Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-06-01
MISCELLANY.
From the Raickerbocka.
The Country Doctor.
4 FaibLfsl Autobiography; Rene,ced BY Request.
BY GLAUBER sAULTz, NJ. d

1 had stumped abuat the country for dozen
years or SO, in The same equipage, having WONDER
iul success in curing eases but half the time
cheated out OF the credit Of it by catnip tea. |
took notion to cast up my books to see how rich
was, and what could be made OF outstanding ac-
counts. 1t cost great many evenings of hard
work to arrive at the knowledge that, all debts
being paid. was not worth brass 'farthlng'-
not 3 red cent Notwithstanding all the lucrative
eases of typhus which had masaged, remained
poor. believe that people in the city pay their
fees with alacrity because the charges are eXorbi-
taut When i bill Tor hundred dollars, for look
in@ two or three times at sick child, is presented
to one VINO 9ives il we'll furnished house liz the
upper part of the tawA, the very largeness OF the
demand is delicate compliment upon his ability
to pay The man Of the house sits down at a
handsome secretary. and draws out clean check
for the tail amount. saying, Doctor, you are very
moderate: ROW that Jacky is out Of the woods,
come in, in sociable way
As Soon as the messenger Is goue> the pelerJfa-
miii9 eXcllimS, Nv hat an outrageouS bill 1t Is
an expensive luxury tn be sick However, ii has
its advantages to be attended by 4 fashionable doc
tor. Us it has to worship God in a fashionable
church On one occasion | was called ia mid
summer to attend sick man on the sea-shore.-
After several days, his family physician, the re-
nowned Doctor Jaliaps. arrived from the city, and
the patient vas soon after on his legs. no thanks
to me, and ready for the surf
How much are you going to charge him p said
Doctor JallapS.
'Twenty-Ere dollars, said |.
'Pohl' said lie, make it a hundred He ex:
poets it,
II he expects it, said lit would give me great
pain to disappoint his eXpechtious;' whereupon /
acted advisedly, and received an honored check
Tor round c. ON the phGniX Bank.
On another occasion. when attending one ofmy
own pajcnts in the same vicinity, whre crossing
the big bridge when the tide was up, | came
near being drowned. My sulky was soon afloat,
but the horse, being good swimmer, reached the
opposite hank Now, besides riskng my own life,
dragged the patient from the very gates ofdeath.
4 got him cat Of a bilious remittent, drove the
nundice out of his skin and when came to ask
him for ten dollars, he hlackguarded me like Il
chicken, stealer, and would never employ me a
gain The fact is. that people in the c0untry alb
bor taxes. and doctor is the worst Of publicans.
TO be sick they think is dead loss, which they
unchristianly grumble at; but TO have to pay for
being cured, irIitatcs them beyond measure. OH
how meek they are. when they lie prostrate in a
burning fever-when their teeth chatter, and the
whole house Jars with their shaking agues! OH
how wclcomely the latch is lifted up to admit you
when life seams to hang upon 4 hair! But get
them on their legs, and the first thing they forget
will be tha; they were ever on their backs. II
many Of them do pay yon it is under protest, pro-
crastlnating the settlement to time when the ac-
count might be Outlawed, clipping down tho fair
proportion Of just bill. and giving you the most
ragged representative Of money.
say that when came to overhaul my accounts,
was net worth anything, and therefore arrived
at the conclusion that it was high time to marry a
wife who would take care Of my money. | did
so, and louud my condition better, but for some
years had hard time of it. My children were
extremely pettiSh aud peeyish, and what with
nocturnal calls, had not nights rest tor five
years. lfanything allied them, they were sure to
cry the night long; but it they were well, they
woke up long before the growing of the cock.
climbing over me at the very moment when had
composed my head ior short morning nap. But
paternal philosophy can we'll be reconciltd to the
sweet music OF crying babes some thousands OF
which have been imported into New York during
the present year. But the number of people ia
ken sick IN the daytime, who send for the doctor
by night. Pfo6aced compound fracture of my
tune, which seldom gave me Il comatoSe state. Ii
is the sweetest Of all consultations to Law wearied
head upon the pillow with the thought that rest
awaits you until the dawnng light. Whatever
carking cares have vexed you, that it is a long
season of immunity which stretches through the
dark hours Of the night. Then do the strained
muscles lapse into the most easy attitudes in the
yielding couch and the taxed intellect is still, and
you bolt the door upon ingratitude and strife.
But to lie down without security from dstn-
banoe is enough to fr;ghten away sleep. Such is