The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-04-14
A True Story in Real Life.
is LIFE WORTH LIVING :?

This question has been asked so
often, that it has been worn thread
bare Still its application is as peril
nent, as when it was 6rst uttered.
At one time in my life / determin-
ed to pursue the study of medicine.
Circumstances compelled me to
abandon it as a profession, still 1
had more or less practice among per
sonal friends, sufficient to keep up
my interest in it.
One day received visit from an
old friend, the Captain of a coasting
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?n
"Nol7 he replied shortly, "at least
/ don't think you can, and ! have
pretty good reasons for thinking So"
felt hurt for moment, and
rather angrily replied, "well, I don't
haye to-"
"Of course you don't, = he respond
ed, 'but it is an Internal shame, and
it makes me mad all through, when
| think Of the way that I have been
bled by lot of frauds, that call
themselves doctors
Then he continued rapidly, "you
know that boy of mine ?" nodded.
"Well, he has been serious tax
upon me for years, not that / be-
grudge him anything that he has
cost me, but l do curse, every time
think of the hundreds of dollars,
earned in the hardest manner, dis
appearing into the pockets of men
who promised much, only TO do
the worst kind of damage in the
end"
"Now, have the cheerful pros
pect Of having an undertaker's bill
to pay, besides losing my boy" But
he added savagely, 81 have spent
the last dollar, that l ever will for
medicine, and, as he has to die, the
quicker the better"
"You have no right to talk in that
way, Captain" said l severely.
"As long as your boy lives, it is your
duty TO do everything in your pow
er to aid him."
"And haven't T?" was his re-
sponse "what is the use of your
talking, you know just as much
about curing him as the rest ofthem
although" "he added, 81 believe you
have a conscience; the rest that /
have had dealings with, don't pan
out so well in that respect" II tell
you," he continued shat boy is
doomed he will go just like his
mother did, and the doctors can
write down in their books of failures,
'one more death from consumption,
a disease we know nothing about ,
He relapsed into moody silence.
At last said, "is your boy very
low Captain ?"
"He can just crawl around" was
his response, "and what makes the
matter worse for me, is the pitful
way in which he asks me to try and
do something for him. However,
he will be here after awhile, and /
want you as a friend of mine, to tell
me to the best of your knowledge,
how long you think he is going to
last, so that | can make my calcula-
tions.n
While he was talking, saw the
boy approaching, and just as he
iytcpped into my Office painting and
e'ping, from his exertion in walk
,. 1ers 1-.ISs sid to myself asAe grip of
.ho ing' so7'-'s,. y, asslsed on Won
'"o death is too firniify assllEll.
to be ever shaken off," After eTi
oil ing him, at his fathers request, /
ar amined him and found him in
beef condition that l shall describe
cen had evidently inherited consul
nip ton from his mother; broncI
hen tubes much thickened, so much
lme as to make the operation of bre,
reat ing extremely difficult and pain
ows Chest cavity much contracted;
pro- cultation and percussiun showed
at tensive tuberculous deposits,
cavaties, especially in the left lob
:. the lungs; body much emancipf
and bloodless. In fact, unless
my mind) some miraculous in
vention occurred to stay the
gress of the disease, the nat