r visits nearer home. Sometimes,
while the doctor paid his visits, Hetty sat in the carriage; and, when
she suspected that he had fallen into some discussion not relative to
the patient's case, she would call out merrily, with tones clear and
ringing enough to penetrate any walls: "Come, come, doctor! we must be
off." And the doctor would spring to his feet, and run hastily, saying:
"You see I am under orders too: my doctor is waiting outside." Under the
seat, side by side with the doctor's medicine case, always went a hamper
which Hetty called "the other medicine case;" and far the more important
it was of the two. Many a poor patient got well by help of Hetty's soups
and jellies and good bread. Nothing made her so happy as to have the
doctor come home, saying: "I've got a patient to-day that we must feed
to cure him." Then only, Hetty felt that she was of real help to her
husband: of any other help that she might give him Hetty was still
incredulous; intangible things were a little out of Hetty's range. Even
her great and passionate love had not fully opened her eyes to all
love's needs and expressions. All that it meant to her was a perpetual
doing, ministration, a compelling of the happiness of the loved object.
And here, as everywhere else in her life, she was fully content only
when there was something evident and ready to be done. If her husband
had taken the same view of love,--had insisted on perpetual ministerings
to her in tangible forms,--she would have been bewildered and
uncomfortable; and would, no doubt, have replied most illogically: "Oh,
don't be taking so much trouble about me. I can take care of myself; I
always have." But Doctor Eben was in no danger of disturbing Hetty in
this way. Without being consciously a selfish man, he had a temperament
to which acceptance came easy. And really Hetty left him no time, no
room, for any such manifestations towards her, even had they been
spontaneously natural. Moreover, Hetty was a most difficult person for
anybody to help in any way. She never seemed to have needs or wants: she
was always well, brisk, cheery, prepared for whatever occurred. There
really seemed to be nothing to do for Hetty but to kiss her; and that
Doctor Eben did most heartily, and of persistence; and Hetty liked it
better than any thing in this world. With his whole heart and strength,
Eben Williams loved his wife; and he loved her better and better, day by
day. But she herself, by her peculia