The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-10-22


never assume n very dignilied appear
ance. His office should be neat and in
viting. 1t augurs ill for the amount of
a man s practice if his office is as shabby
as poor Doctor Georges was.
If the young fellow could only have
chance, But there were tho people
sending ten miles TO k, n neigh
boring town, for Dr. Graves, who could
ride over in his ,rriage and count
their pulse-beaIS by Il magnificent gold
watch. His clothes were of the best
and tailor-made, and he had graduated
from the same cole 5e from which DIR.
Georges diploma had come. His father
had left him a mndcrate fortune, and
hc could begin ki' career in u manner
becoming physician.
And then George had to sit in his
dreary office, in his frayed and patched
garments, waiting for the patients that
would not come, while DIR, Graves
went driving by day after day Every
few days the disturbed aud detected
young Doctor heard rumors of q rival
coming to Sharon. and the village pa
per published in its columns that IAN
experienced 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 despondency
he feared that he had perhaps 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"
at will all come right in tho end"
he said; but the end seemed 40 far
away,
He would be only sold Joe Hixson's
son" to these people all the days of his
life. There was no end to that shame
and sorrow. The sins of q drunken
and depraved 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 q pure and noble man.
hood. Through shame and sorrow.
encouragement and poverty, he had
struggled up to>a higher and a better
life, and yet the good people of Sharon
daily made him look backward to the
life he had left, And no friendly hand
was stretched forth to help him on
ward.
1T is really surprising to see the as
surance old Joe Hixson's som dis
plays" said Mrs Colonel Giddings,
the wealthiest woman in Sharon" with
his antecedents, to set himself up for
our physician"
How many of us can look back
through the ages to ancestors in whom
thero was no guile and for whom we
need not blush?
During six months DIR. George had
but two patients. One of them was a
boy who had cut his finger badly, and
the other was q child with the collie.
He had not, however, wasted his time.
He had studied and learned much.
But at last he made up his mind to
go out West. Hope had died out of
his heart. The people of Sharon were
determined to ignore him. He could
not succeed there. He need not be
"old Joe Hixon's son" among stran-
gers. But there were those precious
promises!
They will be fulfilled yet, in the
Lords own time and place." he said,
cheerfully. HE probably means that
l shall go away from here to something
better than have dared hope for"
So he made ready 10 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, aud he had gone
around saying good-by to the few
friends who cared to say good-by to
him. He intended going on Tuesday.
On Monday afternoon a little tow
headed boy met him on the street.
"Say, you, Doctor George" he said.
s.my ma wants you to come up to our
house and see if there's anything the
matter of our Tommy; cause if there
is ma wants to send for Doctor
Graves"
The insulting message made the
blood fairly tingle in the young doc
tors veins. But the next moment he
laughed.
.'Oh! we'll. it don't matter" he
said; ."I'Il go. 1t will help NE to say
truthfully that I've had some prao-
tice."
Tommy was the very urchin who had
sung the hateful doggerel before DIR.
Georges Office.
The young physician examined the
boy carefully; then he said:
"Well, Tommy. my boy. it will take
something more than grease on your
heels and tar on your nose to make
you well; you have the smallpox.
Il don't believe it." said Tommy's
mother, sharply; Il don't believe You
know smallpox from the measles. LII
send for DIR. Graves right off.
every well, madame" said DR.
George, politely bowing himself out.
But late that evening Toms mother
came crying to DIR. George.
| .Dr. Graves wouldn't come" she
said; ''he was going to, but when ht
heard that it looked like smallpox
with Tommy he said he wasn't well
and Just sent some medicine that ain
done him bit of good. Ii you woult
come up, sir!"
1t was the first time he had been ad
dressed as "sir" for many q day.
.'Of course l will CO." he said.
That was the beginning of Docto
Georges practice in Sharon. Within
ten days there were fourteen cases o
smallpox. The annals of the ittl
town contain q record of how 1t wa
scourged by that fearful disease. Be
fore the end came there were one o
more cases in nearly every house. Th
means taken to prevent the spread
the disease had proved Intellectual
At last the town was quarantined.
When DIR. Graves was sent for, sec
ond time it was discovered that he ha
suddenly been called away ION busi
ness" He stayed away all winter.
DIR. George went back to his empt
office after seeing Tommy secon
time. He unpacked his little trunk
lighted candle, and began to read
certain medical work. He read unit
midnight, until l, 2, 3 o'clock, unit
the dawn of day, that found him o
his bended knees, prayerful, and eve
fearful. He felt that there had bee
given him work to do-that a chang
was coming in his life He opened n
well-worn little Bible and read:
IL will not fail thee nor forsak
thee" and again he read: BE strong
and again l say, be strong"
And he was strong.
His strength was as the strength of ten,
Recause his heart WAS pure.