St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-24
A FALSE FRIEND.

From Chambers Journal.
| returned only three months ago from
Melbourne, where | had been in practice as
surgeon for about ten years. When went
out to the colony, there were good openings
in most of the larger towns for medical men:
and as | was exceptionally fortunate in the
introductions with which the forethought
of my friends atsliome had provided me, pa
tients rang my bell in considerable numbers.
Within three years | was making an annual
income of E3, 900; and when. owing to
family necessities, / was Obliged regretfully
to turn my back upon the new land that
had treated Inc so handsomely, | had saved
e20, 600, and had, in addition, obtained
very respectable sum by the sale of the good
will of my practice to a distinguished young
Edinburgh surgeon, who went out expressly
to succeed me. l give these details not in
order to encourage ambitious young fellows,
fresh from the schools, the rush Off to Aus
tralia under the impression that it is still an
Ell Dorado. but in order to show that stood
we'll forward in, the front rank of my pro-
feSsion i'll Melbourne, and in some measure
to account for the fact that when a gentle
man who held q very high political rank in
Victoria met with severe and ultimately
fatal accident, / was called in to attend him.
suppress his name for reasons which will
be obvious later on, but, for convenience 1
will call him Sir james Reilly.
Sir James was one OF the largest land and
stockholders in the colony. l have ridden
for thirty niles along the banks of the river
Munlrnbidgee without going off his prop
ertN: ndwliereas ordinary men count their
hr-h # tod
his by hundreds of square miles. He had
worked hard, and his upward progress had
been gradual, but it had always been steady.
When knew him no man in Australia was
more respected or looked up to. He had
been knighted as small reward for his ser
vices as colonial minister; he had received
all kinds of gratifying testimonials from his
fellow-citizens; his word in all the tranSac-
tons of life was as good as another mans
bond: and yet Sir James, forty years be-
fore, had come to Australia as a convict, on
account of the disgraceful crime of forgery.
l never inquired into the details of his case,
and indeed | never knew them until he told
them to me when he was Oh his deathbed.
Sir James lived in beautiful and spa
ciOus house overlooking the sea, and distant
a few miles from the center of the city. In
spite of his 20 years he was good and ac-
tive horseman: and one morning. as was
his frequent CUSTOM he rode into Melbourne
in order t. transact some business with his
solicitor. He had quilted the lawyers Of
flee. and was already half way home again,
when his horse was frightened by some
blasting operations Which were being car
ried on in connection with the making of a
new road. The animal became FESTIVE. and
finally threw Sir James He fell heavily
upon heap of stones. and his groom COM
ing up found him lying insensible. The
unfortunate gentleman, WHO was well known
to every one In the neighborhOOd, was ten
derby carried to the nearest house: and no
sooner did he regain consciousness than he
sent his servant for his carriage, and dis
patched messenger to request me to go at
once to his house. i rode thither i'm
medately, and reached the place before Sir
James arrival. feared, of course, that
he had met with All accident: but had not
the faintest idea OF the nature of it; and
therefore l was greatly shocked when, a few
minutes later, l saw him lifted from his
carriage, helpless and well-nigh speechless.
He was conveyed to his bedroom, which
was upon the ground floor; and upon ex-
aiming him discovered that several of his
ribs were broken, that the internal organs
had been injured, and that there was, prac-
tically speaking, no hope of his recovery.
Sir James was a bachelor, and had no fe-
male relatives in the colony. He might
live, l knew, for some days; and as his
housekeeper, though kind and thoughtful
woman, was far too advanced in years to be
capable of properly attending upon her I'M
fortunate master, sent the groom back to
Melbourne for an experienced hospital
nj in tho rrna mt rpr,,a wit,
my distinguished patient, and did all that
lay in my power for him.
When the news of the accident was pub
liShed in the city. it occasioned great ex-
element. Several of Sir James former col
leagues Immediately met together; and one
of them rode to the house to request that
would not leave it so long as my patient
continued to breathe. | was to summon any
assistance that might need and to do eX-
actly as deemed best.
ssTre would move heaven and earth, y
said the gentleman, to preserve his valu-
able life"
81 fee,' said /, s.that there is not the
slightest hope of saving it; but you may be
| sure that l will spare no palms..
| Sir James had tainted during his removal
from the carriage to the house, and he did
| not regain the use of his seaises for some
hours aflerward. l was sitting by his bed
side when he opened his eyes,
$50 I'm not gone yet, doctor, 'Qhe said
with 4 weird kind of hrlnlOr. ''Can this
last for long?"
'.Who can say?" replied "You are
sadly hurt. Are You in much pain?"
No; thank God! In pain, but not in
severe pain"
II should warn you" / said, as gently as
1 could, that if you have any worldly affairs
TO settle, yor should settle them speedily.
There is grievous DANGER
81 know it" he returned, with sad
smile; ''but have settled everything-ev-
erything, that is that lawyer could help
me in. Yet before die there is something
that should like to confide to you.''
Twill it agitate you to tell it?"
Sim afraid it will, little" he replied.
..rhen wait until tomorrow, Sir James.
| The danger is great--even inevitable, l fear:
but not immediate: and you had better wait
until you are calmer, and. let us hope,
| Stronppr The ShOclxshaS fried yOll terribly