign. She had
done this, and she now enclosed the pa
per, filled up and signed. Every penny
of her property was given to the doctor
and the solicitor was instructed to make
the transfer to him, to ask no questions
and take no receipt. The other lettel
was to the doctor. "I told you should
die" said she, "and when you receive
this / shall be. dead. For ten days
have taken no food or drink; but tina
does not kill me, and now ! have takel
poison. / have no reproach to make t.
you, but could not live without You
love. When am dead look at my heart
You will see your name there. hav
two requests to make of you. Go to m,
solicitor and take what he has for you
and then go off on a holiday to Italy 70
a few months. The other request is tha
you never ask where / am buried, AM
never come to my grave"


There was post-mortem examination
made on the young lady's body. On he
breast over. her heart, deeply inprinte'
in the flesh, were the initials of the doc
tors name. The characters seems t
have been. made there two or three year
before. They were probably imprinte
by her own hand on the day when sh
first saw him.