To understand this story, you might consider reading "Louis" first. And, I gain nothing for this story except for getting it out of my head. Also, the name of the university is one I made up.
LOUIS' CARPETBAG
The sound of a boot kicking his outer door woke Doc from a deep sleep.
"Open up, Doc! Hurry!" Festus' voice was full of panic.
Doc flung off his heavy quilts and shivered in the cold air as he put his slippers and robe on. Stopping only to light a lamp, he hurried to his door.
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Wait just a doggone minute." Doc opened his door to find a frost covered Festus holding a lantern in his left hand, and Louis Pheeters slung awkwardly over his right shoulder.
Festus pushed past Doc and placed Louis gently on the examination table.
"What happened, Festus?" Doc asked as he moved to examine Louis.
"I was a doing rounds for Matthew. He done told me to keep an eye out for these two yahoos he heard was in town. Matthew said these two were trouble, and if I was to see them, to follow them. I spied two likely fellers sneaking down the street and begun to follow them. When I got to the Oasis, I heard a noise in the alley. It was Louis, passed out and pert near froze to death. So, I brung him up here."
Doc put his stethoscope to Louis' chest and shook his head and sighed, "He must have been lying there quite a while. Pneumonia."
Festus frowned, "Ain't there nothing you can do?"
"No, in his condition . . . " Doc sighed again as he shook his head. "He's in poor health as it is."
"Doc, I got to go get Matthew. He's up to Miss Kitty's. I need to tell him about them two scallywags. Is there anything I kin do now?"
"Put Louis in my spare bedroom while I get my pants on." Doc headed to his bedroom.
"Come on, Louis. Gotta get you into the other room." With that, Festus eased Louis up, and gently carried him to the bedroom.
Doc hurried into the bedroom just as Festus tucked Louis into the bed. "Doc, I'll come back quick as I can iffen you need me. I hate to leave you but I gotta go get Matthew."
Chapter 2
Doc sat at Louis' side, and every so often put his stethoscope to Louis' chest, shaking his head.
"Doc." Kitty's quiet voice startled him.
"Kitty, what are you doing here?"
"It's kind of hard to sleep when you have someone beating on your door in the middle of the night. Not that it hasn't happened before," Kitty added. "Festus told us about Louis. I thought I'd see if I could do anything."
Doc shook his head. "It's just matter of time."
"How about I make us some coffee?"
Kitty returned shortly with the coffee and handed a cup to Doc before pulling a chair to the bedside.
Louis began to stir. "Sarah?"
Doc leaned over, "No, it's Doc and Kitty."
Louis' eyes cleared, "I ain't doing so good am I, Doc?"
"No, Louis. You've got pneumonia."
Louis sighed before coughing heavily. "Doc, I gotta tell you something."
"Don't talk, Louis."
"Don't bury me in a blanket. I want a decent funeral. I got the money hid away." Another coughing fit passed before Louis continued, "Ask Hank. He hid it for me. It's in a carpetbag I brought with me when I came to Dodge. Whatever is left over from my funeral, buy drinks for the house at the Long Branch. Promise?"
"I promise. But, Louis, you have to fight."
"No, Doc. I'm tired." Louis gasped for air and coughed even harder. Finally, the coughing eased as Louis lost consciousness. As the night slipped away, so did Louis' life.
Chapter 3
It was noon, and Doc was tired. He'd managed to get a little sleep and some food after Percy had come for Louis. All he wanted to do now was sit down and rest but for now, his next stop was to find Hank.
Hank met Doc in the street outside the stables. "I heard Louis died. Sure hate to hear it. Guess you've come for the carpetbag. He told me to give it to you when he died." Hank shook his head sorrowfully, "I'm gonna miss that old man. Well, Doc, come inside, and I'll get it."
Doc sat wearily on a bale of hay while Hank rummaged around in the back. Hank walked out with a faded carpetbag covered in straw. Hank brushed off the straw and handed it to Doc. "You know, he gave this to me and made me promise I'd never give it back to him. I hid it good, too. I almost forgot where I put it."
Doc thanked him as he took the carpetbag. He stood a moment staring at the worn bag before making a decision to head for the Long Branch. Just as he got to the entrance, he saw Matt striding down the boardwalk.
"Doc, Kitty told me about the carpetbag. Strange thing for Louis to keep all these years."
As they entered the Long Branch, Matt pushed his hat up, "Louis was somewhat of a mystery to us all." Doc nodded in agreement.
Kitty was sitting at a table working on her ledger. At the sound of Matt's voice, she looked up. "Doc, I see you found the carpetbag. Hello, Matt." Kitty motioned to the barkeep who headed over with cups of coffee.
"Sure did." Doc sat down and nodded thank you as the cup was put down in front of him. He took a long drink and sighed. "Let's get this over with."
Festus came clattering in the doors, "Matthew, I saw them two yahoos a riding out of town. Guess you done went and put the fear in them after backhanding one of them."
Matt grinned, "They're nothing but trouble makers. I don't think we'll see them again."
Festus sat down next to Kitty, "Doc, did you get the carpetbag?"
"Course I did! What does this look like?"
"Well, open 'er up."
"Oh, shut up!" Doc muttered loudly as he emptied the contents onto the table. Out fell a small drawstring bag, a daguerreotype and a book. Doc opened the small bag and emptied some coins onto the table.
"Golly bill, Doc, how much is that?"
Doc counted, "More than enough for a funeral and a headstone plus a little left over, I figure."
Kitty picked up the daguerreotype of a much younger and happy Louis sitting next to a woman in a bridal gown. "This must be Sarah."
"Why don't we put that in his casket with him?" Matt said somberly.
Doc nodded as Kitty said, "That's a wonderful idea."
Festus opened the book upside down, "What's this thing?"
Kitty took the book, righted it up, "It's a memory book."
"What's that?" asked Festus.
"Some people save things in a book so they can look at it later and remember important events in their life," Kitty explained.
"Well, I ain't never heard of such. Us Haggens can remember good enough so that we don't need to do that. Why, Aunt Thede can remember . . ." Festus got no further before Doc all but shouted, "Oh, be quiet!"
Festus assumed a hurt look. "You orta get some rest, you ornery old coot. You done got fractious."
Kitty smothered a laugh as Matt wiped a grin off his face before asking, "Kitty, what's in the memory book?"
Kitty gently opened the book to the first page. Kitty scanned it. "It's a newspaper article listing the names of graduates receiving degrees. Louis received a doctoral degree in English!"
Turning to the next page, she found another newspaper article. She read it aloud, "Dr. Louis Pheeters has recently been added to the faculty of Bonham University in the Department of English. Dr. Pheeters' field of study is in the writings of William Shakespeare. He has recently returned from England where he completed his doctoral thesis on the works of Shakespeare.
Kitty looked up in amazement. Doc swiped at his moustache. Festus sat confused but wisely desisted in asking who Shakespeare was.
"What's next, Kitty?" Matt's asked quietly.
Kitty examined the next few pages. "These are all articles and lectures Louis wrote."
She turned over those pages until she found another small article from the society section of the local newspaper. Kitty cleared her throat as she read it, "The University Christmas party was considered quite a success by all in attendance. Faculty and staff seemed to enjoy listening to the university choral members as they sang holiday songs. " Kitty stopped and scanned down the lengthy article before starting again, "It was noticed by one and all that a certain English professor and the recently hired school teacher seemed quite eager to make each other's acquaintance."
"That must have been Louis and Sarah," Doc whispered sadly.
As Kitty turned to the next page, she exclaimed, "Here's an announcement of their engagement!"
Kitty read, "The forthcoming marriage of Dr. Louis Pheeters and Miss Sarah Walker, both of our fair city, is announced. Nuptials will be held at the First Congregational Church on June 3 of this year. "
She quickly turned to the next page. "Dr. Louis Pheeters and Miss Sarah Walker exchanged wedding vows at 2:00 on June 3 at the First Congregational Church. The beautifully decorated church was full of friends to witness the nuptials and wish the couple a happy future. The couple will travel to England on their honeymoon. Dr. Pheeters will continue teaching at our university for the fall semester, and the new Mrs. Pheeters will continue to teach at the local elementary school."
Turning the next few pages, Kitty saw several more articles from the society pages of the local paper. Each contained writings of parties that Louis and Sarah had attended and some that they had hosted. She read the last article out loud, "Dr. Louis and Sarah Pheeters marked their third anniversary with a small party at their lovely home. Added to the joy of the party was the announcement of a little one coming sometime in the fall."
Kitty gulped and was filled with dread. She turned to the next page. It was blank as were the rest of the pages. Matt reached over, pulled a loose sheet of paper out from the back of the book, and handed it to Kitty.
It was an obituary. Kitty sighed before reading it, "Mrs. Louis Pheeters, nee Sarah Walker, and child were laid to rest October 16 in the First Congregational Church cemetery after a funeral service at the church. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Louis Pheeters. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her."
Kitty stopped reading. She looked up with tears in her eyes and saw that her companions were just as shaken. She closed the book and let her tears flow. Festus and Doc wiped their eyes while Matt covered his face. They felt Louis' sorrow even as his body rested in Percy's shop.
Chapter 4
"Doc," said Matt as he walked arm in arm with Kitty, "you did good by Louis."
"Yeah, Doc, that was a slam bang good funeral, and the town folks sure turned out." Festus said.
"Well, it's not over. He had enough left over for drinks for the house at the Long Branch."
As they entered the Long Branch, they saw that a crowd had gathered. Kitty walked behind the bar, and when the crowd grew silent, she said, "Drinks on Louis."
Glasses were filled, and everyone stood, glasses held high.
Doc raised his glass even higher, "To Louis and Sarah."
With that the everyone raised their glasses and drank a toast.
The end