Thomas County cat., 1889-09-12

Midas Contango was. in her patroniz-
ing and yet solicitous manner. bowing
me out l had almost reached the
door, hat in hand, when Mrs. CONTAIN
go said, with some effort: doctor.
you know we have the utmost conf
dence in you; we carry out your in
structions to the letter; but our dear
| child
Eyes. madam; only you will persist
in treating her, if l may be pardoned
the simile, too much after the manner
of a tropical orchid, instead of regard
ing her as beautiful plant of En-
glish growth"
"Well, you may be right, doctor;
but we are SO very anxious, Mr.. Con-
tango and myself-you see Muriel is
our only child. our sole hope. Now
would you mind our asking the opinion
of famous specialist as to the case?"
Nothing would be better or more
proper. Pray, whom would you like.
and when may we arrange, contingent
| on his being able to come, to have him
here?"
Mrs Midas Contango mentioned the
name of very fashionable and ex-
pensive London physician with con-
sultative practice confined almost en-
tirely to the houses of those who had
been presented at court. He was GER
| tainly not the man / should have
chosen. for the faculty rather smiled at
| his pretensions to pre-eminent skill,
and his reputation was far more that
of the drawing-room than professional.
! However, l, humble if conscientious
practitioner. could not afford, had so
desired. to decline to NEE. him. and l
consented to facilitate arrangements
| for an interview at the great man S
| convenience.
The fashionable physician drew up
in his imposing equipage at the door
of Mount Aureo half an hour behind
the time appointed, was introduced to
his patient, making the while profuse
apologies for having been unavoidably
detained by a critical case-that of the
Duke of DeerwOod-tO whose house in
Mayfair he had been summoned by the
Duchess request to give his opinion as
to the treatment adopted by the at
tendant medical gentleman.
What said the society exquisite
for such the celebrity certainly was
"whatr' exclaimed he. in grandilo-
quent tones, striking a theatrical atti-
tude, lis it that fine young lady we are
to consult about? That superb girl, in
such perfect condition! Come, madam,
confess that you are only making fun
of u.s."
WELL" replied Mrs. Contango, i'm
pressed, as she was meant to be, by
the Importance of the pompous per-
sonage who was addressing her, II
admit appearances are in my daugh-
ter's favor, and l hope that you may
be able to assure us that her condition
is not serious; but she is always losing
her voice-always coughing-and if
we were not to take care A flood
of tears drowned the rest of the sem
| tence.
But" airily remarked the famous
doctor. "my dear madam, why dis
tress yourself? All may be well. Let
me hear from this gentleman, your
family attendant, the symptoms as he
has interpreted them"
l gave the history of the case in
few words.
.Well, we'll; there seems to be moth
| ing serious; but we must examine the
chest with the utm ost exactness to de-
eide that"
Pardon me-" Interrupts mamma,
"but will you allow me to remain in
the room?"
"Of course. madam" responded
the favorite of fortune You have
sacred right to stop here. Pray, sit
| down" And then he directed me to
| commence the examination. l per-
cussed with minute carefulness every
| part of the thoraX. and, as before,
could really find nothing abnormal
There; you perceive that l have
| tested with eXactness, and the resO-
nance is everywhere perfect" l
made the remark as a mere matter of
form, for l had not failed to note that
the very superior West End practition-
er had not condescended to pay the
slightest attention to my proceedings,
but was talking in low tones to Mrs.
Midas ContangO all the time.
"Ah, well. now it is my turn" said
he. and with the most delicately i'm
pressive care placed Miss Muriel
again in position; not, as had done,
with the arms crossed on the chest.
but stiffiy extended. In place of tell
ing her to count thirteen to SIXTEEN"
he gave her book and directed her to
read a dozen lines. and then to sing
the gamut, an octave and half. The
mother was watching all this in ad-
miration and devouring every detail.
"Ah! humph!" said the oracle; lit
seems there is something ex-
| tremely difficult to differentiate Let