Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-10

Ter Tor THIS, ana ne nelO up MS oil
ploma as he spoke.
81 have earned it," he went on; cit
is my own by right of four years of
hard study. OF course, I know of the
opposition I will probably meet with
in the beginning. I am young; I
know more of theory than of practice
so far. But there are several reasons
why I want to locate here in nay boy
hoods home. [ ara bound to win in
the end; you will see that do"
"Wall, George, I hain't thing
ag'in you myself. I wish you well as
fur as I'm concerned. Yer gritty; [
remember that you had that steak in
you when you was little youngest.
But jist made up my mind that I'd
tell you fair an square what the
chances wuz for an ag'ln you here"
Il am greatly obliged, I'm sure"
said George, "but | was prepared for
all you have told me. l feel that |
shall succeed in the end. Commit
thy way unto the Lord. Trust also in
him, and he shall bring to pass. There
is the foundation of my faith and
courage, Mr.. Lampson. I have often
proved the truth of that most helpful
and blessed promise. It gi yes me cour-
not fail me-"
But there were many days and weeks
and months after that when Georges
courage and confidence almost failed
him.
Old Enoch had truthfully said:
CDR. George will have d hard row
to dig"
He had, indeed. The name of Hix-
son was in bad repute in and around
Sharon. The people were prejudiced
against the poor young fellow, al
| though they could not but admit that
his own character was above reproach.
They had known him from his baby
days up, and it lid not ''seem natural
| to call him doctor" HixsoD. And
he was so proud of that hard-earned
title.
Those who used it at all called him
Doctor George" that took away half
the dignity for him, and was famll-
larity he resented in secret, although
he dared not do SO openly. Others
called him "Doc," and that was sim
ply CALLING to the high strung young
man. He was daily hurt by covet or
sneers. Children ridiculed him and
his new title.
Could anything be more exasperat-
| ing than to have a crowd of Ill bred
urchins assemble in front of his poor,
shabby little Office, while one of their
number sang out:
Doctor, doctor, kin you tell
What will make a sick man well?
Grease his heels and tar his nose
And that will do, suppose.
The Doctors office was a shabby
little affair, and he was quite too poor
to make it better. It had no carpet,
no pictures, nothing but a cheap desk,
a chair or two, and the few old but
valuable books which comprised the
Doctors library. Appearances go a
good way toward physicians success
or failure, no matter how greatly we
may effect to underrate thena. He
should be well dressed. A shabby
man can never assume very dignifi-
ed appearance. His Office should be
neat and inviting. 1t augurs i'll for
the amount of a mans practice if his
Office is shabby as poor DR.. Georges
was.
If the young fellow could only have
| had a chance, but there were the peo
pie sending ten miles to < -, a
neighboring town, for DR.. Graves,
who could ride over in his carriage
and count their pulse beats by mag
nifcent gold watch. His clothes were
of the best tailor-made, and he had
graduated from the same college from
which DR.. Georges diploma had
come His father had left Tim mod~
crate fortune, and he could begin his
career in manner becomin G ply
| stefan.
And then George had to sit in his
dreary Office, in his frayed and patch
ed garments. waiting for the patients
that would not come, while DR..
Graves went driving by day after
day. Every few days the disturbed
and detected young Doctor heard ru-
more of a rival coming to Sharon,
and the village paper openly publish
ed in it's columns that can experience
ed and competent physician will do
well to locate in Sharon"
After that Doctor George thought
he would really have to seek new
field of labor, and in deepest despond-
eRcy he feared that he had perhaps
relied to much on the promise that
had so long encouraged and consoled
him.
But he read another promise, SOL
emn and sweet, to his troubled heart:
II will not fail thee, nor forsake
thee"
"It will all come right in the end"
he said; but the end seemed SO far
away.
He would be only ''old Joe Hl1son's
son" to these people all the days of
his life. There was no end to that
shame and sorrow, The sins of a
drunken and debraved father were
visited upon the head of son who
was deserving of the worlds honor
and esteem. He had risen above
them into the beauty and glory of
pure and noble manhood. Through
shame and sorrow, Encouragement
and poverty. he had STRUGGLED no to a