The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-03-10
MY FIRST PATIENT.


Translated from the German for the Intelligenger.
l had been IN my new home only q
week. One week, short time, and yet
1t seemed to me an endless circle OF days,
for almost every one Of them had brought
to me the dreams and hopes Of a whole
lifetime. For week the white porcelain
sign, which served to point out the office
OF sphysician, had been glistsnipE on the
front door Of my cosy quarters. For o
week my reception room and private
office, with their modest tinted curtains
and STRAIGHTFORWARD chairs, had been
waiting for the patients who would surely
come to seek the help and advice OF DR..
Mex Echardt.
That my ofics remained empty during
these frat days. did not cause me to
wonder, for, 90 l said 10 myself consoling.
~, the neighborhood mus! first learn that
they can get Just % good medical advice
here as anywhere; when IshAll have hap
PLY discharged my frat patient perfectly
cured, then will affairs have an entirely
different view. Then, when my growing
reputation shall have spread through the
reighborhood, and nearly through the
whole city, an account OF the rush Of pa
TENTS TO my office, Gs well az the frequent
appearance Of my neat little coupe drawn
by dark brown span Of horses and
driven by genteel coachman in hand.
come livery through the principal streets,
yes then -. So was l always brought
TO the one thought tina! was most con.
stantly In my heart, the thought OF dear
little Couein Marie, who surely would be
the niCest and dearest doctors wife that
one could imagine.
1 loved my beautiful blonde little
cousin. Az boy rendered Der all the
chivalrous services which had been re-
quired at times in the house and garden
from the stronger playmate; ns q sopho-
moro lad I dedicated to her my first poem !;
and SO a young man had I nearly ruined
my voice, Just then changing to baritone,
by singing necessarily tho beautiful Al
pine song, "The Flaxsn Haired Maiden"
When l came home after successfully
passing my first examination, than the
happy student discovered that the faxen
haired maiden loved him as devo.edly IS
he had long loved her, though neither
one spoke OF the tender emotion that both
felt SO deeply. The University course
passed by; when l worked the hardest,
and when l undertook the most severe
ordeal Of all, the States examination, the
loving eyes OF Marie seemed TO cheer me
with their bright glance, and she herself
seemed always present In my work and
worry, taking the deepest interest in the
happy aucCess Of all my endesvors. Ard
when my dear little cousin, greeting the
Homecoming student, softly said: doctor
Echardt," l looked deep into the loving
eyes and said still more softly, Mrs. Doc
tor EchArdt," and bright flush spread
over her happy face, 90 Bhe drew herself
away in pretty confusion.
l had an occasional opportunity, in the
next lew days, to tell Marie Of all the cas-
tles in the air that the young doctor found
so much time to build in his empty office
during his idle hours; but OF the one
dream regarding the prospective doctors
wife none dared TO speak there was q
warming glance in the blue eyes Of my
darling that checked the words, even
when they seemed trembling on my lips
had no cause TO suspect that the love Of
Marie did not belong to me unconditiou-
ally, nor did It seem as II a particle OF
doubt IS to my future success lurked in
her loving glance, and yet my pride in
duced me to remain silent and to await
the time when proof OF my own unalded
skill should call forth the fullest Rpprobs.
ton and unlimited confidence OF Marie in
my success as physician. s
Absorbed in all theso Thoughts, now
sat in my office on the evening OF this
gloomy November day, and suddenly
heard the soft knocking OF some one who
wanted in. l sprang up to open the door,
in the place Of my office boy whom l had
sent on an GRAND.
confess that during the few steps had
to make, q food Of strange thoughts over
whelmed me. A caller demanded my
help; It surely meant some high ranked
patient, handsome fee, renown-ah, l
hRd already gained my prize, my bride.
opened the door. In the half dark
ness Of the twilight stood before me 8
poorly Glad woman. Gut Of the haggard
iacs, blGokened with coal dust, pair OF
large, dark eyes looked at me bsseeching.
ly. Doctor" spoke the woman in q
trembling voice, doctor, please be kind
enough to 90 with me; my little Mario is
so sick.P
The name made up for the unplsasantlm-
preston which the poor appearance Of the
woman had caused as being In such bad
accord with my thoughts as opened the
door. "Who are your" "Who sent you
to mel" asked. mo one sent me"
spoke the woman quickly and softly. "Oh,
Doctor, excuse me; have been carrying
coal since morning into houBe near by /;
live In the court yard across the way.
The child has been sick since yesterday,
and this evening / found her 90 much
wotse that ] hurried on to you right
away"
fingered; the dlsenChantment was too
great.
The woman brushed her blackened hand
scross her face, which already showed fur
rows from the flowing tears.
az ehould have gone 10 the poor doc
tor" she sobbed YEARLY, shut your boy,
Doctor, iB the SON Of the cobbler in our
court, and he has told all the people that
you were such q good gentleman OBJ
please help my little girl"
Now, indeed, the woman should be
helped; after all, one is only human, and
truly humane ia he, who has learned to
do his duty. So went out with her, Of.
ter / had placed In my pockets, with 8
pomposIty that really surprised me, some
OF the necessary Instruments OF doctor.
Over the street, back In the large court
behind one Of the leaning rows oil houses,
up Eve stairWsys, each one darker and
sleeper than the Last, through badly
fitting door, into little room, with q
slsuhng calling and very small window
there lay on q poorly but cleanly furnish.
ed large bed q fourteen months old child
with ieVsr-burnt body and wandering
dull eyes. 80,
The woman knelt beside the bed. "sht
does not know me any morel" abe moan
The child coughed hoarselyi It was {
croupous cough Of the worst kind.
tore q Leaf out Of my book and wrote my