A DOCTOR'S STORY.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2229, 7 October 1898, Page 3

A DOCTOR'S STORY.

We were three friends very com." d ably domiciled in a single suite of room.* On B- street, in near vicinity to the L Medical College, which wo attended. One of us was Hollander a gentlemanly, handsome- youth, of i«.o tender a nature for a doctor, we though*, but a very accomplished fellow r his studies, nevertheless. The second of our trio was a thicktangued, red-faced Russian- whoso fierce eyes, shaded by long lashes, gave an impression of evil always dispelled when his white teeth and good nature were revealed in a very pleasant smile. He wa? ren.arkably arduous in his pursuit of know it- •■_' . and sometim'-s scrupled not to resort to questionable means. which were betrayed to us by his muddy boots and clothing when he re-appearei after a night-long absence, introverted and unquestioned. As for myself, let it suffice to say tha* although my fortune was meagre my heart was light, and ignorant or any graver care than the preparation for tomorrow's recitations. \Yhii-- Hollander was study"ag. and the Russian experimenting. I am afraid I was m- often found iKru.-ing f»me IKrht love-tale or thrumming my guitar. My id!? spirit was as deaf to Hollander's friendly admonitions as to the Russian's grunts o£ scornful disapprobation. But the tranquil tenor o". my life ™" as abruptly terminated by a disturbing influence T had never anticipated, whf-n one Sm> afternoon I fell in love with Estelle Grayton. To end the tale of my enthralment in the fewest words, I avu. v -1 myself of many opportur'ties for meeting the fair Estelie. and in no long time the iniluence of a passionate, abiding attachment infiltrated my entire beinjr, and was not. I felt assured, unreciprocated. I was little disturbed by my friend Hollander's good-natured raillery, but I fie-lt so sharply nettled under the Russian's roars,- banter, that I would often retort in the bitterest terms, and appear so distressed that the twinkle in Hollander's eyes gave place to a look of sympathy and reproof, by which the Russian was awed into silenc-. At this juncture of my affair- F returned one evening from my accustomed visit in a mos: forlorn and wretched mood. Estelle was ill. 1 rould learn nothing more from thr servant than that she was delirious: and. though tormented by an insatiable thirst, she suffered the severest spasm* a; the mere sight of wat.-r. I stood for an hour or more watching the shadows which passed across the curtains ci her chamber window, like cloud? ucros* the brisrht firmament of my happiness. The next evening I learned that she had been tak-n away for more skilful treatment of a disovd-r which threatened her life: w.hith-r. the servant, who was our sole confidant, was uncertain, and apparently without any good reason for her belief that it was to France. I was inconsolable and fretful y intolerant of the kindly efforts of my two friends to inten st me in new researches and experiments. The lec-ture-room, the dissecting-room, the hospitals, even the thea:iv. presented no allurement of my grief-stricken spirit. I wandered the streets during the daytime, and at night I haunted the home of my beloved one, for the mert.-t scraps of news concerning her. I suppose I showed so severe effects of my anxiety in my pale far- and sunken eyes that I really alarmed my friend Hollander, who finally insisted upon a change o." so ne and a'.r. and accompanied m-- to a quietwatering-place near * L . \vh«T-- wc remain-. •'. a v.-.k Ai lover's solicftude for his sick mistress is not to be cured My sulphur baths and draught* "f brackish mineral waterand and it was with this conviction that we returned to our lodgings in P stree: at the end of the aforesaid tim-. We found our friend, the Russian, in nothing more interested than in the analysis of a mad dog's brain. Nothing was wanting to complete his happiness, he said, but a human brain similarly affected with which t • compare tiecanine's. Hollander became immediattly interns:'-! in this exp-rlm-ri. which promise nov-l discover! -.-• and developments. They vainly sought t > interest me in their theories. Wha' was a mad dog's brain i>. me? My own wis mad enough. Fired with youthful ar.l : and Untrue stnde.'it's yearning fm n deeper understand,m; of a puzzling proposition, my friends searched ;'r.<- var-is if several of th« large city h'*mitais, and r- - , turned on the- evening of th« following ! day e!at-d by several discoveries. The cases represented the different phas-s anl stages of th>' disease, but their interest laj eh etly in a single ease in the Q Hospital. Their patient was a beautiful yum: girl, they told me.whose young life must soon succumb to the dreadful malady. The Russian's only Borrow are-- from the that her friends would probably never permit her beautift:: person to lie upon the dissect ing-tabh. It she wer" only ugly, or friendless, oi old, wkat great benefits wouil accrve to seii n<-e from h'r m'sf ortun ?. On th- nv'-rnir.s aft*" th- funeral of the unhiipiv -■<■ ll"\\s nd.-r ■-.. arUuily united the int< res'* of the u.-r patient i and her malady thr.- ! !>■•■■ m • deeply J attentiv- i>-. hi- • •Itiei.U'.imn ,■ ii.'. theory of th- di- ,-• »•■ d\ -it .- ■ ..ng up ni the s;><ciai n 10-tanc of in-, ot r-om-parison h-t\\ -:• th- human and the canine braii in :h- study ••' .'hi distemper, that ! s-'m p-re.-i.- 1 him I. ■ have bec-'i'e famitiari- I w :h th- :d.-1 of a • -rta.. '...>. .rli'-u.- hi !• -usiy r.puls»';ve proj--e| uliieh t! "■ l::i.-:-i.ii: had doubtless. ]■:• ;>••> <! «■■ h oi :••' -• i>- torHe end'd his ,;;-<-..u---. -.viri. .. dir--i | proposal ■•' tie ■• n-n- [..- v. : , ;. I v.a ■ j not uni-r, fit.:- I II:- -r. :u 'ii'ii. .■•■ j over in- th- :-r.r.:i--:- S, ..■■!-. iml'.-rt. j only .-x-rt-i ;o- -uy r. •;. t ..g. i.Vt with j a wild noti. ; ••: -•[>• rt. ..-id i ma I <\--\f | to forg. ; for :■ t '::• f.i p ■'■'■ l! ai; heart, avail- i m ' : . r -■ ■:rn\< in the v- ,t>-.-. It v.:e if' o. •-.-• rtP-s.-;.. I- m-.K- Hli neevlfui P'-1-|' ni'.ns •:• ...: mni'iiu'ii! we .=•' r t" i i'. ; y • e,i:i,;. r. f- r ti'.e v»--rk befo:-- iH. W. thi- .i :-,l . - • aris-m. j near th- • ..'' '-f hal: ar !" aimr-oa'-1.-ed a !i?i -• • a,. I •/. !•'••• •• - i» for ■ ; i gloomy. - ; ' :■• • hur. » -.Mr.; \i-. ■.■'> ' ( had m- r- ih.n- •■..- ■ -.-•■ •> ■ • ■ ■• r.i\ '■■■■ ■ ; partieip.M '•' ■! Ih- afi.-il :i:<>\ v;..\;\,i \ now hav ■ ...I . • !•'!'. it ;..••: ! -.•■; '•..•• I j the liuo ••••. -. :,..• - a .1. M :;. -id- - . c>nt- mpt ! Th- f,m ei r>zh • '.■ i i- .. ■• i , l.d,the way from the stt- i .i;c.u-l. r. ; gate into t'...- i.iurehyar '. • ; ifau ■> | Path beiv i. :h" crav.-.r A.i :• a!■n_ j gear; Si h- v :•■ .---d b-s' I- - n am! ••; . fresh-turtied .-.-nh. at, . ■ ■•' '.-. ' t ■ a J wreati. .\l.ieti his ...vn h-.:.; ».:••! .ai I i upon it a- < n: n k <>( i.- •:■'.'• -Thi- i; t : ftfflv-." !:• -a : ' W:\ \ , I w> ! : ' fun s •<;..' Hedi-e;i-'-:re|. an i . -'' :. ~ , .'.in.- , therv in tn .if.mchly >■ >. ■■ b< I. i-.i Fomev.hai ■ >as';hUt>ry. • t npi..•;!--,ie I drev •':■■«. I - Holland :. i .•! u ■// i fearfu:'; al.oiii me in !!• ; im. Tie deep shades seemed to ma-': ail ramiliar shap»-s in ghostly cover. O'.i totni. stones, hiackened and stain- •: by many years' exposure, and uvwr.raii with moss, peered out from dark retreats, or, seemiDg weary with long standing, sought to incline themselvts to restful attitudes. For a moment the moon

Ihi".;-.e ihrotigl. a c'.oud. and the Jarcing.' quivering stij'.dow.s beneath my feet ap- | peared the phantoms of that li:'- with which the fertile grove in the daytime must have te mc-d. After a feu- moments the Russian reappeared, bringing a pick and two spades, which he had procured in an outhouse near th • chapel. II- handed us th<- spad'-s. and. raisins the pick, burled it in the mound with a thud which sent a thrill of horror through me. I "We must work hard." he said. "It Is now one o'clock." They had made considerable progress In tiie work of exhumation before I felt able to assist. When we had reached a depth of three or four feet the Russian I suggested that i should remain outside, and act as fruar-J. I gladly acquiesced, and, with whatever consequence io my weakened nerve*-, would have rejoiced to have had any reason to aiarm th-m from achieving that hideous purpose. j After the labor r/ a half-hour v.--heard the thud of tin pick upon the wood of the box enclosing the coffin. In a few minutes th- last shovelful of earth was thrown out. and the lids of the box and coffin removed. At the Russian's request I handed down to him the dark lantern, also a covered vessel and case ,-,f surgical instruments which h- had brought, and then, nearly fainting. I retire-! out of view of the ..p.-ra-tio':. Still, by some strange fascination. I held my <•>■- fix'.d upon the open grav-.-. which appeared like a lighted window in the abode of ghosts. A moment afterwards I heard again th f - Russian's voice. "Pass down the;-- glovi-s in my coat pocket." it said, and added, it: a lower tone to Hollander. "She was a beautiful girl. What hair! What features:" T approached the grave, and. in s >me curiosity, aroused by the last remark. I stooped to ?a7.e on the pallid face in the coffin. With one wild shriek I started back, and fell. "Oh. what is this? My G<d! Kstello! Ei-telle!" Instantly T felt a rough hand upon my mouth, and faintly heard the Russian's muttered curse ami admonition. "I> still, you fool: •-.- " A long period of unconsoiousr..-.--* f.Mlowed, from which T was revived by feeling a p:\r~.~ of water at my lips, and T np.--r.c-d my eye; upon tie familiar furniture of my room, whither my two friends, with tint Id effort, had oarri'-d ir • from th- scene of our unfinished enterprise. For month- afterwards 1 was Intolerably distressed by tie- iivro thought of that night's revelation. Rut it wrought ■i salutary change in my habit*, and made of me th- semblance of a man.— '•West Lothian Courier."