Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-12-01
A Doctors Inheritance.

Two gentlemen, both past middle
AGE. were seated beside glowing
CRATE fire, chatting as old friends will
who have met after long separation.
The hour was late, nearly midnight,
but no sign of WEAKNESS was on ell
Their face. The room was library,
with we'll filed bookcases on all sides,
a large business-like table IN the cen
ter, and deeply cushioned chairs scat
tered about. One bookcase contain
ed only smedical works in substantial
bindings and with marks of service
plainly visible.
DR.. Thornton, host, and owner of
the handsome house in which the room
was situated, was man past forty,
with iron gray hair, strongly marked
features, tall, erect figure, and an
expression at once kindly and reso-
Lutte. You read prompt decision in
his dark blue eyes and sympathy in
the pleasant smile that often crossed
his lips.
His companion, heavily bearded
and bronzed by travel, was a far
handsomer man, but with weaker
| face.
cat last he said, stretching him.
self lazily in his deep armchair, Il
find you alone and disengaged. Give
me permission to stuff a towel into
that obtrusive office bell of yours, SO
that no whining woman or squalllng
hrat nan summon you away and make
mo vrsh NC uOHe, ION. MAKE the
most of me now, for the claims of
the whining women and squalling
brats can not be deniedl'
''You know what I want to hear
left you twelve years ago poor
man with a struggling, almost wholly
gratuitous practice, sworn bachelor
and almost a hermit outside your pro-
fessional duties. find you wealthy,
with charming wife, and a popular
member of society, land yet your prac
tice is, as before, almost entirely
among those who could not free you
if they would. From what relative,
unknown to me, your own cousin, did
you inherit your fortune?"
"Did it ever occur to you that
there is romance in real life all about
US, Tom, quite as improbable as
that found upon the shelves of the
circulating library? My experience
will convince you that | speak with
authority. Twelve years ago we
are getting old, Toni was, as you
say, poor man, studying hard, liv-
ing in a stuffy house in poor neigh
borhood, hoping for better times,
more profitable practice, and fuller
purse. / was bachelor because
could only offer poverty to wife;
hermit because my studies were en-
crossing. In my small house | kept
one old woman servant who cooked
for me, and kept things tidy. Hav-
ing no carriage / needed no boy, for
Martha could write, and | had a much
larger Office practice than that out
side.
cit was late, one bitter night in
january, >~l.e.> was reused by the
office bell and the sound Of excited
voices under the window Fastening /
down, found several men carrying
upon shutter the unconscious pa
tent 1 was to aid, if possible.
'''An old man, sir, knocked down
by runaway horses and run over,
said one of the party, as they gently
ed their burden upon a sofa.
Badly hurted, I'm thinking, doctor,
but not dead p
GLADLY hurt, indeed, found him,
and my examination convinced me
that any further motion would result
fatally. Keep him must, or risk
his life by removal to hospital.
With the assistance of two of the men
[ undressed him and put him into my
own bed, noticing that he wore no
coat.
g Somebody took it off, they told
ne, and apparently somebody kept
t, as it never appeared again. In
The trousers pockets were only some
,rifiing articles, bunch Of keys and
| handkerchief, but nothing to give
my clew to the identity of my patient
Ind unlimited guest.
81 will not enter into the details of
he injuries that excited my interest
IS a physician and surgeon, as much
IS they called for my sympathy as a
nan. There were complications in
he. case that called upon all my skill
md knowledge, and the patient en-
urance of great suffering made me
aspect my unfortunate guest from
he first.
SIT was nearly a fortnight before
e recovered from the brain injury t
to speak distinctly. When {
be sufferer could speak he told me 4
hat his name was Fanshawe, but said 9
othing more of himself and | sup a
osed him unwilling to confess to $
overly and the inability 10 pay me
Dr. my services.
81 do not take much credit to N.Y.
elf for my hospitality or devotion, !
ecause / was so deeply interested in
lie case professionally considered, ;,
lat / would have lived on bread and :
alter rather than have it taken out ;,
{ my hands. =
GAS he became stronger, my pa :
ent became my friend, and interest ;,
] i l. I. 49,,