Holmes_Elsie_Venner.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
a feature. he turned to .
" may make arrangements for anew assistant in the branches this
lady has taught. is to be my wife. had hoped to
have announced this news in a less abrupt and ungraceful manner.
came to tell you with my own lips what you would have learned
before evening from my friends in the village."
. went to , who stood silent, with downcast eyes, and
took her hand warmly, hoping she might find all the happiness she
deserved. he turned to , and said,
" is a queen, but has never found it out. world has nothing
nobler than this dear woman, whom you have discovered in the disguise
of a teacher. bless her and you!"
returned his friendly grasp, without answering a word
in articulate speech.
remained dumb and aghast for a brief space. to himself
a little, he thought there might have been some mistake about the
items,--would like to have barley's bill returned,--would make
it all right,--had no idee that had a special int'rest
in barley,--was sorry he had given offence,--if he might take
that bill and look it over--
". . ," said . , "there will be a full
meeting of the next week, and the bill, and such evidence with
reference to the management of the and the treatment of
its instructors as . sees fit to bring forward will be laid
before them."
became that very day the guest of
, the 's daughter. . made his appearance a
week or two later at the , where the first
introduced him to the reader.
stayed after the class had left the room.
", . ! how do you do? glad to see you back again.
have you been since our correspondence on and other
curious scientific questions?"
was the who spoke,--whom the reader will recognize as
myself, the teller of this story.
" have been well," . answered, with a serious look which
invited a further question.
" hope you have had none of those painful or dangerous experiences
you seemed to be thinking of when you wrote; at any rate, you have
escaped having your obituary written."
" have seen some things worth remembering. call on you this
evening and tell you about them?"
" shall be most happy to see you."
was the way in which , the , became acquainted with
some of the leading events of this story. interested me
sufficiently to lead me to avail myself of all those other
extraordinary methods of obtaining information well known to writers
of narrative.
. seemed to me to have gained in seriousness and strength
of character by his late experiences. threw his whole energies
into his studies with an effect which distanced all his previous
efforts. my former hint, he employed his spare hours in
writing for the annual prizes, both of which he took by a unanimous
vote of the judges. who heard him read his at the
will not soon forget the impression made by his
fine personal appearance and manners, nor the universal interest
excited in the audience, as he read, with his beautiful enunciation,
that striking paper entitled " in ."
was a general remark of the ,--and old ,
who had come down on purpose to hear . , heartily agreed to
it,--that there had never been a diploma filled up, since the
institution which conferred upon him the degree of
was founded, which carried with it more of promise to the profession
than that which bore the name of
.
.
. had no sooner taken his degree, than, in
accordance with the advice of one of his teachers whom he frequently
consulted, he took an office in the heart of the city where he had
studied. had thought of beginning in a suburb or some remoter
district of the city proper.
"," said his teacher,--to wit, myself,--"don't do any such thing.
are made for the best kind of practice; don't hamper yourself
with an outside constituency, such as belongs to a practitioner of
the second class. a fellow like you chooses his beat, he must
look ahead a little. care of all the poor that apply to you,
but leave the half-pay classes to a different style of doctor,--the
people who spend one half their time in taking care of their
patients, and the other half in squeezing out their money. for
the swell-fronts and south-exposure houses; the folks inside are just
as good as other people, and the pleasantest, on the whole, to take
care of. must have somebody, and they like a gentleman best.
't throw yourself away. have a good presence and pleasing
manners. wear white linen by inherited instinct. can
pronounce the word view. have all the elements of success; go
and take it. polite and generous, but don't undervalue yourself.
will be useful, at any rate; you may just as well be happy, while
you are about it. highest social class furnishes incomparably
the best patients, taking them by and large. , when they
won't get well and bore you to death, you can send 'em off to travel.
me now, and take the tops of your sparrowgrass. must
have 'em,--why shouldn't you? you don't take your chance, you'll
get the butt-ends as a matter of course."
. talked like a young man full of noble sentiments.
wanted to be useful to his fellow-beings. social differences
were nothing to him. would never court the rich,--he would go
where he was called. would rather save the life of a poor mother
of a family than that of half a dozen old gouty millionnaires whose
heirs had been yawning and stretching these ten years to get rid of
them.
" emotions! " exclaimed. " 'em; cling to 'em till
you are fifty, till you are seventy, till you are ninety! do as
tell you,--strike for the best circle of practice, and you 'll be
sure to get it!"
. did as told him,--took a genteel office, furnished it
neatly, dressed with a certain elegance, soon made a pleasant circle
of acquaintances, and began to work his way into the right kind of
business. missed him, however, for some days, not long after he
had opened his office. his return, he told me he had been up at
, by special invitation, to attend the wedding of .
and . gave me a full account of the
ceremony, which regret that cannot relate in full. " looked
like an angel,"--that, am sure, was one of his expressions. for
her dress, should like to give the details, but am afraid of
committing blunders, as men always do, when they undertake to
describe such matters. dress, anyhow,--that am sure of,--
with orange-flowers, and the most wonderful lace veil that was ever
seen or heard of. performed the
ceremony, of course. good people seemed to have forgotten they
ever had had any other minister, except and his set of
malcontents, who were doing a dull business in the meeting-house
lately occupied by the . .
" was at the wedding?"
", pretty much. wanted to keep it quiet, but it was of
no use. at church. pews, old . and all
the mansionhouse people and distinguished strangers,--
and family, including 's young gentleman, a graduate of one of
the fresh-water colleges,--. (late ) and
husband,-- and numerous parishioners. little nearer
the door, , the 's man, and , who drove them to
church in the family-coach. , as they all call him
now, came in late with ."
" ?"
", had left and . up altogether too
badly in the examination instituted by the . removed
over to , and thought of renting a large house and 'farming'
the town-poor."
time after this, as was walking with a young friend along by
the swell-fronts and south-exposures, whom should see but .
, looking remarkably happy, and keeping step by the
side of a very handsome and singularly well-dressed young lady?
bowed and lifted his hat as we passed.
" is that pretty girl my young doctor has got there?" said to my
companion.
" is that?" he answered. " don't know? , that is neither
more nor less than , daughter of--of--why, the
great banking firm, you know, & .
acquainted with her in the country, they say. 's a story that
they're engaged, or like to be, if the firm consents."
"" said.
did not like the look of it in the least. young,--too young.
not taken any position yet. right to ask for the hand of
& .'s daughter. , it will spoil him for
practice, if he marries a rich girl before he has formed habits of
work.
looked in at his office the other day. box of white kids was
lying open on the table. three-cornered note, directed in a very
delicate lady's-hand, was distinguishable among a heap of papers.
was just going to call him to account for his proceedings, when he
pushed the three-cornered note aside and took up a letter with a
great corporation-seal upon it. had received the offer of a
professor's chair in an ancient and distinguished institution.
" well for three-and-twenty, my boy," said. " suppose
you'll think you must be married one of these days, if you accept
this office."
. blushed.-- had been stories about him, he knew.
name had been mentioned in connection with that of a very
charming young lady. current reports were not true. had met
this young lady, and been much pleased with her, in the country, at
the house of her grandfather, the ,--you
remember , whom have mentioned repeatedly?
coming to town, he found his country-acquaintance in a social
position which seemed to discourage his continued intimacy. had
discovered, however; that he was a not unwelcome visitor, and had
kept up friendly relations with her. there was no truth in the
current reports,--none at all.'
months had passed, after this visit, when happened one evening
to stroll into a box in one of the principal theatres of the city.
small party sat on the seats before me: a middle-aged gentleman and
his lady, in front, and directly behind them my young doctor and the
same very handsome young lady had seen him walking with on the
sidewalk before the swell-fronts and south-exposures.
seemed to be very much taken up with his companion, and both
of them looked as if they were enjoying themselves, determined not
to make my presence known to my young friend, and to withdraw quietly
after feasting my eyes with the sight of them for a few minutes.
" looks as if something might come of it," said to myself.
that moment the young lady lifted her arm accidentally in such a way
that the light fell upon the clasp of a chain which encircled her
wrist. eyes filled with tears as read upon the clasp, in sharp-
cut letters, . . were tears at once of sad remembrance
and of joyous anticipation; for the ornament on which looked was
the double pledge of a dead sorrow and a living affection. was
the golden bracelet,--the parting-gift of .