The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-05-05
HOW HE GOT A START.
By JUDGE CLARK.

2Stephe Blake had graduated, with
high honor, at tip-top medical col.
lege. He was, withal, sensible fel.
low and full of pluck; yet here he
was, at the end of three months, with
out having killed or cured single pa
tient, with a quarters rent due to-
morrow, and several weeks board on
the top of it. To crown all, he was
9 desperately in love with the sweetest
creature in the world, and at daggers'
points with all her relations.
His old chum, Nat. Webb, whom he
had not seen since they were school,
boys together, had dropped in on him
q that day, and the two were having a
confidential chat together, in the dusk
Of the evening, in Stephe's back Office.
Why don't you try Bob Sawyers,
late -Nockemorf's plan ?" suggested
Nat, in reply to some rather despond-
ent remarks of Stephe. "Bribe the
vatchman to ring you up half doz-
en- times in the night. Have a boy.
on Sundays, rush headlong into
church in the. middle of the service.
and whisper in your ear; after which
start up excitedly, make a grab at
your hat, and bolt hurriedly out
Send the mythical Mr.. Smiths pills
to the real Mr.. Snooks; and send back
to correct the mistake, taking care to
excuse it on the ground that, in an ex-
extensive practice, such errors qciU oc-
cur. There's no end of ways and
means in such cases. Why, I knewa
young doctor once that fell into
thriving business thuswise. Two or
three times day he would mount his
horse, and gallop out of town, by the
main street, as if case of life and
death was before, and something a
good deal worse behind him. One
day, to his CONSERVATION, he found
himself followed. His secret, he
feared, would be out. He turned
down one by-way, and up another
doubled, tackled, wheeled off at right,
and then again, as the backwood's sur
yeyor had it, at left angles. But all to
no purpose; his relentless prosecutor,
as It bent on eplucking out the heart
OF his mystery still kept him in
sight. AT last, as he dashed along an
nnfrequented path, he came upon a
man ma lying on the ground helpless, and
groaning bitterly. In a trlce he was
at the sufferers side. The stranger
had been thrown from his horse and
had his leg broken. The spy, who
had no doubt but this was the yerv
case the doctor had been hurryine to
attend, came forward and assisted in
carrying the patient to the nearest
house. The fracture was successfully
treated, the doctor got a good fee, and
was thenceforward a made man."
A good enough story" sighed
Stephe; shut the moral, if it has one.
doesn't apply here. Bless you! you
can't imagine how inquisitive these
people are, and how thoroughly eve-
rybody understands everybody else's
business"
sHow many doctors have you in |
this place 2" inquired Nat, after
pause.
"only two-old Bloomas aad NV
self"
"There ought to be business enough
for both of you"
eyes; but old Bloo-plause take 7
him !-geta it az True, he's an arrant /
9ld donkey but he's been physicking /
this community for two generations.
md they all believe in him. If his
patients survive, he cures them; if
EAey die, Providence kills them.v
"And Providence is good many
ahead, l imagine. But, harkl what's
that p" ~
Nothing but Deacon Smiths
shanghai, that roosts in the next back
yard, growing for tomorrow morn.
ng by Chinese time.D
II don't mean that" said Nat, "but
he noise in the front Office"
The noise in the front Office was of
ome one blundering over chairs in
he dark, to the imminent peril of his
hins, if not his neck, in a reckless
ush for the inner sanctum, where the
wo friends sat confabbing. The door
lew open, and in burst tow-headed
Irchin, badly blown, with gaping
mouth, and eyes distended like cou-
lie Of freshly opened oysters.
"Come-right away-down to the
-tayern Doc!" he puffed ont, in bro
en- doses.
- Z" Why, what's the matter 2" inquir- 8
q Stephe. ,
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