Drusilla with a Million — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Drusilla with a Million
John Stuart Mill · en
Drusilla thought for a moment.
"I don't seem to recall the name, but perhaps you moved there sence I
went away."
"I been there about thirty years. Of course you know William Fisher,
the editor of the county paper? He is a friend of mine."
Drusilla's face brightened.
"Yes, indeed; I know him well. I nursed his wife through all her
children and her last spell of sickness."
"Is that so! His wife was a cousin of my wife's. Her name was Jenny
Jameson before she married me."
"The daughter of old Dr. Jameson! Well, I do declare, it's like meetin'
old friends. How is she?"
"I'm sorry to say she is not very well. We lost our little girl about
two years ago, and she has been sick ever since."
Kindly Drusilla was all sympathy at once.
"Do tell me. What did she die of."
"Diphtheria. She got it in school; it run through all the children in
the county."
"How old was she?"
"She was eleven, and it near broke my wife's heart. She was our only
child. I catch her settin' by the door waitin' for Julia to come home.
It worries me very much."
"Well, I'm so sorry. Have you had a doctor?"
"Yes; we have had Dr. Friedman and another doctor from the city. But
they don't seem to be doing her no good."
"It's too bad! Now perhaps I got something that'll help her. I got some
harbs that make the best tonic. I always give it to mothers who didn't
get along well, and it made them have an appetite; and if one can eat
well, they can ginerally git enough strength to throw off sorrow. You
just set still a minute, and I'll make a package for you. I ain't got
much left, 'cause I been kind of savin' of it; but I know it'll do your
wife good, so I'm goin' to give you some."
Drusilla left to go up to her room to find the "harbs" that she had
been carefully cherishing for time of need. When she returned she
handed the package to the man.
"You have her bile them fifteen minutes and drink it like a tea," she
said.
They chatted for fifteen minutes about the families in Adams. Mr.
Gleason seemed to be very familiar with them all, and Drusilla's eyes
brightened as she heard the old names. She thoroughly enjoyed the visit.
"John Brierly is upstairs," she said finally. "I'll call him. He'd like
to hear all the news of the old neighbors, and perhaps he'll know about
your father."
The man looked embarrassed.
"Well, Miss Doane," he stammered, "I'd like to see him, but I'm in a
hurry. I want to get the eleven o'clock train home. I'm worried about
leaving my wife. She's not sick, you know, but just peculiar and I
don't like to leave her longer than I can help. I had to come down on
business--I've been seeing about some cattle over in New Jersey,
and--and--Miss Doane, I'm in trouble, and I don't know a soul in New
York, and I didn't know who I could go to but you, and I remembered you
was from Adams and might help me."
Drusilla looked at him with inquiring, sympathetic eyes.
"What can I do?" she asked.