Cora and The Doctor: or, Revelations of A Physician's Wife

The young advocates were overjoyed at their success, and Lucy kissed her father repeatedly, while Emily warmly pressed his hand. In the peace and joy which filled his breast, Squire Lee for the first time realized the truth of the inspired declaration, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Lucy readily promised to keep the whole transaction a profound secret until the proper moment should arrive for the denouement. Emily also promised with the assistance of her brother to arrange all the business.

Wednesday, June 7th.

I had not time last evening to finish Emily's story. Her frequent conversations with Frank were connected with the legal transfer of the estate. How wise I thought myself in having seen through their plot!

At length, all was concluded. The legal instruments were prepared and executed, conveying the property from the Squire to his daughter, and from her to Mrs. Reynolds and her children, reserving the use thereof to Mr. Reynolds, provided he remained true to his pledge of entire abstinence from intoxicating drinks. But in the event of his violating his pledge, the same was to revert to his wife and children.

The family occupying the house, were the next morning notified to leave, as Emily had determined to restore it to its original beauty. The Doctor, however, insisted that I should have the pleasure of giving the furniture, and he put money into her hand for that purpose.

The important day had now arrived for the removal of William and Anna Reynolds to their sweet home, while as yet they knew nothing of the great happiness in store for them. It was for the purpose of carrying me to invite them to Pauline's birth-day party, that Frank had returned. He had left Emily and Lucy busily engaged in setting up the furniture which Cæsar had yesterday carried there. I rode with him to their humble abode, and found Anna sitting at her sewing in rather a disconsolate mood, on account of the continued grief of her husband, at the supposed loss of the cottage.

But she very gladly accepted Miss Pauline's invitation and promised to keep her children from school and to be ready when Cæsar should call for them. Such a bustle of preparation as now went forward, I have hardly seen. The good Cæsar was constantly coming and going, laden with baskets of provisions, crockery and other household utensils. As he passed the door, he stopped the horse, and drawing himself up, said in a consequential tone, "Cæsar knows Misse Emily no do widout dis chile on dis great 'casion. Mass'r Lenox allus powerful good to sich kind. Dis de gemman allus 'prove mass'r plans."

At length, the hour arrived, and Pauline was arranged in a white dress with pink sash and bows to her sleeves. I left her at Rose Cottage with the assembled company, and as requested returned with Cæsar to bring the new proprietors to their abode.

They were all in readiness, William arrayed in his new suit, and evidently striving to appear cheerful; Mrs. Reynolds, Anna and Willie were neatly dressed for the occasion. When we were seated in the carriage, I told Cæsar, I had an errand at the west part of the town; and if Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds would excuse us, we would go there first. Cæsar showed his white teeth so much that I feared, they would suspect something. As we approached our destination, I saw white dresses here and there flitting by the windows, and a little head peeping from the attic to watch for us.

William covered his face with his hands. He could not bear to witness the improvements which he had already planned for himself. Mrs. Reynolds held her husband's hand in silence, while the children eagerly looked, expecting that we should drive past. But when we stopped, and first Lucy, then Emily, followed by mother, the Doctor and Pauline came to the door and bid them welcome to Rose Cottage, it was too much. William sprang upon his feet, and stood with a vacant look, first at one, and then at another, and finally sank back on the cushion weeping aloud. Mrs. Reynolds turned very red and pale by turns, while the children shouted for joy, as they were helped from the carriage into the newly painted hall.

It was not, however, till assisted by the Doctor (for his trembling knees would scarce support him) that Mr. Reynolds could speak. When he with his wife were seated in the neatly furnished parlor, Lucy with moistened eyes presented him with a document, when he exclaimed, "I can't! Oh! I can't take it!"

Frank saw that he was laboring under some mistake, though what it was he could hardly conceive, and fearing lest the joy would be too much for him, he took the document from the donor, and said kindly, "My good friends, this young lady is the owner of the cottage, and she has invited us here to partake of a little feast in honor of Pauline's birth-day. As this was formerly your home, we thought it would be pleasant for you to meet us here."

"Oh! no! NO!! I can't stay," cried the poor man sobbing aloud, and wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his coat.

"But," persisted Frank, "I thought you were very anxious to see the new owner, in order to ascertain whether you could at some future time purchase it yourself."

"Yes, so I was, and so I am, but not here." He soon, however, became more composed.

Mrs. Reynolds appeared to suffer almost as much as her husband; but long sorrow had given her more control over her feelings. "William," she said in a low voice, "our friends who have done so much for us invited us here to give us pleasure. Let us try to enjoy it. They could not know," she continued with a sigh, "how very sad we should feel."

I stood near them, and almost without a thought, asked, "How can you bear to live here then when you have purchased it?"

"Oh! that would be very different," replied Anna. "But will her father allow her to sell?" she inquired, looking most earnestly at Lucy. William also aroused at this question, and with open mouth awaited the reply.

I looked at Lucy with a smile, and she said, "it is with his consent and permission that I now make over to you the right and title to Rose Cottage. Henceforth it is yours."

For one instant, they both seemed stupefied; and then as if actuated by one heart, they sunk upon their knees. Amid tears of joy, we all followed their example, when Frank in a most appropriate prayer thanked God in their behalf and dedicated the happy abode to "temperance, union and love."

When we arose, our hearts were somewhat relieved. Mr. Reynolds pressed his wife to his heart, and thanked God for such a treasure. When he became more composed, he said, "I am well aware that it is the purity and goodness of my Anna which have thus met their reward; but I hope and believe, this gift will stimulate me to imitate her example."

I cannot describe to you the astonishment as well as delight of the now happy pair as they went from room to room, and beheld the well filled closets, and every convenience for house-keeping. They could not realize such a change in the Squire as that he should voluntarily give up this property. When we sat at the well furnished board, Emily, who presided, playfully asked Mrs. Reynolds to excuse her for taking the head of the table. But that lady could not reply except by a tearful smile. We hurried through supper in order to leave the family alone and give them an opportunity to recover from their excited feelings. As we did so, Lucy put into Mrs. Reynolds's hand the document, her husband had refused.

CHAPTER XXIII

 
"Habitual evils change not on a sudden,
But many days must pass, and many sorrows;
Conscious remorse, and anguish must be felt,
To curb desire, to break the stubborn will,
And work a second nature in the soul,
Ere virtue can resume the place she lost." Rowe.
 

Wednesday, August 23d.

The Doctor received a hasty note from Lucy, requesting him to call this morning at his earliest convenience. He did so, and found his patient agitated and trembling, who immediately requested to be left alone with Frank.

"Dr. Lenox," said he, "I have sent for you to receive a confession from me, which I little thought would ever pass my lips." He tried to wipe the moisture which was gathering on his face, but his hand shook so much that he was unable. Frank took a seat near him and performed that office, when he continued, "I have been a great sinner, Doctor, as you well know; but there is one crime lying upon my conscience, which I would gladly give all I am possessed of to be free from. Oh, dear!" He gasped convulsively. "You don't know, you have never felt the agony of remorse!"

Frank tried to soothe his patient, and pointed him to the Saviour as one ready to bear all our sins. "I've tried to think so Doctor; sometimes the devil tempts me to believe that there can be no forgiveness of sins like mine. In addition to all my drunkenness and profanity, all my abuse of widows and orphans, and all my grinding the face of the poor, I have been – Oh! —Oh, dear!– I am a MURDERER!"

Frank started involuntarily. But Squire Lee cried aloud, while the Doctor bathed his temples, and endeavored to quiet him, but reluctantly allowed him to proceed. Making a great effort to control himself, the distressed invalid proceeded to say, that while abroad many years ago, he had met a lady who interested him more than any one he had ever seen. Though his wife was still living at home, he had fallen in love with her, and had made the most disgraceful proposals to her, which she repelled with scorn. "She told me," he exclaimed, "her husband was in India, and that it was well for me that such were the case, for he would revenge to the death such an insult to his wife. Her indignation only added to her beauty; and I was almost beside myself that I could not accomplish my purpose. But I determined to have my revenge. I wrote anonymously to her husband, at first only hinting at her unfaithfulness to him, but subsequently stating the facts more fully. There was a gentleman who spent much of his time in her society and in the education of her child. It was this man to whom I referred in my letter to her husband, though I had abundant reason to know that her character was above suspicion. Sometime later, when my wicked passion had had time to cool, I again passed through the place, and to my horror learned that my letters had been the means of recalling her husband from abroad, and of the death of – of both – of them! Yes, Colonel Shirley killed his friend, and his wife died of a broken heart, leaving her husband to suppose her the guilty woman whom I had falsely represented."

Squire Lee here groaned heavily and was overcome by his emotions. "Doctor," said the agonized man when he revived, "a word more; you cannot realize what a relief this will be here," laying his hand upon his breast, Frank bowed assent. The sick man then earnestly begged the Doctor to take the name of Colonel Shirley, and to use every means in his power to ascertain whether that gentleman were living; and if he should ever see or hear of him, to communicate to him the fact of his wife's innocence, and of the fiendish revenge which prompted the writer of those letters.

Thursday, September 7th.

The Doctor was hastily summoned yesterday to Squire Lee, who has had another shock of paralysis. But it proved to be slight compared with the first. It was occasioned by his receipt of a bank notice from the city of New York, of a note left there for collection, and signed by his son Joseph as agent for his father, and requesting the immediate payment thereof. The bank notified the father instead of the son, who had falsely assumed to act as his agent, and who was reported to have left the country.

At first the Squire was very angry, and said to Lucy, "I must pay this note, but it is the last he shall ever have from my estate."

Monday, October 2d.

I think Squire Lee supposes himself to be near his end. A few weeks since, he requested his daughter to leave him alone with Allen, when he asked the young man, "Do you still love Lucy?"

"I have never ceased to love her," was the reply.

"Then," said the old gentleman, in a very affecting manner, "my daughter is a good girl, and I should like to see her happily married before I die." He also added, "if you marry her, you will not have a portionless bride."

Monday, October 9th.

Emily has just consented to go to the city to make some purchases for the intended bride, as Lucy cannot think of leaving her father, who is very feeble. He told her in the presence of Allen, that he did not wish their marriage to be delayed.

The ardent lover persuaded Lucy to name an early day; and the nineteenth of this month is decided upon. It will be strictly a private wedding. The service is to be performed in the chamber of the invalid, with only our family as witnesses. Lucy wished Emily to be her bridemaid; but as there was no one intimate enough in the family with whom it would be pleasant for her to stand, sister easily persuaded her to dispense with this part of the ceremony.

Thursday, October 19th.

To-day I accompanied the Doctor and Emily to Squire Lee's. He is exceedingly feeble, and Frank almost feared, lest the excitement of the occasion would be too much for him. But the service was very short and informal. When we were seated, Allen and Lucy came in from the adjoining room, a short prayer was offered by the Rev. Mr. Munroe, the covenant of marriage was administered and received, by which the parties pledged themselves to a faithful performance of the duties of husband and wife, as set forth in the holy scriptures, the benediction was pronounced, and our dear friend was Lucy Lee no longer, but Mrs. Lucy Mansfield. In this new character, she stepped forward quickly to her father and kissed his pale brow, while we silently retired from the room, the Doctor alone remaining with the patient. And he joined us in a few moments, leaving the sick man far less fatigued than we had feared.

Frank says, he would give a great deal to know whether Squire Lee has made provision for his daughter. After we all left the room, Lucy sat on a cricket chafing his poor withered hand. He looked at her with melting tenderness, as he said to Frank, who had returned to him, "Doctor, she is a good girl."

Friday, October 20th.

The Doctor called yesterday to see whether his patient had suffered from the excitement of the previous day. Lucy was requested by her father to leave the room, when he asked Frank to tell him plainly how long he should probably live. The Doctor replied that he might linger some weeks; but it would not surprise him, if he did not live many days, and he advised him to set his house and his soul in order to meet the solemn event. Squire Lee thanked him, and said, "I have much to do; I must delay no longer."

Encouraged by his calmness, Frank had a very interesting conversation with him, and was rejoiced to find him in a humble, penitent frame of mind, with a trembling hope of forgiveness through the blood of Christ.

 
"He wept; he trembled; cast his eyes around,
To find a worse than he; but none he found.
He felt his sins, and wonder'd, he should feel,
Grace made the wound, and grace alone could heal."
 

When the Doctor called again to see his patient, Mrs. Burns said that the Squire had sent the porter out for a man who was then engaged with him, and that she believed them to be making a will, as she had answered the bell, and had taken into the chamber paper, pens and other apparatus for writing; and when doing so she had heard her master, in a feeble voice say something in which she clearly distinguished the words "legal instrument."

The Doctor told her not to interrupt them, and assured her that he would call again. Not long after, Jacob, the porter, came in haste for him to go back, saying that he had been twice to the office in the village to find him.

Frank met him on the road and instantly returned with him. On the way, he was told a lawyer had been sent for who soon went out and returned with two other men. After they all retired, Lucy hastened to the room, fearing the effect of this unusual excitement upon her father. But as he lay perfectly quiet, she supposed him to be sleeping. She sat by his side, when perceiving that he remained for a long time in exactly the same position, she became alarmed and began to chafe his temples and hands. But as he still remained unconscious, she called Allen and sent for the Doctor. When Frank entered the chamber, he found him slightly revived, but unable to speak. He will not probably survive many hours. Lucy is very anxious for the Doctor to remain through the night, and he sent me word that he had consented to do so.

Tuesday, October 24th.

My dear husband did not return home until near noon, as he has many patients whom he was obliged to visit after leaving Squire Lee's. He remained by the bed of the dying man the entire night. Poor old man! It was really affecting to see how hard he tried to speak. He is very anxious to make Lucy comprehend something, but she cannot get the least clew to it. The feeble invalid wept that they could not understand him. At length, Frank put a pencil into his hand and held the paper before him; but in vain. He could not hold the pencil, and shook his head in despair.

About eight o'clock this morning, the Doctor was called from the room by Mrs. Burns, who said to him, "Mr. Colby, the lawyer, is below; and when informed that you were in the house, he requested to see you."

Before they entered the parlor, Mrs. Burns in a low but agitated voice, said, "Dr. Lenox, do ask him if Mr. Lee was making his will yesterday. I know, the dear old man meant to do right by Lucy."

As Frank opened the door, Mr. Colby arose, and bowed, saying, "I have been told by the house-keeper that Squire Lee is suffering from another attack of paralysis; and I wish the opinion of his physician whether he is in a sound and disposing mind, and is capable of finishing some business transactions."

The Doctor replied, "he is not."

"I hold in my hand," continued the lawyer, looking over a document, "a deed of gift of a small house and a piece of land. It is in favor of a widow by the name of Churchill, whose prospects have been ruined by her husband while in Squire Lee's employ. The language of the deed is a little singular for a man of his character. It reads as follows: 'Deeply regretting in the sight of God, before whom I am soon to appear, the various wrongs of which I have been guilty toward Otis Churchill and through him toward his family, and in consideration of his long and valuable services the receipt of which I hereby acknowledge, I do give, grant and convey unto his wife, Mrs. Hepsibah Churchill, her heirs and assigns a certain lot of land with the house thereon, it being the same which I took from her husband in execution of a mortgage thereon, situated and bounded thus – .'"

While Frank was rejoiced that his dying patient had felt disposed to do something to restore the widow and orphan to the happiness which had been destroyed by his influence, he could not help sighing as he feared lest a suitable provision for his daughter had been too long postponed, if not wholly neglected. Mr. Colby was exceedingly interested and anxious to ascertain how long it was after he took leave of him on the preceding day, when the old gentleman was seized with this attack. He asked if it were indeed true, as the house-keeper had informed him, that the old gentleman had not spoken since he left.

Learning from the Doctor that the patient was now in a dying condition, he departed, expressing great regret that the state of the invalid should render it impossible for him to transact the legal business contemplated.

Wednesday, October 25th.

Emily has just returned from Squire Lee's, where she has been since yesterday. The servants are in dreadful excitement for fear Joseph should be left in possession of all the property, since it cannot be ascertained that a new will has been made. They vehemently declare that they will leave the house when their dear young mistress does. It appears very clear that the father intended to make a new will from what he said to Allen, and also from what Mrs. Burns heard him say to his daughter the morning after the wedding, when she was preparing him to receive the lawyer. Lucy was then smoothing his gray hair, and affectionately kissed his pale cheek, when, holding her hand he said, "you must try to forgive your poor old father for all his cruel treatment of you. You can take pleasure in thinking that by your affectionate care, you have made my last years the happiest of my life." Then after a short pause, during which Lucy could not command her voice to speak, he continued, "I mean to give you this estate and Allen shall – " Here a fit of coughing interrupted him, and he never after renewed the subject.

Emily says, "the dear girl is so affected at the thought of losing her father, that she does not seem to realize that by his death she is to be cut off from everything. Allen, however, is in a prosperous business, and I do not doubt she will be happy."

Mr. Colby called again last evening; but of course no business could be transacted. Allen asked him, if he had transacted business for the Squire heretofore, and thought him slightly embarrassed as he replied that he had done so, but principally through the son. Allen farther asked, if he knew where Joseph was at present, and ascertained that he was on the eve of departure for Europe. Mr. Colby farther stated that a document had formerly been put into his hand which he supposed to be a will.

Thursday, October 26th.

Lucy is very anxious to have her brother come home if possible to see her father once more; and Allen wrote a note to Mr. Colby begging him to go to New York and detain Joseph from his voyage until after the funeral.

This morning Squire Lee revived from the dreadful stupor in which he has been lying for nearly twenty-four hours, and was able to swallow a few tea-spoonfuls of wine and water.

He again tried to make them understand something. He pointed with his hand to Lucy, then to the articles of furniture, then back to her. The cold clammy sweat stood in drops upon his forehead from his violent attempts to articulate.

"Dear, dear father," said the weeping girl, unable to bear it longer, "don't try to speak."

He pointed again.

"Do you wish me to understand that I am to have them?"

His countenance brightened at once.

"Thank you, dear father, all will be right."

He fixed his eyes for a long time upon the lovely countenance suspended from the wall, and then closed them.

Lucy asked in a low voice, "can you trust your Saviour? He has promised to save you if you will but trust him."

The dying man slowly opened his eyes, a bright smile passed over his features, and his spirit took its flight. That glorious smile of triumph through the Beloved still lingers. No doubt his eternity will be spent in singing the abounding grace of God.

Friday, October 27th.

A dreadful accident happened in the village to-day. Mr. Stone, a respectable mechanic, fell from the top of a house where he was at work upon the chimney. The staging gave way, and he was precipitated to the ground, a distance of over thirty feet. He has no family, and has not long been a resident in the place; nevertheless there is great sympathy manifested at his sudden death. The Doctor reached him about twenty minutes after he fell, but found him dying; and thinks that he knew nothing after he struck the ground. He immediately wrote his parents to ascertain their wishes with regard to the body of their unfortunate son.

How true it is that in the midst of life, we are in death; one moment in time; the next in eternity. The family where Mr. Stone boarded, and where Frank obtained the address of his parents, describe him as a very moral, upright young man who attended church regularly on the Sabbath, and who seldom left the house after he came in from his work in the evening. His landlady was very much affected when the Doctor carried her the intelligence; but said she thought him prepared to die.