Doctor Luttrell's First Patient

which happen should happ

is an element of truth in the saying; nevertheless, though there were lines of care on Marcus Luttrell's face, and in the strong sunlight the seams of his

hope, and he had brought his young fiancée to see it. The small, narrow house, with its dark, square entry, its double parlours

ges with great satisfaction. The side entrance in Harbut Street, for instance, and the fr

h paying a few pounds more rent, instead of being jammed in between two terrace houses. Harbut Street is ever so

red woefully dingy. Two or three of the houses had cards in the sitting-room windows, with "Desirable apartment

aner blinds would have been improvements. Nevertheless, people lived out ha

icient for her modest trousseau. How could either of them have suspected that the partnership was a deceit and a fraud-that old Dr. Slade had let Marcus in for a rotten concern-that no paying patients would crowd the s

e when a man is in love he loses his judgment; look at the life to which my selfishness has condemned you. You will be an old woman before your time, with the effort to

life, and it was so exhilarating and refreshing to sit in one's lodgings of an evening, with no one to care if one were tired and dull. Yes, dear old boy

tle, but then human nature is liable to make mistakes, and in spite of it all, they had been so happy. Olive was such a splendid companio

ost her mother, the widow's annuity had died with her, and Olivia, who had only her

thought would interest her, and as she came forward t

ked, kindly, and then the poo

I am so tired, and the children have been so cross all day." And Olivia, whose nerves were on edge with the strain of grief and worry, looked so pallid and

arry him and do her work as well, and there ne

said, tenderly, as he pleaded for an early marriage. And as Oli

a little dubiously, for in spite of her youth she had plenty of g

ded a mistress. What was the use of Olivia paying for lodgings when he wanted a wif

eep her situation she would be no expense to Marcus. Her salary was good,

plausible until fairly tried, but before many months had passed

lly inefficient and unreliable. Marcus began to complain that such ill-cooked, tasteless meals would in time impair their digestion. The Marthas and Annes and Sallies, who clumped heavily about the corner house, with smudges on their round faces and bare red ar

life, found herself to her great astonishment lying on the little couch by the open

ess any longer. In future he must be the only breadwinner. Until patients were obliging enough to send for him, they must just live on th

. Luttrell younger than he was in reality. He was eight-and-twenty, and Olivia was six years younger. She was rather taller than her husband, and had a slim erect figure. She had no claims to beauty; her feat

e was inscribed in the register-the young parents forgot their

couch with her baby near her, and feasted on the delicacies that Aunt Madge's thoughtfulness had provide

" she would whisper, and Marcu

s, how hap

second Martha were draining his purse too heavily. He had plenty of poor patients, but no one but the French dressmake

profession, and had studied hard. The poor

kles and minces his words like that Sparks. Do you suppose Jem Arkwright would have l

your poor wife to bring up six fatherless children? I am telling you the truth, Jem. If you will not consent to part with your leg, there is no chance for you.' Laws' sakes, you would have thought he was a grey-he

he came in Jem was lying there vowing "that he had sooner die than part with his leg."

Widow Bates's garrulous tongue, were re

things were no better at the corner house. Olivia had even consulted her Aunt Madge

is rough, but her ways are nicer than Anne's or Sally's, and she keeps herself clean; b

knowing that you have to scrub and black-lead stoves, and he is discouraged enough already. When Dot is able to

sfied. Even Aunt Madge, she thought,

made her little world. Most people would have considered it a dull, narrow li

er only little child. Since then acute suffering that the doctors had been unable to relieve had wasted her strength. Nevertheless, there w

in their soft beseechingness, and Mrs. Broderick often lamented that she could

aracter, and her sister's child was dear to Mrs. Broderick's heart, and perhaps the sa

have listened to me. Livy is always so manageable, but I was a romantic old goose! And then she was in love, poor dear! And now-oh, it breaks one's heart to see their young anxious faces! I know so