The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-07-16
AN INSANE" PATIENT.
The Charlatan and the Abscond-
ing Bankrupt.

DIR. Clarence Jones was an enterpris-
ing young gentleman who meant to sue
coed in his profession. He was not
clever in the sense of being well read,
and. in fact, he had only just managed
to scrape through the qualifying exam
ination. But he did not aspire to scien-
tific distinction and took no higher view
of his calling than to regard it as a
means by which he might possibly
make a fortune. He considered that
he would only be wasting valuable time
by seeking a hospital appointment for
the sake of gaining experience. In
stead. therefore, of going through the
routine of a young doctors early career
he took the bold step of renting the
ground floor of a large house in a fash
ionable quarter and setting up immedi-'
ately a a consulting physician. He
was shrewd enough to perceive that he
was best qualified to succeed in that
branch of practice, being at heart a
mere charlatan. He had acquired the
art of making a great show of a smat-
tering of knowledge. he had carefully
cultivated a bland and impressive man.
ner, and he thoroughly realized that
b great secret of amassing wealth is
to be utterly INSCRIPTIONS in the mat
ter of fees, and never to release a pa
tient while he can be imposed upon by
humbug. As though to aid his ambi-
tious designs, nature had endowed him
with a good presence. a high and shin
ing forehead. which was enhanced by
premature badness, and a soft, melo-
dious voice.
~ louuu ~ uPhil work at nfst' OF
course; but nc had no real cause for
ulssassiac.'on. ne went as mucn as
Po:ssSg9le int1 society anu maoe use1ul
nneae. was always par QUARRY
oe polIe anu a'Cehtiee 10 tne
wives anu uaugneers OF physicians IN
gooo pracoice. In a ne showed his
sagacityD y assiduousiy counting the SUI
Ilages u iauy acqualnIances. Inc con
sequence was 1nat patents soon MADE
SJNe. appearance' whlle nelghooring
eoo19'e, owing 10 uoinestc lnhuences'
l ae.an many o~pPor!unltles Oh putting
sa su nn las ln.o ms pocket. IN a very
SHOT. tune ne coneriVea TO gam tne rep
nasnS o'G"oieneua PttacCice
- soon caihe u DC regarded as a
n.s m ma
- -. noo ~" ni'
liSne undef a pusnei' out was rather
aooicteo 10 Doastng OF nus success.
SOME OF ms professional brethren
smileu at t1ls' knowing 1rom expert
enc9 now $40" ana laoorious Is the
worA OF making a remuneratlve prac-
1lce. put the wisdom O his tactics
was proved oy the TACT hat even these
skeptlcs had no suspicion OF the real
condition OF affairs. The truth was
that at the end OF three years DIR. Jones
found himself hopelessly i N debt, his
Proiessionai earnings having fallen Tar
snort every year OF his modest require
ments. Ills practice was increasing,
to be sure, and in all human probability
the time was not far distant when it
would yield him a decent income; but
meanwhile just as it was more than
ever necessary to keep up appearances.
bankruptcy and ruin stared him in the
face. He had spent his small capital.
creditors were pressing. and he was lit
orally reduced to providing for his daily
wants by surreptitiously pawnipS his
personal effects.
In such circumstances ar elastic con-
science is often a useful ally. Young