The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-06-22
Select Story.
Married i'm Spite of Myself.

""o y"u"S surgeon, Just Tree lF0E
college, aud walking the hospitals when
| got my first practice in the little coun.
try town Of Dunfeld. DR.. Thomson,
OF the place, was an old friend OF nv
fathers, and it was arranged that |
should assist him, with au ultimate view
to the whole practice, 1t was good
lookout for a young mau just beginning
in life. Above all my friends yehc.
mently prophcsied, Thompson can pos.
slbly 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 chattels to W-shirc.
Most naturally | had a good deal of
curiosity as to my friends aud patients.
Mine was social temperament; and as
| had about two hundred and fifty pounds
a year Of my own in addition to wha,
DIR. Thompson was to give me | faueied
that was already in a position to have
little home aud wife Of my own, pro
vided of course that 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 il.
IL isn't as if were fellow who had
quite to earn his daily Bread" was a
remark | had made to my bosom friend
Charles Somers.
l arrived at Dunfeld in the early part
of May. 1t was se.tled, that for the
first, that l should live at DR.. Thomp.
sons whom | found to be u cheery old
fellow, aud his wife, most kind, moth.
erly soul. They had no children, aud
the household was quiet aud well order.
ed. The practice, too, was very good.
The town had its squire, Sir William
Crowhurst. His wife, Lady Crowhurst,
was the grandee Of the place; aud by
good fortune their two little girls were
my first patients, being conveniently
seized with a mild touch of the meas les
soon after my arrival, and when the
doctor happened to be laid up with lum.
bago. This Of course gave me good
start, and was the best introduction |
could wish for to the other swells of the
town, such as the clergyman and his
wife, Mr.. and Mrs. Perkins, who had
several children, Of whom one or the
other was always ailing, Mr.. Gordon,
the lawyer, who had also wife aud two
grown up daughters, and many others.
1t is true there was rival doctor in
the place-there are always rival medi.
cal men in small towu-but then, she
hadn't even stray dog to experiments
lize upon," as old Thompson chuckling-
ly said to me. r.Shares was his uulucky
name. As, however, | can only men.
tion one or two Of these people again iu
my story, | will not weary you with u
lot Of dramatis PERSONA, who will never
be accounted for; else the postmaster,
chemist, dissenting minister, school
master, aud others, are all worthy being
described, each in his Or her own pecu-
liar way.
About three weeks after my arrival
Thompson showed me note from Mrs.
Gordon saying that her daughter had a
bad cough-''would one Of US come up
TO see her I"
Nov, Mr.. Gwynne," said the doctor,
"here's a chance Of distinguishing your.
self, Lawyer Gordon is smart man,
aud making no end Of money. Mrs.
Gordon is great one for being on the
sick list. Unfortunately she doesn't
like me, because she suspected me once
d sending her bread pills and water
mixture when her imaginary illness
drove me beyond boands, SO that leau
aud hungry Shares was called; but he
injured his cause by persistipg to re.
main for lunch, which Mrs. Gordon
thought very impertinent on first ac.
quaintance, aud so il was. Now my
firm belief is that this cough is more
than half to decide il you win do, or il
she must send to Colchester for DIR.
Sims, which win Of course cost her a
great deal moro. They are good pa.
tients--too good to lose; SO 90 on and
do your best for US. On no account be
sparing of grave shakes of the head, aud
plenty Of medicine, though it may be as
innocent as you like, provided il be ju.
diciously nasty
/" All right, sir" was my reply, "I'll
80 up ut once, aud as ] spoke | rose
from my seat and proceeded up stairs to
put on clean collar aud a better tie,