The Press., 1885-01-15
GETTING A COUNTRY PRACTICE.

s'Dr. Minter, Surgeon.' Such was the name upon brass plate on the door, and as the young practitioner surveyed 1t, he modestly hoped that it would not draw great msny calls while he was away from home, and wondered if he had not better take it down and leave it until he return ed with his bride. He had just sspassed, not yet tried fpracticing, and was sanguine in his views upon the subject. He finally decided to let it remain as it would serve as an advertisement while he was away and leaving word with the servant woman that he would be at home on the eighteenth of the month. he departed on his short journey. The marriage came of, quietly and inexpensiyely, at the house of the brides uncle. Annie had lived with this uncle ever since she was little orpan girl of three years. Now, having been fitted out resspectably, in the way of clothing, which with his large family and limited means, was all her uncle could afford to do, she left with Charlie for her new home, with many kind wishes and prayers for her happiness.
 Dr. Winters sole tangible possessions were horse and chalse, few articles of furniture. pretty good stock of medicines and surgical instruments, and loving little wife whom he we'll nigh idolized. He had taken tiny house, in the pretty town of Pinevillo, and had boldly display ed brass plate, although it was directly opposite to that of Dr. Jagger, who sup ported his with many years experience, a generous sprinkling of gray hairs, and pomposity of manners The unpretending little house, taken by the new doctor, con- 8 sted of four rooms and a surgery.
 Annie's skilled hands soon transformed | their abode into little paradise. Bright flowers flashed from every available nook i; hanging baskets wers fashioned of mosses and creepers; curtains of snowy muslin were suspended from the windows 1; glasses l and shells, filled with buds and blossoms, were liberalIy distributed around the rooms and innumerable little inexpensive things, which only woman's hand can form, filled out the voids, giving an air of refinement, and purity, and comfort to the
 whole. But people cannot subsist upon pretty nick-nacks even plain way of living requires money for it's support and our friends became painfully conscious of this unpleasant fact as the romance of their lives was not invaded by the patients. | Annie would sit in her front room and watch the patients flock to the house of her neighbar, opposite, and wonder why people would persist in rushing blindly on to their ruin, as she felt certain they
 were doing in thus passing by her hus- 1 band. Of course, she reasoned, talented young man just fresh from the hospitals,
 must be better posted than one who had
 been -rusticating for so many years in a country town. She had heard that 8 wife l had much infiueuce in establishing a practice and she resolved that If her husband lacked bushes it should not be owing to any dereliction of duty on her part. She gathered all of the children of ! the neighborhood about her, and amused them by the hour with stories, she dressed dolls for the gtrls, and played horse with the boys. She received calls with the utmost affa- bility, returned them promptly, and was sociable with the most stupid and tiresome as we'll as the most eligible inhabitants of the town. Pineville was place of con- siderable .gaiety, and the new ccmers, on principle, responded to all their invitations to parties and tea-drinkings. They threw tertained pleasantly and freely, putting themselves on diet of potatoes and salt for days afterward to make up for the ex- tra outlay. People visited them, liked them, made much of them, but in business ignored them. Her best friends seemed to forget in times of illness. that Annie had 8 husband and persistently sent for their old physician.
 When our friends came in contact with Dr. Jagger, the latter always shook hands ln pompous manner, smiled with an air of satisfaction, which seemed to say "You are not in the least in my way, and are quite welcome to remain if you wish" and blandly inquired ''how they liked our lit tie town" When others inquired his opinion of the new doctor, he wouldistroke his own .grey beard affectionately, and re- ply, ssOh, clever boy enough a clever boy, needs experience" This style of GU. logy was not exactly calculated to throw patients in the way of the new candidate, who penniless and half discouraged, was awaiting visits
 It is true, that owing to the fact that Dr. Jagger was sometimes away, and was too tired to ride when wanted, our friend found some few opportunities to air his medical knowledge; but the generality of his patients were either poor pay or no pay at all, as his opponent showed remark able energy in being on hand for people of importance. Humanity, however, cannot always be ubiquitous; and the time came when Dr. Jagger was wanted for one of u4S W6tItulcSb p8tl6uGS, duO u0 was away from home. The occasion was urgent and Dr. Minter was called in. It was case of fever which the old physician had been attending, and he had pronounced his pa- tient fully convalescent.
 A relapse, however, accompanied with unexpected symptoms, had alarmed her friends, and they had speedily gathered around her from far and near.
 When Dr. Minter first entered the sick room he started, supposing for moment that the lady must have died since the messenger had left home, and that they were now holding her funeral. Arranged in neat row around the walls seemed to be all the women of the neighborhood, with their hands folded and their faces drawn up into solemn knots, ready to do duty as monrners at minutes warming. Occasionally, one old woman at time would tip-toe softly to the bedside of the invalid, clasp her hands, roll up her eyes, and return noislessly to her seat, perhaps remarking, in an audible whisper, "poor thing, she seems to be sinking P or some other equally cheering bit of news In one corner of the room were seated two little boya, trying to look demure and sad, with their feet dangling in the air. Final ly one of them slipped down, and proceed cd to pet cat, which seemed to be imbned with the feeling of silence pervading the apartment. But he was immediately called to order by rigid female, who had mount ed guard over him.