The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-05-17
TIE RIVAL DOCTORS.

-, one OF those pretty thriving, pic
turesqne towns which dot the magnili.
entand bold landscape of western Penn
syiyania, and which are miniature cities
IN he energy progressiveness, educa-
uof, ana cultivation OF their inhabit-
anti, and models of advanced municipal
regulations. IL was revisit TO the
pla'e, for had lived there for year
several years ago, attached 10 the single
newspaper OF the town, which newspa-
perhas, in the mean time, advanced
from a somewhat uncertain weekly pub
Lection TO the dignity of daily, with q
cerain toning down Of the pictorial adj
verising columns, which rcsembled
nothing 80 much as a half-sheet circus
potter, and corresponding advance in
itslews and general reading features.
fund that change, the opitaph of all
thfyears everywhere, had been busy
viii the people here as elsewhere and
on Of these changes, completing ro-
nance which was well advanced when
Quilted the town in 1873, enables me to
tel the story entire.
During my residence there, my most
intimate friend, and the one whose house
most frequented, was DR.. Thomas
Wood, who had moved toN--from
Philadelphia, upon the death Of his wife,
Ter years before, bringing with him his
little daughter May, who at the time of
which | write, had grown up to be the
acknowledged beauty Of the town. The
hose they occupied was an old-fashion-
ed brick mansion in the centre of the
town, which DR.. Wood had modernised
blythe addition of huge bay-window.
thit was always filed with geraniums,
roes and myrtles, that, with couple
OF small orange-trees, were the admira-
tea Of the neighborhood Not that DR..
Wood had any horticultural tastes. On
tbs contrary, he was very severe on the
Devotion Of minds 10 such trilles as low
err. fancy work, music, and dancing;
bur then blue-eyed May differed with
hin, and told him so in the sweetest,
sauciest, and most lovable manner inn
agnable.
Upon the opposite side of the street
there had just been completed, at the
time Of which | speak, row Of
houses Of an unusually imposing APP
pearance, and which were dignitied by
the high-sounding name of Maple Ter
race" that being the kind of tree which
was most conspicuous by its absence in
the immediate locality They were all
70 let, although the last finishing touch
es had been put on them in the way Of
paint and paper, and they wanted moth
ing save furniture aud human beings 10
assume civilised appearance.
Calling one afternoon at the DOCTORS
house, saw evidences OF life in Maple
terrace, and upon enquiry of May AS
certained that two Of the houses had
been taken.
Papa is quito pleased" said she,
"becau,e, you-know, he looks upon
those twelve houses as twelve new pa
tients.
But said !, shave you not readthe
advertisement: Healthy and airy situa-
ton, imposing neighb0rhood, and only
one physcianP"
"Oh yes, smiled May; "but sickness,
! am sorry TO say, is apt to run about
at some time or other, even in airy sit
uations"
Two days aftcrward another bill was
taken down, and in my strong interest
in the terrace, which had seen grow
up under my eyes, called to congratu
late May
"Oh yes" she exclaimed with unusu-
al eagerness; "and think by family
that will prove valuable addition TO
the neighborhood, for "a very handsome
and MISUNDERSTANDING young gentle
man drove up there this morning and
spent an hour in looking over the house,
and | suppose he has taken it.
it was several days before | saw her
again, and then she caught me by the
hand, drew me rapidly to the window,
and, with semi-tragic expression, she
pointed to the house over the way. /
looked, and, to my establishment, saw
upon the shutters, painted in very large
gold letters. Edmund Rand, MD"
"a rival, indeed" said l, promising
a Montague and Capulet state ofthings.
But perhaps Romeo and Juliet may be
found to terminate IT,"
Don't laugh" replied May gravcly;
papa is veXed and indignant. Imagine
two physicians in this localityl It's all
the fault Of this advertisement. Some
scheming young man has seen it, and,
finding no hope of practice elsewhere,
has come here. suppose he is as poor
as n rat. y
At this instant three wagons full Of
new furniture stopped in front of DR..
Rands door, and May absolutely turned
pale upon discovering that it was of the
most elegant description.
"The wretch has got young wife,
too!' she exclaimed, MS u piano and
harp came to view; and then she added,
rising, This will never do; they must
be put down at once; they are strangers
In the neighborhood; we are well known.
have plan which | think will eifectu-
ally dispose of the intcrlopers. ! will
give an evening reception and ball, and
will Immediately prepare a list of all the
people / wish TO invite"
Laughing at the wicked ingenuity Of
the plan by which the enemy was to be
crushed by the mere force of numbers
of her allies, assisted in preparing the
list, which had already become very
long one, when Miss Wood said, after
few moments of deep reflection: