Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-08-21
A MEDICAL STUDENTS STORY

A MEDICAL STUDENTS STORY
Such tricks hath strong imagination,
That If nc would but apprehend some joy,
1t comprehends so.ne brighter of that Joy,
Or In the night, imagining some fear,
How easy is bush supposed bear,
shakespeare; Midsummer Nights Dream.
1t was Christmas Eve, bright, keen,
frosty-such night as causes the we'll
fed citizen to muffle himself and hurry
home with ruddy face and spangled
whiskers, fully prepared to enjoy the
good things of this life, and, while nurs
ing himself in the genial warmth OF
home, to think with complacent pity OF
the houseless, shivering poor, thankful
that he is not as other men are.
What, after all, would comfort and
pleasure be were it not for a knowledge
and recognition of their antithcses?
But had no home, except YOU call
the back-garret of my dismal lodging
house such. had no kindly thoughts
of the world induced by warmth and
good cheer, actual or prospective, for l
was friendless and needy.
I was nineteen years of age and a med
lcal student attending one of the great
London hospitals. Five years before nv
father, who had been reported rich, died
suddenly by his own hand, leaving his
affairs in an lnextricably involved and
embarrassed condition. After things
were made as straight as possible the
creditors generously set apart EGO yea1
as some provision for my elder brother
and myself, the only and motherless heirs
Of the dead man. One of them, besides,
offered Charley, who was six years nv
senior, and had been for two years in
our fathers banking house, a situation
in India, which would open up the ca.
reer for him for which his ambition and
talents fitted him. We were all in all to
each other, Charlie and I, but he was
fitted rather for the world of men, 1 fol-
that of books and thoughts. He longed
to be great capitalist and financier
control the destinies of States and inaugu.
rate gigantic enterprises. wanted to be
Psychologist and physiclst--to penetrate
into the mysteries and marvels Of nature
and learn her secrets. Even in those
early days Charley used to laugh at me
when he found me pouring over some
book beyond my comprehension; but he
would, all the same, help me in my diff.
culties and even study little himself tc
make abstruse things plain to me.
He cared for and protected and petted
me, and loved him very dearly in re.
turn.
Now if he went away what should ]
do? We had both been brought up in
luxury, and although l did not fully ap.
preciate the extent of our revcrses, I knew
it was necessary for both Of us to choose
some definite walk in life and qualify for
it.
"Don't cry, old fellow" said Charley,
with a grave face, when I chung to him
and besought him not to leave me. ~
must go, but I will soon return. You
must be brave, Alan, and go to school for
two or three years yet; then if you still
wish to be a doctor, why you can 90 to
whatever college is best suited to YOU. ]
have settled all the money on you because
| will have my salary and we could not
both live here on $50 year. But work
hard, old boy, and when l come back
we'll enjoy life together. Now don't cry
so, Alan; I hate to leave you, but must,
and you are making it so hard"
AS he spoke he turned away his head
to hide his tears, but l knew that nv
brave brother was resolved, and tried to
reconcile myself to his departure.
After he had fairly gone was very
lonely and wretched; but, remembering
his advice, and anxious to succeed on nv
own account, continued my studies,
and worked hard at school for two years
and a half. The principal had been an
old friend of our fathers and understood
my aims, and, although the yearly board
and school fees amounted to double the
sum at my command, he was contented
with it. and treated me in all things as
his other pupils-if possible, indeed,
more kindly.
When / was ready to matriculate,
selected London as the best field for
study, and accordingly took leave Of my
old teacher, who gave me much good ad-
vice and e1O note, making me promise
to write him constantly. A week after
I left school he died Of heart disease,
and then had in all England no friend
or counselor.
During my school life Charley con-
stantly wrote long letters to me, giving
all account of himself and his pursuits
and encouraging me to persevere and
hope, and after arrived in London I re-
ceived three letters from him. l lived,
as l have said, in garnet. I wanted all
my money for books and instruments,
and, fees, and could have spent treble
what l had on them, 50 I chose the
cheapest lodgings could find and lived
from hand to mouth. I never was of a
morbid or ascetic temperament, al
though was studious, but injured my
physical health and sanity by excess
i've study, insufficient food, and alb
stinence from social intercourse with my
fellow students. Besides, Charley's let
tiers unaccountably stopped, and this
worried me very much. One day, how
ever, stranger came to visit me ut the
hospital. He was a handsome man of
about thirty, but T did not like his face.
It was not open or brave like Charley's.
He. said his name was Temple, and that
he had just arrived from India, where he
had seen my brother, from whom he bore
9 message. He dearly hoped / was work
ing hard and thought he might possibly
get home in two years time, hut just
now he was going on a long business
Journey and must not expect any letters
from him for some months, That was
al. sa..y 7s''''$sA nv ''-@' >1ss'' 7'S7>- 80
Mr.. Temple asked me to- dine with him,
that evening; and after dinner he became
more, confidential. He requested me not
to repeat what he would now tell me, and
after my promising this, he said he was
sorry to say that my brother was in q bad
way. He had fallen IN love, it seemed,
with, q beautiful woman who did not care
for him. He followed her everywhere
and neglected his business duties in his