Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-01-17
HIS FIRST CASE.
A DOCTORS STORY.

most exquisite beauty, and icicles of crys-
tai dependent from the caves of my
house. The trees were so covered with
fairy frostwork tha: when thc sun shono
the eyes were ,lazzlcd, while the mind
was-no, ought to haze been, filled with
wonder
say ought to have been, for mine was
not. In fact, was too ill-tcmnercd at
that time, and the mere ii frozc the worse
my temper grew. walked up and
down my little surgery to keep myself
warm, and abused everythin" and every
body, myself worst of ALL
abused Long Pogis for bc;nr the
prctticst and hcalthicst place that was
ever situated twenty miles from a town
and railway station, and called myself an
idiot lor buying practice in so out of
thc-way spot, and thinking that |, u
young doctor, would he sure TO get on.
But had not ''got on. " for had been
there year, and So far had found that
my practice really was TO practise patti
ehcc, Tor 10 one would give me chance
IN medicine. Not but that there were
plenty of people about; the trouble was
that either they would not be i'll, or,
when they We're i'll, they would go to old
Doctor Robson ut funston, twcyty miles
away, when they might have come to me
and been cured for half the money.
was rot what is commonly called
"hard up" for had enough money left
to last me, with economy, for another
year; but was sick and tired of the fer
ribie inaction, and of being pitied, or
laughed at, or treated With contemnt as
the new doctor.
lii such Il frame of mind 7 ouc-bt to
have sensibly set to work to heal mvsclf
by prescribing exercise and fresh air
and forced myself to go out. instead of
sitting indoors studying, and fearing to
leave home III case that long-expccted
patient should come, as come he would.
1 was sure, directly went out.
L walked to the fire and poked il that
frosty day, and then l walked TO the
window, rubbed away little of the
ierny ice pattern, and looked out.
Two ruddy-faccd young fellows and
three merry-Iooking girls, evidently
their sisters, were walking sharply by,
with the frozen snow crcaking and
crinching under their feet as each swung
a pair of glistcning skates dependent
from the wrist
son skating" I said aloud. and n
thrill of pleasure shot through me.
Weii, why not: had ~ splendid pair
oil nearly new skates, which had been
ground and oiled before they were put
away two seasons before. The ice was
perfectly safe, the sun shone, the skv
was blue. In imagination I began TO
glow and feel the blood throbbinr in
my veins as l heard the hollow. metallic
ring of the black ice, and saw the nuirs
OF white dust fly at every stroke of nv
steel blades as sped along.
"Ihey re going up to the big sheet Of
water on the way to the hall. Lord John
is IN town, and the ballff has given them
leave. Hinrrah. I'll be "A boy again for
day, and skate rs used to skate. Itr
do me good, and"
a second thought struck me. and l
threw myself in my chair with my fore
head all in lines, for | caught climpsc
of it in the glass
'Sclf-dcnial, John Russellr' 1 said
"Alaster yourself, for so sure as YOU 90
skating somebody will come and want
you. Stop at home and study up. ready
Tor the patient who will coma. Your
surgcry's weak yet.
"Of course it is" I roarci, anprily.
asii IN answer to somebody who had
spoken. $50 would yours lie if YOU had
no practice."
jumped up and went to the window
again, for party of Young men wcr,
going by, talking and laughing, and all
carrying the skates but one, who had a
gun.
AS 1 reached the window I shrank
back, and felt the blood tingle in nv
checks, for one tall young fellow, whom
recognized as gentleman turner's son.
looked at my house and said sometime
to his companions, at which they all
laughed.
"Ah me-" said to myself. "They
are pitying the poor doctor, when, per
haps, that fellow with the gun will shoot
himself, or half 2 dozen of them will po
IN and be half drowned, or-who's that
they're talking to in the cllaise? Oh, Old
Morton, the veterinary surgeon. PITY I
was not brought UP vet Plenty of
horses, cows. pigs and sheep want doc
torlng, but no people"
The skaters went on, and took down
book which, off and on, l studied all
day, going deeply into the construction
OF joints and their muscles, and oucs.
tioning myself how should proceed if at
any time was called in to attend a pa.
tient with sprained ankle, knee, wrist.
elbow, or dislocated limb.
Just as L resumed my seat after lunch
the skaters came back, evidently to their
own dinners, and just then Mrs. Dinton
came in to clear away.
81 knowed it would be, SIR" she said.
"The pump--it's froze hard."
"Restore its circulation with kettle
of boiling water, Mrs. Dinton," said,