The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-03-03

Mr.. Lamps0li, l 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 al
most failed him.
Old Enoch had truthfully said:
Doctor George will have hard
row to dig"
He had, indeed. The name of Hixson
was in bad repute in and around Sharon.
The people were prejudiced against
could not but admit that his own char
acter was above reproach. They had
known him from his baby-days up, and
it did not "seem natural to call him
Doctor" Hixson: .a.Dd he was proud
of that hard.earned title.
Those who used it at all called him
Doctor George" that took away half
the dignity for him, and was familiar
| ity he resented in secret, although he
dared not do so openly. Others called
him Doc.," and that was simply gall
ing to the high-strung young man. He
was daily hurt by covert or open sneers.
Even the children ridiculed him and his
new title.
Could anything be more exasperating
than to have q crowd of ill-bred urchins
assemble in front of his poor, shabby
little office, while one of their number
sang out:
Doctor, DOCTOR kin you tell
| What will make sick man well?
| Grease his heels and tar his nose,
| And that will do, suppose"
The DOCTORS office was such shabby
little affair, and he was quite too poor
to make it better. 1t had no carpet, no
pictures, nothing but a cheap desk, a
chair or two, and the few old, but valu-
able, books which comprised the doc
tors library.
Appearances 90 a good ways toward
physicians success or failure, no mat
ter how greatly we may affect to under
rate them.
He should be well-dressed. A shabby
man can never assume very dignifed
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 peo-
pie sending ten miles to K, neigh
boring town, for DR.. Graves, who could
ride over in his carriage and count
their pulse-beats bv magnificent cold
watch. His clothes were of the best
and tailor-made, and he had graduated
from the same college from which Doc
tor Georges diploma had come.
His father had left him a moderate
fortune, and he could begin his career
in a manner becoming a physician.
And then George had to sit in his
drearv office. in his fraved and patched
garments. waiting for the patients that
would not come, while DIR. Graves went
driving bv day after day.
Every few DAYS the disturbed and de-
iected young doctor heard rumors of a
rival coming to Sharon. and the VILLAGE
paper openly published in its columns
that can experienced and competent
physician will do well to locate in
Sharon
After that Doctor GEORGE thoupbt he
would really have TO seek new field of
labor. and in the deepest despondencv
he feared that he had nerbans 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.
al will not fail thee. nor forsake
thee ),
at will all come right in the end.n
he said. but the end seemed so far away.
He would be only cold Joe Hixson's
son y to these neople all the davs of
his life. There was no end to that
shame and sorrow. The sins of a
drunken and depraved father were Wis
tied upon the head of a son who was
deserving of the worlds honor and es-