Cora and The Doctor; or, Revelations of A Physician's WifeLeslie, Madeline
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Cora and The Doctor; or, Revelations of A Physician's Wife
Leslie, Madeline
Physicians -- Fiction
Hers is a case requiring little medicine. Her sufferings are
comparatively slight, except from exhausting fits of coughing. She
appears to be passing gently away. The bright color which burned in her
cheek had now faded, leaving her face perfectly colorless. The only
relief to the marble whiteness was the long black lashes which lay upon
her cheek when she closed her eyes. Propped up in her bed by pillows,
she looked with her whole soul at the Doctor, who sat at her side,
speaking to her of God's rich mercy. She assented to what he said by a
slight inclination of the head, and sometimes repeated after him part of
the verse of Scripture, he quoted, as if to impress it upon her own
mind. But I could see plainly that she was under restraint by the
presence of a stranger.
When he arose, she held out her hand and whispered, "will you please to
pray with me?" Frank immediately reseated himself; and taking a little
pocket Bible from his coat, read a few verses from the fourteenth
chapter of John; and then prayed. I felt borne on wings of faith to
heaven as my dear husband praised God for the love which had sent the
Saviour into the world, that we might have pardon and eternal life; that
we might be elevated to seats at his right hand in heaven, and be joint
heirs with Christ to immortal glory and honor. He besought Jesus to
bless and comfort with his Divine presence, the dear child who was
approaching the dark valley; to give her the victory over sin, and
death, and to receive her through faith in him into the kingdom of
heaven, where her eternity might be spent in singing "Worthy the Lamb
that was slain."
As I approached the bed to bid her farewell, I was struck dumb, with the
heavenly smile of peace and joy which shone in every feature. Surely,
thought I, she has the seal upon her forehead; she already breathes the
air of heaven. I lifted her thin white hand to my lips, and bowed my
head in silence; I dared not trust my voice to speak.
The Doctor called Mrs. Leighton aside and gave her a few simple
directions before we left. He conducted me silently to the carriage,
turned the horse down a shady lane toward the water, and drew me to him
until I could lay my head upon his shoulder, when my excited feelings
found relief in tears.
When I had become more composed, Frank asked, "Is she not to be envied?"
"Oh, yes! _yes!_" I replied, "Would, I could feel the assurance of faith
and love, which lit up her face like that of an angel!"
He then, at my request, told me something of her history. Her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Leighton, are respectable, pious people, who have been
deeply afflicted by the loss of two daughters and one son by the same
disease which is now wasting the frame of their only surviving child.
Naturally amiable and intelligent she has been too much indulged by her
fond parents, who cling to her as their last and best beloved.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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