Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-05-21
THE RIVAL DOCTORS.


When old DR.. Golett died, his patients
thought il a hard Providence that left
them. with their lumbago, rheumatics
and various other chronic ailments to
the tender mercics of broad-shouldered
Young Jack Golett. Undoubtedly he had
graduated from the best medical school
in the country, and for year past had
been his fathers assistant, often and
defercntially consulted by the unbigoted
old man who did his est TO keep up
with the times, and had the utmost re-
spect for new and sensible ideas, but
the inhabitants of Stagnantville, espcci-
ally the older inhabitants, more gen
orally afflicted by tn above mentioned
disorders, professed great contempt for
ncw-fangled methods of treatment, and
fcrvently wished for medical man of
the good, old school to fill, as far rs
possible, the place of their lamented
friend and physician.
Indeed cd Romeo Cooke ca complete
satire on the house of Montague, and
disre Spectfully dubbed by the younger
population, THE Great American
Grumbler') declared himself ready to
pressing upstart coots to the extent of
being drawn and quartcred, though
exactly how this painful operation could
accomplish the desired end, it is diff
cult to explain. Poor old Romeo was
n martyr already TO acute rheumatism,
and the dearh of sympathy rendered
him might well be warning to all of
us who lack 90 ii temper The crotchcty
old man had tried living with his mar
rcd daughter, whose hus' and, poor
young mechanic, had received him
chccrlully, and even counscled his wife
to Get ''bit of something rclishy' or
her parent; but he had soon econ un-
bcarablc and was now established IN a
little shanty of his own, where every
morning his daughter saw him COM
iortably fixed Tor the day.
Those of the ne Ihbors who had dared
brave TIC lion in h den had been met
with such snarling and showing of teeth
that they seldom repeated the attempt.
But there was weak spot even in this
apparently invulncrable crust of ill
humor, if one only knew where to look
for il
In his young days, Romeo had been
Undergraduate To- an English Lord,
down in Lancash re; and, on occasions
Of rare good humor, he would describe
in glowing scenes of harbaric splcndor
that did vast credit 10 his imagination.
These fantastic tales, however, had
been rehearscd only for the eneiit of
his daughters family and Miss Kitty
Vannetta, a bright-faccd, kind-heartcd
young girl, who had set out to win the
old mans heart, and alleviate the lone
illness of his condition.
She found the task she had set herself
far more difficult than she had sup.
posed, and if she had not happened by
the mercst chance to hit upon this gar
dencr phase of old Romeo's life, am
afraid she would have had to give it up;
and then this story would never have
been written. AS il was, this artful
young person proceeded TO win the toll
erance of the unsuspecting old fellow
by carrying him little daintics, and
while he ate them asking him leading
questions about his lordship's magnifi-
cent stud of horses, and the gold dishes
in daily use in his lordship's house
hold.
YES, miss" the old man would say,
grandiloquently, that were something
like; where's the place you can show
me in these parts that has its gate
keepers lodge, OF yet tho gate Ia
mind?"
And Kitty was obliged to acknowl-
edge that in those "parts" the gates
were minded very systematically,
principally on moonlight nights by IN
competent, young persons, engrossed
In their own affairs.
Gradually, and in his own way, old
Romeo grew quite fond of this girl who
read him the weekly Times, and en-
couraged him to talk of his "better
days. she did more, for she draped
dotted muslin curtains, fashioned from
q cast OFF summpr gown, over his high,
bleak little windows; and ingeniolisly
stuffed and made comfortable rock.
ing-chair for his ungrateful old bones,
for when Jack Golett, with much incon.
vcnience, crowded il into his buggy
and proceeded to deposit il in his bare
little room, Romeo rated him soundly
for his ''namby-pamhy homeopathic
principles, and requested him in tn,
future TO keep his nag's head turned in
the other direction.
Jack Golett and Kitty had always
been great friends. In their childish
days jack had persisted in declaring
Kitty the prettieSt girl 10 town, in spit,
Of various stylish New York cousins
who had made deep impression ON les
faithful boyish hearts; and Kitty. IL
long since abandoned gchool girl slang
had called her delighted cavalier TIL
"bcst fellow going. All through thu
years that Jack was in college, an,
Kitty being finished at school, the,
kept up steady correspondence, ant
exchanged photographs at regular in
teivals; and now that they were boil
back in their native village all the gos
sips prophesicd speedy engagement
II was at this juncture that the wisl
Of invalid Stagnantville was fulfilled
for one bright morning startlingl!
new and staring sign appealo cd IN TN
basement window of the widow Nc
Gorvan's house, stating that DIR, REQ
quar's Office hours were from two d
five p. m, beside which hung braI
new slate and pencil, melting covet
BUSINESS in many a passing school-boy'
besrt