The National tribune., 1883-01-04
Ny FIRST FEE,
A Leaf from The Diary Of a Young
Physician.

clergyman There are hundreds Of poor clergy :;
nRJurallr their sons can be rcckoncd by thou
sands. ] know there were thirteen Of us and
how we an managed TO find standing room IN
our small North Country vicaragc seems mar
vel 20 me when / look hack upon that time Of
growing MP. And then the struggle TO settle
the professions Of eight sons Mine was, how
ever, soon fixed upon. Ny auut's husband, q
Scotchman and an ". D. IN country town, said
he would bring me up 10 his profession, pro-
vided I eventually became his partner, and in
this manner repaid him the cost Of my educa-
ton.
The proposal sounded well; anyhow, it was
accepted. But ahi the realization was differ
ent lie never praised me when / worked my
self almost TO death in order to pass brilliant
examinations. and only grunted when at last /
came 10 settle down with him in desperately
dull town, after having come out first on the
list at Edinburgh.
Ny uncle cared nauEht for my being Arthur
Merrifed, 81. ID. / was to be his white slave
and repay with hard labor what he had spent
on me. ] honestly tried my best 10 please
him the practice increased considerably, but
time went on. and still my uncle never spoke
a word about money affairs. was more than
partner as 10 work. but no partner ut all as 10
pay.
And yet I felt that ] could make name
also a fortune, if only ] could get a fair chance
And the FIVE girls at home were expecting
grand things OF me, which looked as though
they might nevor be realized, for even if /
pcrsevered till my uncle died and left me his
practice ] might by that time have become
gray with age and unable to begin to make my
way.
At last ! could bear il no longer, and one day
determined to come 10 an understanding with
him. l am sorry TO say this ended in a regular
quarrel, and / declared | would seek my for
tune In London. My uncle called me ali sorts
# nc a
complimentary, | viii not repeat and | re-
spoctfully disagreed with him. His last words
We're:
q should like to know, sir, how you are
going to find patient in London?" ! did not
answer him, for / was perfectly unable to do so;
but I had courage and perseverance. where
there's VIII there's way" / thought, and
thus ] left my unclo's house, knowing well
enough that / should never see a penny of his
money.
viii pass over the many difficulties ! next
encountered; the applause Of the other twelve
rs TO my conduct, and the regrets of my father,
who had fancied /, at least, was Off his mind,
and lastly, the difficulty of finding any one to
lend me some money wherewith to make
start. / meant to begin at once il good style;
nothing venture, nothing have and | was de-
terminod TO have one OF the best practices in
town.
At last part Of my dream was realized. But
yet it was al very well TO be the occupant of a
spectable-l0oling house in a quiet London
square; to have gone to the expense of brass
plate on which was neatly engraved DR.. Ar
thur Meui6eld;" " further 10 have engaged
worthy, middle-aged female TO answer the door,
If the doOr-bell had ever been rung and the
master inquired for. Alas. / was beginning 10,
feel depressed in mind because no patient APP
peared and no fees filed my pockets.
/ had told the five girls at home that my
house would soon be bCsieged at al hours Of
the day and night. ! had even had night
bell attached, which rUng in n deatening man
Der, close to my ears rs l lay in bed; and, best
of all, had Contriyed peep-hole through my
window shutter, IN order to distinguish the
rank Of the visitor who disturbed my slumbers.
But up to now / had slept peacefully night
after night, and ! might have slept all day if
! had so wished it, for no patients had come 10
asfne to'cCEe them.
And yet l thought, as ] paced the hzor of
my consulting-Toom, where 10 consultation
had ever taken place, and yet that rich
young Jones promised that he would recon-
mend me to the first Of his relations who fell
i'll The constitution of the Jones fJmily must
be terribly good, for ] am sure the fellow meant
what he said he is good nature itself Per-
haps | had been a fool, after all, and / had
better have stayed with my uncle, where ut
least my food cost nothing"
You must understand that my spirits had
most private thoughts, 10 wonder anything Of
the kind. And, curiously enough, ii was at this
very moment that my front door bell was sud
denly Tung in a furious manner. ! very nearly
rushed out to open the door myself only was
met by Mrs. Davis, who had run up from be-
low almost rs much excited as / was at this
unprecedented event.
q Show the visitor into the consulting room,
Mrs Davis" whispered, "and say you'll see
il ! am disengaged."
l retired into a small study next to the con
sulting room and separated from ii by folding
doors. 1t was here 1 had my meals, and, be-
sides my bedroom, it was at present the only
furnished room in the house. But hardly had
! closed the door when / recognized the loud,
joyial tones of young Jones" who rather un-
tremendously entered my den.
Tom Jones was the son Of a rich brewer,
and, knowing very well that he would come in
Tor heaps Of money, had considered II would
really be waste Of time to settle to any proies-
sion. He was, however, a good-natured, gen
erous youth, delighted to do q kindness and
with no greater vice than loEe Of doing moth
ing useful.
"Helo, MerrifcId!" he exclaimed, chow are
you Worked 10 death, expect, since you set
up on your own hook. I've only come TO town
this very day, but / made a point OF hunting
you up as promised. ! came at lunch time,
for fear, otherwise, Of finding you cleseted with
some rich hypOchondriac."
' am not very busy just now" 7 answered,
but delighted TO see you at any time
We'll, how many fees have you taken ~
asked the iTrepressihe Jones OF course"
London is already ringing with your praises"
] wish be would talk on some other subject,
but truth compelled me to answer, carelosslv:
No, no, not yet: these are early days; the
truth IS, have very few patients. To be quite
open with you, my dear fellow, you are my
first
Jones jumped up, pulled face and then
gave has chest mighty slap, InJimatl8g ho
was perfectly sound IN that direction.
My dear doctor, wish ! could think there
was anything the matter with me, but, upon
my word, ! never felt better in my life. !
haven't pain OF ache about me- However,
If the case is as Sou say, You WON quite dcspise
my news; ! fear 10 is not worth more than
guinea fee, bat FL may lead 10 more. My rich
old uncle, Jonathan Dixon, is coming 10 con-
suit sou this very afternoon, because / told
him you wore the very man he wanted; but
just looked IA 10 tell yOu that he is very
cTotchety, and you musi. manage him properly.
As 10 his ailments, don't believe they are OF
much consequence, because he has been Just
the same ever since / Was il arms. Never
looks a day older
ON 90 my best professionally" ! said,
secretly believing thi rich man would not
turn up. As 10 managing him, am afraid
that IS not in my line"
" Well, THAT'S a pity, because if he were to
take fancy 70 you you would want no other
recommendation. He'll recommend you right
and left and the whole Dillon class are disgust
inulv rich. and all inherit asthma or brOu-