The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-10-09

and indeed he would have charged yo1
little CT nothing, and everything woul,
have been properly attended to. I hav
It from his own lips. He feels greetl,
for you, neighbOr Whitman, and regret
that you were thrown into ignoran
hands. In his opinion the limb sheuIt
have been amputated at once"
"Thank God that Dr. Lansing diff
fered from him." exclaimed the sicl
man, with an energy which startIe,
them. Then speaking more calmly, b
added:
"I am very grateful for your kind
ness, neighbOrs, and with my larg
family, there is indeed need of assist
ance. As to turning off the youne
doctor, cannot see my way clear to dC
il, because he has done and is doins
we'll with me. In all probability he vii
save my arm and restore its use, when
as you yourself admit, DR.. Pembrok,
would have taken it oil at once. Surely
it is better to have two arms than one
There was a force in this argumen
which none could Rainsay, but after {
short pause, Philip Benton replied
This may be all very well, neigh
Dor. I do not wish to say arT hing
! against the young mans skill, but il
uO6b uOB AOOh well 10 rec ulAu IIfluR II
run you up such great bill. Why,
have counted three and four times g
day that he has entered your door. ]
understand he charges high-a dollar 8
visit, or something like that. Such i'm
| positionl Just for looking at a man. NJw
you can easily see that it would be tryine
| to the feelings of your friends to think
! that they were raising money to pay
| this stranger. I am empowered by DR..
! Pembroke to say that if DR.. Lansing
will give up the case, he will attend
! you gratis, and if you desire, [ viii call
upon the young doctor and state this in
! polite way. No doubt he viii consent
| to the arrangement at once"
Very reluctantly, Mr.. Whitman agreed
| TO this proposal. It was really strange
how he clung to the young doctor, and
! how much he felt that he should miss
his kindly words and smil, 8, and his
! gentle touch and light tread-so differ
ent from the bustling sway of portly
DR.. Pembroke.
But there was no help for it. He
might be dependent for lorg time, and
| it was not for him to dictate how his
neighbors should befriend him.
So with his best coat and his most
dignifed manner. Philip Benton, or
Squire Benten, as he was commonly
styled, waited upon DIR. Lansing, and
politely stated his erraHd but, to his
uputterable surprise, the request was as
politely declined.
DIR. Lansing regretted that he could
not oblige Mr.. Benton and the friends
whom he represented, but the case had
progressed go successfully under his
charge that he could not conscientious
w voliTnyTfSh II n another -
Preposterous And to speak of con
science in the matter, when it was per
fectly evident that it was mere avari-
cious desire to get all he could from the
poor man.
It was the talk of tha whole village
The minister from the pulp denounced 4
in very strong terms those who defraud-
ed the poor. The old doctor gave s.
more expressive sbrug than usual when
his young rival was mentioned. DObbs,
the miller, gave the bags of grain an
extra shake, and the worthy blacksmith
welded his hammer with unusual en-
ergy, as they thought of DR.. lansing,
while the old wives raised their hands
and eyes with Indignation when they
saw him pass their deor, and the ycUng
maidens avoided returning his c0ur-
teous salutatiOn, although tLs Y indul ged
in a sly peep at his handsome form aud
fashionably cut coat, and sighed as they
thought of the popular DIR. Pembroke.
Still everything went on swimmingly
at neighbor Whitman's. The young
doctor continued his visits, and the pa
tient was making rapid progress toward
health. It would be lCng, however,
before his arm would regain its strength,
and fea1s for the future would some
T., bo
which had been raised for him there
were still many wants unsupplied, and
nothing more could be expected from
the neighbors, for they chad no notion
of raising money to pay that spruce
young doctor" In fact they were
somewhat indignant that neighbor
Whitman did not insist upon his dis
missal.
At length, however, when the chill
dren we're actually seen barefooted as
the cold weather came on, and it was
observed that the Wood-shed was still
untitled, and rumOr was abroad that
the COW was to be sold, charitable feel
ings were again called forth, and spe-
cial meeting was appointed at the YES
try to see what could be done.
The room was filed. Facts were
stated, and expressions of opinion were
desired. The great question was how
to assist their neighbOr without placing
it in his power TO pay the doctors bill.
This all agreed was not to be thought
of. The young man, as everybody
knew, was well off, and by no means
dependent upon his profession and
even if he were, it was but Just that he
shoul / be loser in this case, for had
be not declined to resign the case to DR..
Pembroke, who had offered his services
gratis? So after much consultation it
was decided that committee should be
appointed to receive subscriptions, and
expend the money in any way which
they might judge to be for the benefit
of the family. Fifty dollars were raised
on the spot, and the worthy villagers
went TO their own homes we'll satisfied
with the result of the meeting.
The committee were men of business,
and two or three days passed bsfore
they were at leisure to attend to the
duty which had devolved upon them.
But at length they fixed upon an even
ing, and agreed to meet at neighbOr
Whitman's and ascertain from him what
was most Ueeded.
They found him comfortably seated il
his armchair, with the youngest of his
children climbing on his knee. He gave
his ncighbors a cordial welcome, and
appeared so cheerful and eontented that
they hardly knew how TO speak of the
erFand upon which they came.
at length after a few preliminary
efforts, such as clearing the throat, pok-
ing the fire, etc., Squire Benton, who
was as ususl foreman on the committee,
remarked that he was glad to see neigh
Dor whitman so smart once more, and
supposed he would soon be at work