Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-06-22
THE RIVAL DOCTORS.
Ispenttvodsys oflast week at N,


Ispenttwo days oflast week st NJ
one of those pretty, striving, pictur-
esdue towns which dot the magnificent
and bold landscape Of western Penns
sylvania, and which are miniature cities
in the energy, progressiveness, educa-
ton and cultivation Of their inhabi.
tants, and models Of advanced munich
pal regulations. 1t was @ revisit to
the place, for had lived there for d
year, several years ago, attached to
the single newspaper Of the town,
which newspaper has, in the meantime,
advanced from q somewhat uncertain
weekly publication to the dignity of a
daily, with a certain toning down Of
the pictorial advertising columns,
which resmbled nothing SO much as a
half-sheet circus poster, and CORES
ponding advance in its news and gen,
eral reading features. / found that
change, the epitaph Of all the years
everywhere, had been busy with the
people here as elsewhere, and one Of
these changes, completing romance
which was we'll advanced when quit
ted the town in 1878, enables me to
tell the story entire. aa
During my residence there, my most
intimate friend. and the one whose
house / most frequented, was DIR.
Thomas Wood, who had moved to
N--from Philadelphia. upon the
death of his wife, ten years before,
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 house they occupied
was an old. fashioned brick mansion in
the center of the town, which DR..
Wood had modernized by the addition
of huge bay window, that was al
ways filed with geranirms, roses and
myrtles, that with a couple of small
orange-trees, were the admiration of
the neighborhood. Not that Dr. Wood
had any horticultural tastes. On the
contrary, he was very severe on the
devotion Of minds to such triaes as
flowers, fancy work, music andtdan
cling, but then blue-eyed May differed
with him, and told him so in the sweet
est, sauciest, and most lovable manner
imaginable, ee '.zs 2Hs
Upon the opposite side of the street
there had just been completed, iat theI|
time of which | speak, a row OF houses
of an unusually imposing appearance,
and which were digni6ed by the high.
sounding name Of "Maple Terrace
that being the kind Of tree which was
most conspicuous by its absence in the
immediate locality. They were all to
let, although the last finishing touches
had been put on them in the way Of
paint and paper, and they wanted moth.
ing save furniture and human beings
to assume q civilized appearance. rs'
Calling one afternoon at the Doc
tors house, I saw evidences of life in
Maple Terrace, and upon inquiry OF
May ascertained that two of the houses
had been taken. oa
"Papa IS quite pleased" said she,
"because, you know, he looks upon
those twelve houses as twelve new pa
tients Y tge& . * t3 4
i"But,n said |, shave you not read
the advertisements Healthy and airy
situation, imposing neighborhood, and
only one physician" 44
"Ohy yes, smiled May; "but sickness,
1 am sorry to say, is apt to run about
at some time or othar, even In airy sit
uatlons."
Two days afterward another bill
was taken down, and in my strong in
terest in the terrace, which | had seen
grow up under my eyes, I called to
congratulate May 69
ooh, yes" she exclaimed with un-
usual eagerness; sand / think by a.
family that will prove valuable ad-
dition to the neighborhood, for very
handsome and distinguished looking
young gentleman drove up there this
morning and spent an hour in looking
over the house, and suppose he has
taken il.
It was several days before saw her
again, and then she caught me by the
hand, drew me rapidly 10 the wiudow,
and, with a semi-tragic expression,
she pointed to the house over the way.
/ looked, and, to my astonishment,
saw upon the shutters, painted in very
large gold letters, Edmund Rand,
M. D." s
ga rival, indeed, said ], spromis-
ing Montague and Capulet state of
things. But perhaps q Romeo and
Juliet may be found TO terminate 1T. 7"
"Don't laugh replied May, gravely,
"papa is vexed and indignant. I'm
agine two physicians in this locality!
It's all the fault Of this advertisement.
Some schemlng young man has seen
it, and, finding no hope Of practice
elsewhere, has come here. | suppose
he is as poor as q rat"
AT this instant three wagons full Of
new furniture stopped in front Of DR..
Rand's door, and May absolutely
tnrned pale upon discovering that III
was Of the most elegant description.
"The wretch has got q young wife,
tool she exclaimed, as piano and
harp came to view; and then she ad-
ded. rising. tThis will never do;