The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-10-15
MY FIRST FEE.


lear ! am not saying anything very
original when mention that my father was poor
clergyman There arc hundreds OF poor clergy; ma
tutaiiy their sons can be reck0ned by thousands.
know there were thirteen Of Us, and how wo ell
managed TO nud standing room IN our small North
County viCat0ge seems marvel to me when l look
back upon that time Of growing up And then inc
struggle TO settle the professions OF eight sons Mine
ScotChman, aud an NJ. u, IN country town, seid
lie would 1rl1g mo up to MS own profession PROVIDED
eventually became his partner, and In THIS manner
repaid him the cost oi my education.
Tho proposal sounded wclli anyhow, " was &C
copied. Tut, al tho tcailHal9n was ulnerenI no
never praised mo WHOM worked myselt almost y,
death In order 10 pass brilliant examinations, ana
only gruutcd when ut last came to settle down with
him In desperately small town, attcr having como
out trSt on the list ~ EdinWtgh; ,,,,,
MY uncle cared nauRht Tor my being Arthur Merit
held NJ. D., was to 10 his white slave, ana repay
WIN haId labor, what no hau spout on nlo' nvn-
CSty ttlod my best to please MN, tho practice M
creased considerably but time went on and sun my
uncle never spoke q word about money affairs. | was
moro than partner rs To work. nut no partner W All
rs to pay. -.- -. .
hnd yet Iclt thlt could MAKE name, h,'o y
Fortune, " only could get q ialr chnnce, Nnu lho
1--WE girls 1T home weru expecting grand things OF me-
which looked W. " they might never no teaHel, Tor
even II perscvercd TIL my uncle dleu ana lelt me
hls practice might 10y That timo nave become gray
with ago aud unable to begin TO make my way.
Atlast could bear II noiongcr, anu onnuHy "o,,
termlnod TO come to IN understanding WIN nm, !
am sorry 10 say THIS ended IN regular puaie' Wlu
! declared would sock my fortune IN l,onunh' MY
uncle called all sorts Of names, which, as they
were tho reverse Of complimentary, VIII not repeat
and respectfully disagreed with MN. hlS Rstwoius
were; =
81 should like TO Know, sr, how you are going 10
IND patient In bondpnY'' diu NOT answer nlm
Tor was perfectly unable to dose, nut hnu courage
aud perseverance. 'Whctc there's VIII there u
way, " I thought, aud thus lett my uncIc 8 mousse
knowing well enough that should never see penny
OF his money.
VIII pass over the many dlnlCultles hcN en-
CountcrCd the applause of the other twelve as 10 my
conduct, aud tho regrets OF my father, who had ran
cied NJ least was of his mind, aud lastly tho dlt-
tculty ot huding any one TO lend me some money
wherewlth to make u start meant to begin at once
In good style; nothlug venture nothing have, and
was dCtefmluCd to have NJ tho best practices In
town.
AT last apart of my dream was realized. Tut yet
bio looking house In aqulct London Square; to have
gouo to the expense Of y brass plato on which was
neatly engraved pr. Arthur MarrinolI' iutthel
To have engaged worthy, middle. aged tomato 10
answer The door, II tho bell had ever been rung
AMI the master luqulrrd Tor. Alas ! was begin
ming to feel depressed In Mind because no patient APP
rcatod, aud no fees ncd my pockets.
hal told the i've EltlSat home that my house would
soon he bcslcgcd at AL hours of tho day and night
had even had night bell attached, which rung IN a
doafcning manner close to my ears as lay In bed
and bcstofall, hadcontrlvcdn rcep-h through my
whdow-Shutlcr IN order to distinguish tho rank ol
lhn VISITOR VINO disturbed my sunNhnrS. bmt up w,
now had slept peacefully night after night, and
might have slept all day II had 30 wished 1t, Tor II"
patients had come TO ask mo to cure them.
- Aud yet, " thought, ~ paced tho Moor OF my
consulting room, where no consultation hadcvcr tak"n
he would recommend me 10 the first of his relations
VINO icll III. Thn constitution oi tue Jones family
must he terribly good for am sure the fellow meant
what he said. he is good nature itself Perhaps have
been fool after all, aud had better have staih with
my uncle where at least my food cost nothing 80
You must understand That my spirits hal reached
lar below 2"lo To I've able even " my most private
thoughts, IN wonder anything or the kind. Ard,
Curiou5y enough, 1t was 1T this very moment that my
front door hell was suddenly runE In furious manner.
very nearly rushed out to open the door myself only
was met by Mrs Davis WIN had rnn up from below,
almost as much excited "a was at TINS unprecedented
''Sh"w the visitor Into the consulting room, Mrs.
Davis whispered, 'and say yon'li SEQ II AM
disengaged.N
rctitedlnto small study next TO the consulting
room aud separated from by folding doors. u was
here had my meals and, besides my bedroom 1t was
at present tho only Furnished room In the honso lu'
hardly had closed tho door when recognized The
loud, joval tones of '.young Jones, " who rather
uncercmoniously entered my dcu.
Tom Jones was tho son OF rich brewer, anu Know,
Ing very well that hc would come In Tor heaps OF
money had considered 1t would really he waste time
10 settle TO any profession ne was, however, goo1-
nalured, generous YOUTH ucWghl"u 10 10 kindness,
and with n" greater vice than love Of doing nothing
useful.
'Ilolln Moriltnln ~ he exclaimed, 'how ara
NouY Worked tn death, expect since you set up on
your own Hook i've only come town TINS very DAY,
nut made Al point of hunting you up AZ promised.
came at lunch time. for fear, otherwise, of finding
you cloSelcd with some rich hynoclondriac.'
81 am not very busy just now, answered, "bu-
dehEhtcd 10 sec you at any timc.'
- Well how many fees have you takeh?' asked
tho Jones. ofcoursc London sareaIl
Oh sonc other subject, but truth compelled me To
answer carolcssly:
NO, no, not yet: these are eh'ly days. the uuln
Us have very few patients To bc quite open witt
you, my dear fellow, You arc my first. "
Jones Jumped mp, pulled face, and then gave his
chest mighty slap iutiuiting he was perfectly sound
III thll direction.
81 My dear Doctor, wish could think there was
anything tho matter with me, but, upon my word,
never io better In my life. ] haven't pain or ~
ache about mo. However IT tho case is as You say,
you won quite deSisc my news fear IL isnot wOrt'
more than guinea fee. but It may lead to more My
va" Ills, lis ynrv t,ormon h, - h ,E W voua"
the very man he wantei but lust looked in to tel
YOU that he Is very crorhety and YOU must lust man
age him properly. AS to his ailments, don believe
they are of much consequences because he has beer
u day oldcr'
'I'll do my best professionally said secretly
not much believing this rich man would turn m
rAs TO managing him, | am afraid that Is not In NJ,
line -
.WnIl that's a mty because II lie were 10 take ;
ton IIo' recommend yOu right and left and th,
whole Dillon class are dIsgusngIy rIcII Ana all In
hcrit asthma or bronchitis Fact
bcrau TO cNpTcss nv thanks for In suIte of hi
Off hand manner fell sure Jones had tnkou som,
trouble about me but he only laughed at my graft.
tudc.
.'Don' [ mention H. ErgIdpg old Dillon may TAX,
| perhaps he wouldn't believe had come To consul
YOU though did tell him YOU were The cloyerpst fp
| low I'm London And 40 Won are i'm my opnIon,
wouldn't mind telling The Queen nv much If | ia,
| the chance - And then he was gone Int no onc
| more he turnc, back
| to come With him: ho never roes ont witoui her.
| unrrrrt slave ma mates of that pIrI ~,