Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-09-29

~ ACVcI pdSScu m0 WITHOUT q
scowl. and never spoke of me but with
contempt. His evident purpose was to
nip my %pretensions in the bud. 1 should
never have a case if he could help it. l
began to lose heart at last, and was
seriously considering the advisability of
giving up the struggl lie and leaving the
headstrong population to old Carver
and their fate, when one night 1 re-
ceived a hurried call to attend a gentle
man who had just had his leg broken.
"Mr. Loammi Furneval, the indi-
vidual referred to, was q respectable
%middle-aged bachelor, for some time
thought to be particularly attentive to
Miss Berencia Potts, q maiden lady of
fortune, and nearly his own age.
"ln attempting to board q moving
railway train, he had missed his footing
and fallen so that one of his legs was
run over and completely crushed almost
to the knee.
"TheY carried him home on a stretch
er, and, rs usual in such cases, messen.
gers ran for all the doctors in the place
that is to say, in the present instance,
for old Carver and myself,
"We arrived simultaneously.
"lt's a compound comminuted frac-
ture OF the tibia and the tibula!' said
old Carver, pushing forward to take
possession by first getting his ugly paw
on the injured limb, which he fumbled
roughly through the clothing. It's a
case for immediate amputation,' he
added, opening his case of instruments.
"I shall not require your services
spoke up Mr.. Furneval, with consider
able energy for n in his condition.
Il prefer placing myself in the hands
of Dr.. Tourniquet.'
Everybody looked astonished, and
old Carver's face grew blacker than a
t~hundercloud.
"'Your blood be on YOU own headr
he croaked ominously, and bundling up
his instruments he banged the door be-
hind him.
"Iw wish to be left alone whit the Doc.
tor said MI. F%urneval, when old Car
yer had gone. If assistance is needed it
can be called
Everybody withdrew but the patient
and myself; and there, alone and sim
g%le-handed, I did everything the case
required.
".You don't mean to say you ampu-
tated the limb without assistance?' said
q fidgety little M. d., across the table.
emo; you see MI. F., as l have said,
was keeping company with Miss Potts.
and thinking he might be better able to
walk than to hobble into her affections,
we decided against amputation. and pro-
ceeded accordingly.
"Next morning I met old Carver on
the street. He was in the habit of pass
ing, me with a frown without speaking.
but this time he stopped.
elbows your patient?' he inquired,
with a sheer.
"'Doing finely 1 replied.
You first amputation, I suppose?'
".Neither first nor last, 1 said; Il
didn't amputate at ALL
"1 suppose you know the legs
smashed to splinters?'
eel do
".And you haven't amputatear
": .Aa don't intend TOP
"'Better go to the undertaker's and
order a coffin then.'
Giles busy on one of your last VIC
TINS, l believe said l, hurrying along.
"For nearly a week my patient saw
Nv ouO Ou0 A1yocl1 duu CQ6 servant Who
carried up his meals.
"Then a few friends were admitted to
cheer his confinement, which he bore
with admirable patience. In six weeks
l removed the splints, and the next day
MI. Furneval was walking out as well
as ever. My fame was in everybody's
mouth. Even old Carver could find
nothing to carp at, for he had every-
where circulated the terrible nature of
the injury, and predicted the patients
speedy death. My practice soon ex-
ceeded my most sanguine hopes, and
old Carver's whilom patrons focked to
me in such numbers that he shut up
shop and retired in disgust.
".Was the limb really as badly frac-
tured as at first supposed?' inquired the
tidgety little Doctor opposite.
"'Quite-ground almost to powder,
you might say
land gave no signs of lameness af-
"'No more than before-there had
previously been a slight hitch in that
leg, but [ think there was less after
wards
"'Wonderfulr exclaimed the little
Doctor.
"'Not at all. You see, and there Law
he secret, the injured leg was of wood.
and we replaced it with a better one. i
Chicago Tribune.