The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-10
A DOCTORS STORY.

I mcG Laura dt d CHARITY utili IL hdS d
case of love at first sight on my part, and
l got introduced.
"Dr. Sprigge-Miss Laura Wyatt" The
introduction was made in an instant. We
had one waltz, only one, which we danced
from start to finish; and then. when that
| glorious waltz was over, we both felt as
though we had known and loved each
other all our lives.
How l managed it don't exactly know,
| but did manage it. / succeeded in getting
introduced to old Mr.. Wyatt, Laura s
papa. / danced several other dances with
Laura, and at the end of those dances
vowed her the one thing undefled
! That lived and breathed in this world Of sin:
| The purest, tenderest, truest child
That man ever trusted in.
You may say that it did not take me long
to arrive at this conclusion. 1t did not
take me long, simply because 1 am man
of great mental promptitude, and have
grown accustomed to arrive rapidly at a
correct diagnosis. You have to arrive at a
rapid diagnosis when you see a hundred
and twenty patients in three hours, which
l had been in the habit of doing as assist
ant physician to ST. Skinflint's.
| fancy l made a rather favorable i'm
preston on old Wyatt. | had cultivated a
good professional manner. Some people
say that in my profession manner is every
thing. was what may be termed extra
professional-your young consulting physi-
clan always is. l had the etiquette and
the ethics Of the profession at my fingers
ends, and at that time honestly felt that
if it had not been for my peculiarly pre-
possessing appearance, and the fact that
was deficient in the physicians crown of
glory q mean bald head) a large and
lucrative practice must be mine eventually;
and till the night / saw Laura was abso-
lutely devoted to the profession of medi-
cine, and | longed-I actually ionged-for
that bald head and the accompanying
large and lucrative practice.
| called, and | was very favorably re-
ceived. Mr.. Wyatt asked me to dinner;
and he made very favorable impression
!, upon me, and he gave me very good din
ner; and the interest the old gentleman
took in medicine was something wonder
full. Old Wyatt lived in a very large house,
in thoroughly respectable style - butler
who looked like an archdeacon and two
parlor maids.
Well, | was very much in love with
Laura Gt was fifteen years ago. and l am
as much in love with her now as I was
them. proposed for Laura in form; and
then 1 had to confess to old Wyatt that
had only six thousand pounds of my own
left. had got through four thousand of
my original ten in the rent of consulting
room, the hire of a brougham, and the
usual taxes to which the young consultant
is subjected. l told old Wyatt fatty that
l did not want his money; it was his
daughter | wanted and not his ducats.
This statement was absolutely genuine, for
| was very much in love. l explained to
Mr.. Wyatt that by the time the rest of the
ten thousand was gone might honestly
expect to be in receipt of the magnificent
professional income of five hundred year.
Then old Mr.. Wyatt threw himself back
in his chair and laughed aloud. Thought
he would never leave off laughing. | re-
monstrated with him upon his heartless
conduct
my dear fellow" he said, II can't help
it; it's too ridiculous. You deliberately
throw away 10000 and the best years of
your life for the sake of possible income
of five hundred a year. Now, DR.. Sprigge, l
will not attempt to conceal from you that
my daughter is much attached to you. You
are young, you are enthusiastic, you are
ready to sacrifice everything for your pro-
fession. Now, the question is: Are you
ready to sacrifice your profession for my
daughter? | am bit of doctor myself"
he said with a curious chuckle, "and Pve
great respect for doctors, but there are
reasons-good and substantial reasons
why my daughter could never marry a
medical man, or, rather, to be more accu-
rate, there are reasons why no medical
man could marry my daughter"
What could he mean? 1t was most
mysterious statement.
MY dear sir" said, eff threw up my
profession for your daughters sake, we
should not have enough to live on; &c, 900
would not last very long"
You need not trouble yourself about
that" said Mr.. Wyatt, 81 am fairly we'll
off. l should be prepared to give you a
share in my business-it's a very good
business-and I'm very fond of my daugh-
ter Laura, and she is my only child, you
know. Don't be alarmed" said Mr.
Wyatt, Il shouldn't want your money. l
should only want your assistance in devel-
oping my business / could give you a
salary, if you hked-say, couple of thou
sand year; or, as | said before, you could
have a share in the business"
But am not business man" remon-
strated; besides, l know nothing what
ever of the nature OF the business" add
ed, for / was altogether puzzled
you will not betray my confidencee"
said Mr.. Wyatt, with an air of mystery;
''of course you won't Well I'm bene-
factor of the human race. Did you ever
hear of Bumstead's Infallible TinctureP !
ma iaI RI I i
daughter by second marriage-this will
give you all the necessary particulars" he
said, as he thrust little pamphlet into my
hands. III come back for your answer
in a few minutes" Then he left me, and
the room began to turn round and round.
OF course had heard of Bumstead's In
fallible Tncture-who HASN'T Who has
not read the we'll known advertisement be-
ginning:
Have you got cold in the head' Try Bum
stead"
Do you suffer from Indigestion Try Bum
stead
Is old age creeping upon you? Try Bum
stead
And so on for a whole column. Had not
been continually irritated by my patients
at the hospital telling me that they had
tried "Bumstead" before they tried me,
Was not "Bumstead" familiar in their
mouths as a household words And ny
Laura's father had married the widow Of
euack-he was a quack himself And
suffered sgonies as / remembered that
Laura was quaek's daughter. The idea
was horrible one
| resd the little book. There were hun
dreds of testimonials, according 70 which
"Bumstea6's TincTure" was infallible. The
testimonials were from all sorts and con-
ditions of men They were evidently per
fectly genuine, for they attached their