Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-09-18

"oo oDONO lCpIOdCu. IneJ nau KNOW
him from his baby days up, and it die
not ''seem natural" to call him DIR
Hixson. And he was SO proud of tha
hard-earned title.
Those who used it at all call him "Doc
tor George" that took away half thu
dignity for him, and was familiarity
he resented in secret, although he dared
not do so openly. Others called hin
doc" and that was simply calling t.
the high strung young man. He wai
daily hurt by covert or open sheers
Even children ridiculed him end his new
title.
Could anything be more exasperating
than to have crowd of ill-bred urchin,
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 well2
Grease his heels and tar his nose,
And that will do, l suppose.
The doctors Office was shabby littlt
affair, and he was quite too poor t o make
it better. 1t had no carpet, no pictures,
nothing but cheap desk, chair or twc
and the few old but valuable books
which comprised the doctors library
Appearances 60 good way toward q
physicians success or failure, no matter
how greatly we may effect to underrate
them. He should be well dressed. A
shabby man can never assume a djgni-
fed appearance. His Office should be
neat and inviting. 1t augurs ill 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 X, a
neighboring town, for DR.. Graves, who
could ride over in his carriage and count
their pulse-beats by magnificent gold
watch. His clothes were of the best and
tailor-made, and he had graduated from
the same college from which DR.. Georges
diploma had come. His father had left
him moderate fortune and he could be.
gin his career in 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 DIR. Graves went
driving by day after day. Every few
days the disturbed and detected young
doctor heard rumors Of 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
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. "
''lt will all come right in the end" he
said; but the end seemed so far away.
He would be only cold Joe Hixsons
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
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 Hixson's som 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 a
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
But at last he made up his mind to 90
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!
''Thcy 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 |
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 going among total
strangers. But his poor little trunk was
packed, and he had gone around saving
good bye to the few friends who cared
to say goodbye to him. He intended
going on Tuesday.
On Monday afternoon little tow
headed boy met him on the street.
''Say, you, Doctor George" he said
"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 doctors veins
But the next moment he laughed.
ooh! well, it don't matter, he said;
'Ill go. 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 DR..
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.
81 don't believe it," said Tommy's
mother, sharply; II don't believe you
know smallpox from the measles. I'll
send for DR.. Graves right off,"
every well, madame, said DR.. George,
politely bowing himself out
But late that evening Toms mother
pann crvincr IN Dr Gaornn