Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-07-31
THE DOCTORS STORY.


.Thackery says there are no new stories
all are old. But they are not turned
in that kaleidoscope we call time, and
though it may be the same piece, we see
another color through it. What was at
one turn deep green, st another be-
comes rose color, soft and beautiful.
So my story may be old, but in the
turning, new light may GENE through
an old bit of glass, which shall not have
grown dim by the shadows of time.
I was sitting late one night in my
Office, before CRATE fire, or one that
had been great few hours before, with
my feet on the table before me. I had
forgotten to replenish the fire, had no
idea what time it was. for my thoughts
had been busy in studying out the case
of a patient I had that day been to see.
L had had many years of practice, but
this case was something new to me. I
was puzzling over 1t, my books of refer
ence lay scattered about on the table
and chairs, and was Just beginning to
see where the difficulty lay, when Iheard
shot, the sound of men running, and
soon somebody ascending the stairs and
coming toward my door, It was opened
hastily by big stout fellow, a mechanic,
by the name of Ross, man l had known
some time. He spoke out short and
quick
doctor there's man down on the
sidewalk-dead, I guess. Wish you'd
come down and see.'
1 snatcheG my hat and followed Ross
down stairs, and there lay the man al
most before the door. I examined him
and found life was gone. He was be-
yond all human aid. inquired of Ross
if he knew anything about him. He
said he believed he boarded at the Re
we're House, and roomed with man by
The name of Dougal, but knew nothing
farther
We took the poor fellow between US,
and carried him to his room, and getting
Dodgal up / asked him what he knew Of
the young man. He was very much af-
fee5ed at first, and said he was good
friend of mis-, that they had roomed to-
gether for more than year, that his
name was King-Johnston King that
he worked in the machine shops, and
everybody liked him. He was a great
hearted fellow. The only difficulty was
posed that was what he had been at to-
night. His home was in Canada /; he had
a father and mother, and some sisters,
he believed a mother anyway, for he
had talked about her Sunday nights,
sometimes. As I looked at young King,
lying where we had put him, on his own
bed, with his white, boyish face, and the
dark curls that lay damp on his low,
broad forehead, I thought of my own
boy that had left me only few years
before, to help hold our flag high above
all outrage and SANDER, that had been
shot, and fallen in the midst of smoke
and fire, and some one had found him,
and had buried him as soldier should
be buried, with his own flag about him,
and always felt that it was a debt I
owed, and believed there would come a
time when | might repay it; and this
was thefirst chance had and resolved
that Johnston King should have from
me all that son could have.
[ told the young man I would attend
to the funeral. 1 staid at the hotel
that night, OF what there was left of it,
and the next morning found out the par
ticuIars of the trouble.
Johnston King had gone into one of
the saloons, had take glass of ale, and
was passing out, when some man whom
he knew slightly offered him something
stronger /; got him under the influence OF
it, and then began to banter and annoy
hinI until he vas beside himself, when
he gave the man sound knock, which
sent him into one corner of the room.
He got up as mad as natural depravity
and drink can make man. He took
out, pistol from his pocket, which
King discovered, and ran, but the man
followed him, and fred after going but
little way. Somehow I could not blame
young King. His frank, open face had
touched my heart I thought of his
home and his mother, and 1 believed
there was something hidden that we
might not know in this life, but thai
would be made clear by-and-by. /
seemed the saddest thing I had eve
known. We buried him that day. The
mechanics from the shops attended the
funeral, and all seemed to feel sad anc
troubled, and I heard them saving ont
to another
1--WE shall miss poor King-he always
kept things lively; and many time
when I've been blue he has had Z
CHEEKY word for me, that set me all
right again. Someway he always left {
track of light behind him."
Yes, j was glad 1 had done for this
man what somebody had done for my
boy. The papers that day had an &C
count of the affair, closing up with 6
eulogy on, DR.. Gardeners Kindness, il
doing for stranger all that. he could
have done for one of his own family. ]
crushed the paper in my hand as I read
it, and my whole being rose agains
that word kindness. It is kind of per
son to do what he likes best to do.
had done this thing because it was 6