Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-12-04

Tom Howder had been a sport, but GER
tain very questionable practices had gain
ed for him the ennity Of the sporting fra
ternity So Tom cast about him for a
means Aof livlihood and found it in the
police court. For while as shyster at
torney Tom did pretty well, but upon ap
pealing one of his cases to the county
court was disbarred by the judge on the
very proper grounds that the valiant Tom
had never been admitted to practice.
Being wholly ignorant of law, and becom-
ing the butt of ridicule around the court
house, he in disgust retired from the legal
profession. A newly settled part of the
country was attracting to it men ready and
willing to try their fortunes afresh and
among the rest went our hero. On the
journey thither Tom made the acquaint
ance of a young man who had just receiv-
ed his sheepskin from a medical college.
From the youthful NJ. D. he gained or
rather imagined he had gained a great
fund of information upon diseases and
their cures, heard with intense interest his
fellow Travellers accounts OF surgical OPP
erations, viewed with eager eyes the little
pocket cases of yiais and examined with
delight the instruments. At one of the
stopping places on the road Tom induced
the disciple of -f.scalapius to shorten the
weary hours by indulgence in a game of
draw. The ex-sport improved his oppor
tunity and before the time for resuming
their travels, was not only possessed of all
of the Medico's cash but also his little yials,
instruments and couple of goodly sized
books. Booty, crest fallen and stubborn
the young graduate refused to proceed
farther. but on his way rejoicing went the
plundercr with his booty 4 new town
was reached, i'll which as yetno M. d. had
hung out his single. Here was his chance,
and acting upon the idea. an unpretentious
room was rented and to the door frame
tor Tom Howder. 1t was a healthy. very
healthy locality and during the first month
no patient applied for consultation or re-
lief. Much disappointed and diseorrag-
ed he was about to abandon his newly ac-
quired profession, when one day a dust
covered rider dismounted from foam
aecked horse and enquired for the doctor.
In reply to enquiries as to what was the
matter, the man told of sufferer upon
whom !; tree had fallen. With every APP
pliance he could think of together with
his full stock of medicines and surgical in
struments off started Tom and his conduc-
or for the woods. twelve miles away. It
was broken leg, a compound fracture
and at first the pseudo practitioner was puz-
lied. Looking wise and very serious he
called together the sufferers friends and
with regretful gravity informed them the
mans leg must come off in order to save
MS life,
How the operation was ever performed
30 successfully by the heartless and igno-
ant rascal it would be difficult to conceive,
out though minus a leg, the man recover
ID, and this is what Hewder wrote to an
Dear Jina:-I had most give up for
,ad job when d fellow came around. took
ne out in the woods to man with q leg
'roke. cut off his leg, got fifty dollars,
would cut off his durn head for twenty
i've. Yours,
Tow HowDER.
At Maiden
A gentleman just in from Maiden SAYS
hat camp shows signs of returning life.