Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-10-07


relied too much on the promise that had so
long encouraged and consoled him.
But he read another promise solemn and
sweet to his troubled heart 81 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 only be old Joe Hixson's son
to these people all the days of his life.-
There was no end to that shame and sor-
row. The sins Of drunken and depraved
father we're visited upon the head of son
who was deserving of the worlds honor and
esteem. He had risen up above them in
to the beauty and glory of noble young
manhood. Through shame and sorrow.
encouragement and poverty, he had strug-
gled up to a higher and better life, and
yet the good people of Sharon daily made
him look backward to the life he had left.
No hand was stretched forth to help him
onward.
SIT is really surprising to see the assur-
snce old Joe Hixson's son displays" said
Mrs. Colonel Giddings, the wealthiest
woman in Sharon, s'with his antecedents to
set himself for our physician
How many of can look back through
the gates to antecedents in whom there
was no guile, and for whom we need not
blush
During six months DR.. George had but
two patients. One was boy who had cut
his finger badly, and the other was child
with the collie. He had not, however,
wasted his time. He had studied and
learned much. He was bright, observing
young fellow, and no one in Sharon would
ever have guessed that the bright letters
and sketches they read in certain Eastern
papers were written by old Joe Hixson's
son. He had signed 'sAlexis" to all he
had written, and had been able to meet
his small expenses with the money he had
received for his work. But he had not
spent four years in studying medicine to
finally become a newspaper reporter.
At last he made up his mind to 90 West.
Hope had died out in his heart The peo-
pie of Sharon were determined to ignore
him. He could not succeed there. But
there was that young mans Mecca, the
boundless West. Perhaps the fates would
be less cruel to him there. He need not be
cold Joe Hixon's SON. among strangers
But there were those precious promises.
sThey will be fulf led yet in the Lords
own time and place." he said cheerfully.
"He probably means that l shall 90 away
from here to something better than I had
dared hope for"
So he made ready to go. The home of
his childhood was dear to him, and he was
fond of familiar faces, even if they were not
always kindly He had always felt timid
about going among total strangers. But
his poor little trunk was packed, and he
had gone around saying goodbye to the
few friends who cared to say goodbye to
him. He intended going OIL Tuesday. On
Monday afternoon a little tow-headed boy
met him on the street.
"Say you, DR.. George" he said politely,
tiny ma wants you to come up to our house
and see If there's anything the matter of
our Tommy, cause if they is ma wants to
send for DR.. Graves"
The insulting message made the blood
fairly tingle in the yonng DOCTORS VEINS
But the next moment he laughed.
ooh, we'll, it don't matter" he said.-
'I'l 60. 1t will help me to say truth
fully that I've had some practice
Tommy was the very urchin who had
sung the hateful doggerel before Doctor g
Georges Office.
The young physician examined the boy
carefully. Then he said
''Well, Tommy, my boy lit will take
something more than grease on your heels
and tar on your nose to make you WE'LL
Yoa have the smallpox"
81 don't believe it, said Toms mother,
sharply. 81 don't believe you know small
pox from the measles, anyhow. I'll send
for DR.. Graves right off"
every well, madam, said Doctor George,
politely bowing imseIf out.
But late in the evening Toms mother
came CRYING to Doctor GeOrOe
doctor Graves wouldn' t come" she said.
HE was going to, but when he heard it
looked like smallpox with Tommy he said
he wasn't we'll, and just sent some medicine
that amt done him a bit of good. If you
aOoald come up, sir.''
1t was the first time he had been address
ed as sir in many day.
''Of course I will CO." he said. That
was the beginning of Doctor Georges prac-
tice in Sharon. Within ten days there we're
fourteen cases of small -pox. The annals of
the little town contain record of how it
was scourged by that fearful disease. Be
fore the end came there was one or more
cases in every house. The means taken to
prevent the spread of the disease had prov
ed Intellectual. The town was quarantined
in the end.
When DIR. Graves was sent for second
time it was discovered that he had been
called away ION business"
Doctor George went back to his empty
Office after seeing Tommy second time.-
He unpacked his little trunk, lighted a can
die, and began to read certain medical
work. He read until midnight, until one,
two, three o'clock, until the dawn of day,
that found him on his bended knees pray
erful and even fearful. He felt that there
had been given him work to do; that .
change was coming in his life. He opened
his well worn little Bible and read:
81 will not fail thee nor forsake thee,"
and again he read, "Be strong, and again
say, be strong"
And he was strong.
"His strength was as the strength of ten,
Because his heart was pure"
He became tower of strength to some
of those stricken people. He was doctor,
nurse, consoIer-more than he thought he
should ever be to suffering creatures.
His success with Tommy was assured
within few days, and others came eager
ly after him. His skill in battling the dis
ease was wonderful. Had he not the
Heavenly Help? There were few deaths,
and mauy people came forth, their fair and
blooming checks unmarked by the dread
disease.
Mrs. Colonel Giddings' beautiful daugh-
ter was stricken down while making pre-
parations to fly from the town.
''Mrs. Giddings' own carriage came for
cold Joe Hixon's son." His contaminated
presence was in her splendid parlors and in
her daughters dainty rooms. His skill and
careful watching brought her beautiful
daughter forth with her girlish loveliness
He had hardly time to eat or sleep for
many days. His very presence gave hope
and courage to the suffering.
He escaped the contagion, but when his
last case was dismissed he was utterly ex-
hausted, and quietly left the village for a
week or two of rest.
When he returned his heart sank within
him. In the window of one of the hand
somest office rooms in the town he saw the
word physician" in great letters of gold.
Handsome curtains were before the win
dows. Everything indicated that the new
conner had been successful man. He
hardly dared read the name on the door,
When he did he read
CDR. GEORGE H. HIxoN."
"GO long in an sec how how you like it, y
said old Enoch Lampson, who stood grin.
n,np IN tho M vemont