Year: 1874

The London correspondent of the New
York Graphic writes y very strange
story was told to me the other day. In
town not far from London there lived
Young lady who was handsome, tolerably
wealthy, and more than usually well edu-
Gated Her father was an invalid her
mother was an insipid, cold and heartiess
woman. Two years ago physician OF
London was called to attend the father;
in this way the young lady saw him. lie
paid no attention to her-his mind was en-
crossed with his professional duties. n
few weeks ago this doctor, after paying
visit to Lis patient, was somewhat sur
prised by being asked by the young lady
TO give her the favor of a private inter-
view. She took him into a drawing-rOom,
and led him TO the further end of the
anartment. :" Doctor" said she, " sup
pose that gentlemen of your profession
are accustomed to receive strange cOntl-
dences | have confession to make to
yOu." He supposed that the impending
confession had something 10 do with the
state of her own health or with that OF her
father. and he begged her to proceed.
:. You will. however, be scarcely prepared
for what am about to say" she cOntinu-
ed. But wish you TO hear it. 1t is now
lust two years since first saw you. \ on
have scarcely ever exchanged a word with
me. but have learned much about you.
am not mistaken in believing that you are
unmarried? 2


"No,'' said he, 81 am not married"


And YOUR affections are not eDgagedF"


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


"WeH. then" she replied, . | will not
ask it, but must make to you my confess
| sion. love you with all my heart. L
| wish you to marry me. 1 loved you from
the first moment [ saw you. l said to my
| self. / will wait for two years-if he then
| sDeaks TO me / will know what to say.
| You have not spoken; and now | speak.
| [ say | love YOU with all my heart; you
are necessary for me; will you marry
me?'


The doctor, who, although not very
Young man, was twice the age of the
young lady, recovering a little from his
surprise, tried to turn the matter off as
joke; but the young lady was very seri-
Gus.


NO" said she, 81 am in very sober
earnest. know all that you may say or


think as to the indelicacy of my proposal,
but [ cannot help it. ask you once more,


can you love me, and will you marry me:"


"fn sober earnest, then," he replied, Il


cannot marry you"


"Then l shall die" said she, very CALM


Iy. and she left the room.


The doctor had heard people say before
this that they should die, and he left the
house without attaching much importance
to the prophecy, although wondering
greatly at the other portion of this inter-


view.


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. IL re-


called to his mind promise he had made


her. She bad gone to see him, and had


asked him to make out for her paper


transferring the whole of her property to


a person whose name she would not then


give him. He was to prepare the neces-


Sary paper and send it to her to fill up the
blanks and to sign. She had done this,
and she now enclosed the paper, 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 to take no receipt.
The other letter was to the doctor. l
= fold veu should die" said she, and
; when yOa receive this | shall be dead.


For ten days have taken no fool nor no


drink but that does not kill me, and now


have taken poison. l have no reproach
TO make TO YOU, but | could not live with


out your love. When | am dead, look at


nv heart. You will see yourname there
| have two requests to make of you. Go
/ to nv solicitor, and take what he has for
5 YOU, and then go off ON holiday to Italy
7 for a few months. The other request Is
2 that YOU never ask where am buried, and
z never come to my grave"


T There was post m0rtem examination
t made of the young lady's body. On heI
2 breast, over her heart, deeply imprinted in
2 the flesh, were the initials of the doctors
: name. The characters seemed to have
A been made there two or three years before
They were probably imprinted by her OWL
hand on the day when she first saw him