Daily Republican., 1888-04-03
a TRUE STORY IN REAL LIFE
rs LIFE WORTH LIVING.

This question has been asked &
D loften that 1t has been worn thread
bare. Still It's application is as pertj
/. nent as when IL was first uttered.
AT one time in my life determine,
: to pursue the study of medicine. Cir
cumstances compelled me to band or
Il as profession, still had more OF
less practice among personal friends,
) sufficient to keep up my interest in il
one day received visit from an
old friend, the captain of a coas,ipp
steamer. He seemed much worried
and for time made his visit any.
thing but pleasant. At last said to
him, Captain, you seem troubled
about something, can aid you in any
way"
"Nol' he replied, shortly, "at least I
don't think you can, and have pretty
good reasons for thinking So"
fell hurt for moment, and rather
angrily replied, "Well, l don't have
to-"
"Ofoourse you don't" he respond.
ed, but II Is an internal shame. and
1t makes me mad all Though when l
think OF the way that have been bled
by lot of frauds that call themselves
DOCTORS"
Then he continued rapidly, "You
know that'boy of miner" | nodded
"Well, he has been serious tax
upon me for years, not that | be-
grudge him anything that he has cost
me, but do curse, every time think
OF the hundreds OF dollars, earned in
the hardest manner, disappearing into
the pockets of men who promised
much, only to do the worst kind OF
damage In the end"
Now have the cheerful prospect
oil having an undertaker's bill to pay,
besides losing my boy" But, be
added, sayagely, 81 have spent the
last dollar that ever will Tor modi
cine, and, as he has to die, the quicker
the better"
The father sent him to o restaurant
near by, and turning to mo he asked.
well, what is the verdictp'
l had been thinking rapidly, and as |
he spoke had made up my mind TO I
procedure, as regards the boy, that |
determined to follow out. In answer
to his question, | said, Captain. un /
less something is done for that boy,
you Will Jury him within a month"
well, what can be doneI' he said (
excltedly. "Do you want to try your
hand in experiments? Do you want !
some OF my money too9 Are YOU
going to sicken him to death with rot. /
ten cod liver oil, blister his skin with
plasters, drug him and rush him into !
his cofflnp"
Hold on, Captain" replied; ~
don't want your money, but / am 60
ing to try an experiment with YOUR
permission. 1t is a matter of duty,
and In his condition, can DO no harm,
II 1t does no good"
slow much is it going to cost?" he
asked. ~ don't know" was my re-
ply. "Whatever it is" he rejoined,
"will come out of your pocket, not
NINE" Don't bother yourself about
that" said l coldly. When the boy /
returned, he seemed more exhausted !,
than when he first entered my office,
and as his father handed him q chair
he said to his son, ''Del, the doctor
here thinks he can do you some good.
What do you say; do you want him to
tryP"
l shall never forget the look on the
boys face, and his words, and the I
heading OF this article came forclblyi
into my mind: as Life Worth Liv-
lngf" Evidently it was to him, as IL
is TO oil mankind, when tortured with
pain, with the clammy hand OF death
encircling their hroats, they struggle
In his relentless grasp, and cry out in
an agony of terror, "for Gods sake,
save me-"
"You have no right to talk in that
way, CAPTAIN" said | severely "As
long as your boy lives, it is your duty
I? do everything in your power to aid
And haven't II" was his responses;
what Is the use of your talking, youI
Know just as much about curing him :
as the rest of them; although" he
aided, 81 believe you have con-
science; the rest that l have had deal q
lngs with, don't pan out so well in
that respect" II tell you," he conf
linued, THAT boy is doomed; he will /
go just like his mother did. and the
ioctors con write down In their books /
'i failures, 'one more death from con 1
sumption, disease we know nothing
sbout."
lie relapsed into a moody silence. a
At last | said, sis your boy very low, 1
JaptainP"
"He can just crawl around" was
MS response, ''and what makes the
matter worse for me, is inc pltifuli
way in which he asks me to try and
10 something for him. However, he
Will be here after awhile, and want
you as friend OF mine, to tell me to
The best OF your knowledge, how long ft
you think he is going to last, so that / I
can make my calculations"
While he was talking. l saw the
Dow anDrOnnhinp and i,a, a. a. ~