The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-09-29

s'EraZler is going to try something elso'
And will you?''
Wharton hesitated, and then that deter
mined look came into his face which Susie
knew so well.
"No; I'll stick at it. | never have given
up anything until did it, and I'll not be-
gin it now. But you-you must help me
to keep up heart, SUSIE" and with long
breath he took both her hands in his.
"Why, there's no reason why we should
give up heart" she said, with cheerful
tone. "Go now, there is Nixon coming
He does not like to see you here"
oNo," said Philip, "he is afraid he will
lose his clerk He'll not find another that
he can grind as much work from on star
walton wages"
"Go, go! She pushed him to the door,
still laughing, but when he was gone she
laid her head on the ledger and sobbed.
Susie was an orphan and had no friends
in this world but the man who had d'loved
her since she was child. She had more
courage and energy probably than he, but
the life of the girl in Nixon's shop was al
most intolerable, and she was very lonely
and tired.
If DIR. Wharton was moody and despair
ing the next day, his patients did not know
it. He had never been more gentle or un-
tiring in his care of them. They were all
poor, for the hospital was a city charity
But the more heavily his own trouble
pressed on him, the more tender to those
wretched paupers he grew.
| He was busted all the morning with one
old countryman, who had fallen in the
street from his horse, and been carried in
insensible. Dr. Frazier found him beside
the old mans cot early in the afternoon.
Frazier had been absent nearly all day.
His face was flushed and his eyes were
burning with excitement He beckOned
Philip aside.
''There's chance. It's something big,
he whispered excitedly. "Call Poor to
take your ward this afternoon and come
with me- He's going to take mine.
II can't give up my ward to Poor. He's
a blunderer," said Wharton, grutfly. "Iou
may if you choose" "
''No need to snub me, Phil, when I'm
trying to do you a service. You said the
other day you had saved couple Of hun
dred dollars"
eyes, that's my capital to begin the
world with in September
"Well, Frank-my brother, you know
has just had private information of a
great expected rise in the Darling Silver
Mine stock He'll let you and me into
the chance Well go down with him to
the Stock Exchange and buy up all the
shares we can"
II can't leave my ward to Poor, he
said. 'There is no patient in danger but
this man. But he is in a very critical
condition | won't leave him."
Nonsense! What can couple of hours
matter? 1t is chance that may never
come to you again. It's dead sure thing,
[ tell you
Wharton shook his head
'Listen to reason, Phil You may clear
enough by this venture to make begin
ming for competency for years. You can
afford then to wait for practice. You
might even marry, if you can find nice
girl" ne said, with laugh
"Marry!' DR.. Wharton's hand shook,
as he dropped the medicine into spoon.
II would need time to consider the invest
ment," he said, ''even if could leave this
man. [ would wish to be clear in my con-
science that it would be proper one to
make But the old mans condition is
such that my present duty is clear. He
sat down by the cot, watching the sick
man. The picture of Susie at work in the
miserable shop, with that brutal old Nixon
driving her, rose before him. She might
have to bear this for years, and now that
possibly he might help her, was he to give
it up for this man-an utter stranger to
him?
The clock ticked swiftly. Wharton's
face was haggard.
"Come!' Frazier said hurriedly.
"Ill not go, Frazier"
"Not 60! You are not going to lose
your one chance in life for that old pauper
-that-old hawbuck ?'' nodding contemp-
tuously towards the cot
''Ill not leave him..
Dr. Frazier stopped over the old man
and examined him.
"He may lay in this way for days." he
said. at is likely you will find him just
as he is when you come back"
eyes, but he may change at any mo-
ment. The treatment [ am trying is
new one. Poor knows nothing about il"
"You'll not come, then?" said Frazier,
hating on his way to the door.
Wharton had followed him a step or
two, and did not reply for a moment.
The closed eyelids of the withered old face
on the pillow fickered, sharp glance shot
out from them.
"No," he said, quietly. II will stay
with him. This is no common work, and
[ will not leave it to Poor
Frazier went to the exchange, and by
several ventures cleared several hundred
dollars. He was greatly elated over his
success.
DR.. Wharton drudged along in his daily
rounds among his pauper patients with no
other reward than the old mans recovery.
"You are ready for discharge to-mor-
row." he said to him one day when a fort
night had passed.
Discharge, eh That was a queer ex-
pertinent you tried on me, young man.
I've had some little experience in physic
in my day, and can't say ever saw the
like of that treatment
"No, it was not the old method, sir"
said Wharton, respectfully, going on his
rounds
When he came back his patient called
out querulously: "Where's the dollar and
half that was in my breeches pocket
when [ was brought in? Some thief has
robbed me-"
"You will find it with the superinten-
dent"
Oh, aye! [ hope so. I've no mind to
be robbed, even by an institution. [ sup
pose the bill for my keep here'll be high,
young man p
''There is no charge. 1t is free hos
,.tol -