The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-10-21

Lampson. have often proved the
truth of that most helpful and most
blessed promise. 1t gives me courage
and confidence now. / know it will not
fail me. "
But there were many days and weeks
and months after that when poor
Georges courage and confidence almost
failed him.
Old Enoch had truthfully said:
''Dr. George will have hard row to
dig"
He had, indeed. The name Of Hixson
was in bad repute in aud around Sharon.
The people were prejudiced against the
poor young fellow, although they could
not but admit that his own character
was above reproach. They had known
him from his baby days up, and it did
not "seem natural" to call him DR..
Hixson. And he was so proud of that
hard-earned title.
Those who used it at all call him "Doc-
tor Gcorge;" that took away half the
dignity for him, and was familiarity
he resented in secret, although he dared
not do so openly. Others called him
doc, and that was simply calling to
the high strung young man. He was
daily hurt by covert or open sneers.
Even children ridiculed him end his new
title.
Could anything be more exasperating
than to have a crowd of ill-bred urchins
assemble in front of his poor, shabby
little office, while one of their number
sung out:
Doctor, doctor, kin you tell
What will make sick man welli
Grease his heels and tar his nose,
And that will do, l suppose.
The doctors Office was shabby little
affair, and he was quite too poor to make
it better. 1t had no carpet, no pictures,
nothing but a cheap desk, chair or two
and the few old but valuable books
which comprised the doctors library.
Appearances go good way toward
physicians success or failure, no matter
how greatly we may effect to underrate
them. lie should be well dressed. A
shabby man can never assume a digni-
fed appearance. His Office should be
neat and inviting 1t augurs i'll for the
amount of mans practice if his Office
is as shabby as poor Doctor Georges was.
If the young fellow could only have
had chance. But there were the
people sending ten miles to k, a
neighboring town, for DR.. Graves, who
could ride over in his carriage and count
their pulse-bea by magnificent gold
watch. His clothes were of the best and
tailor-made, aud lie had graduated from
the same college from which DR.. Georges
Il ls,,l,N la1 Il, f,N l.. l-fA
him a moderate fortune and he could be-
gin his career in q manner becoming a
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 DR.. Graves went
driving by day after day. Every few
days the disturbed and detected young
doctor heard rumors of a rival coming to
Sharon, and the village paper openly
published in Its columns that can ex-.
perienced and competent physician will
do well to locate in Sharon"
After that Doctor George thought he
would really have to seek a new field of
labor, ana in DEEPEST dependency he
feared that he had perhaps relied too
lhANlA Ol NllO IlOlllAoG Nllul lldl bO lOuS
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 the end" he
said but the end seemed so far away.
He would be only ''old 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 drunken and
depraved father were visited upon the
head of a son who was deserving of the
worlds honor and esteem. He had risen
above them into the beauty and glory of
a pure and noble manhood. Through
shame and sorrow, discouragement and
poverty, he had struggled up to higher
and better life, and vet the good peo-
pie of Sharon daily made him look back
ward to the life he had left. And no
friendly hand was stretched forth to help
him onward.
''It is really surprising TO see the as
surance old Joe IliXson's SON displays"
said Mrs. Colonel Giddings the wealth.
est woman in Sharon, ''with his anteced-
ents, to set himself up for our physician.
During six months DR.. George had
but two patients. One Of them was q
boy who had cut his finger badly, and
the other was a 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 in his
heart. The people of Sharon were de-
termined to ignore him. He could not
succeed there. He need not be cold Joe
HiXson's SON. among strangers. 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 shall go away
from here to something better than l
have dared hope for "
So he made ready togo. 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 0Oinu amOnO total