The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-05-21
How l MARRIED IN SPITE OF
Myself.

1 was young surgeon, Just free from
college. and walking the hospitals, when |
got my first practice in the little country
town of Dunfeld. DR.. Thompson, OF the
place, was IN old friend OF my fathers and
it WAS arranged that | should assist him,
with an ultimate view to the whole practice.
It was a good lookout for young oman just
beginning life. Above all, as my friends
vebementlv prophesied, Thompson can't
possibly live another ten years, you know"
So, with many pleasant dreams about dead
mems shoes. and other cheerful subjects. |
moved myself and my goods aud ohattels to
W-shire.
Most naturally had good deal of curl
osty as to my new friends aud patients.
Mine was social temperament and As
had about ESQ year of nv own. in add
ton to what DR.. Thompson was TO give me
| iancied that was already in a position 10
have little home and wife of my own
provided, of course, tina, | could find some
really nice girl who suited my taste and
liked me. | had sort of grand feeling
that the medical profession ought to be
obliged to me for entering it.
at isn't as if were fellow who had
quite TO earn his daily bread, was remark
l,made to my bosom friend, Charlie Somers:
arrived at Duuield in tne early par' OF
May. Ii WAS settled that, for the nrst, l
should live at DR.. Thompson's, whom l
found 70 be a CHEEKY old fellow, and his wife
a most kind, notherly soul. They had no
children, and the household was quiet aud
well ordered. The practice, too, wss very
good.
The town had its squire, Sir William
Crowhurst. His wife, Lady Crowhurat, was
the grandee of the place; and, by good for
tune, their two little girls were nv first
patients, being conveniently seized with a
mild touch OF the measles soon after my
arrival, and when the doctor happened to be
laid up with lumbago. This, of course,
gave me good start, and was the best in
PRODUCTION | could wish for to the other
swells of the town such as the clergyman
and his wife, Mr.. and Mrs. Perkins, who had
seven children, of whom one or the other of
them was always ailing, Mr.. Gordon, the
the lawyer who had also a wife and two
grown-up daughters, and many others
1t is true there was a rival doctor in the
plsce,-there always are rival medical men
in a small town, but then "he hadn't even
a stray dog to experimentalize upon as old
Thompson ohucklingly told me. Mr.. Shares
was his uulucky name. As, however, | can
only mention one or two of these people
again in my story, will not weary you with
a lot of drdBtdtis personOe who will never
be accounted for else the postmaster
chemist, dissenting minister. schoolmsster
and others are all well worth being des
eribed, each in his or her peculiar way.
About three weeks after the arrival.
thompson showed me note from Mr..
Gordon, saying that her daughter had bad
cough,-would one OF us come up to gee
her?
Now, Mr.. Gwynne," said the doctor,
heres chance OF distinguishing Yourself
Lawyer Gordon is smart man, aud making
no end of money. Mrs Gordon is a great
one for being On the sick list. Unfortun.
ately, she doesn't like me. because she sus-
pected me once Of sending her bread pills
and water mixture, when her imaginary
illnesses drove me beyond bounds, so that
lean and hungry Shares was called in but
he injured his cause BY persisting to remain
tor lunch, which Mrs. Gordon thought very
lmpertinent on first acquaintance, and SO it |
Was. Now, my firm belief is that this |
cough is more than hslft TO decide if YOU will |
co, or if she must send to Colchester for /
DR.. Sims, which will, of course, cost her a
great deal more. They are good patients
too good 10 lose; so go and do your best /
Tor US. On no account be spar ing of grave
shakes of the head, and plenty of medicine.
though it may he as innocent as you like,
provided it be judiciously nasty"
"All right, sir, was my reply, I'm 90 up .
at once, and, al | spoke. | rose from nv
seat, and proceeded up stairs to put on
clean collar and a better tie. trying to think
/ wasn't a bit nervous. But | was for
when young man l was very nervous, and
never could, to save my life, give q repsrtee
answer, or get out OF a mess neatly. I
pushed my hair up, then patted j: down
again; It would not look as curly as / fondly |
tancied 1t did whenever | took the precau-
ton Ut wetsing it well over night. and |
brushing 1t up against the grain.
tome, come, Gwynne, make haste" at
last sounded from below.
| ran down TO obey the doctors call, and
soon after proceeded mp the town to Mrs.
Gordon's. After had converted with that
lady for few minutes, shat is TO say she
talked and | listened she ushered me into
a morning room to see my patient.
1--WE are quite anxious about our dear
Hetty," she said, "she's had a bad cough for
some time past. and our home remedies |
seem TO be of no avail
Two girls rose as entered, and returned |
my very nervous bow. saw hat one was
tall and graceful, with mass of black hair
loosely drawn from off her face, large, soft
black eyes, clear complexion. and'regular
features a grand beauty, | thought The
other was diferent,-evidently two or three
years younger, with sunny, chestnut hair,
hat tossed in loose waves down her back,
blue eyes, a little, pousing mouth, a most
bewitching neg retrousse, and a short, slight
figure. a more complete contrast could
hardly exist than between the two sisters.
The ds TX one looked about 90 the little one
about Is. AS l said, bowed nervously,
and coughed two or three times, because I
did not quite know what to say.
''This ia our dear invalid, said Mrs.
Gordon, patting the youngest On the shout
der.
80, we'll soon cure her, Mrs. Gordon" I
said, with alarming cheerlulness, and cough
ed again.
physician cure myself" heard the in
valid remark 10 a mischievous uudertone
"Oh, I've no cough, thanks, only a little
ickinP," | said stupidity, as though the
whisper had been for me.
However, plucked IN courage, AMI pro-
'eeded to make my professional inquiries,
which were diversely answered the mother
making out the case to be Every bad" "quite
'erous, and suggesting the south of France;
ne daughter quizzing everything, and turn
ug 1t oil into JOKE. l wound up my visit
by again remarklug, as | shook hands,