Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-11-05
STORY OF DIR. HOFF

About forty years ago, before the
Great Western railway, now the Grand
Trunk, was completed, while workmen
were busy turning the sods, delving and
piling the virgin soil to receive the iron
rails and their upholding sleepers, where
on the noisy steam monsters which were
to supersede the slow going stage
coaches were to wend their smoky way,
there lived on the confines of steep and
picturesque gorge over which surveyors
plans designed the railway to pass, a cer-
tain individual whom we will call Dr.
Hoff.
1t was a beautiful spot, the home OF
this medico of long ago. Perched up on
the hillside, surrounded by forest trees,
save where the hand of man had made q
clearing; backed by moss covered bowld-
ers, relics of day when noble lake.
which might be seen from an eminence,
had surged and tossed it's uneasy, foam
flecked breast far beyond its present
boundaries in stormy weather, or slept
in painted azure estfulness under sum-
mer suns. The home of DR.. Hoff was
indeed spot calculated to draw forth
mans best feelings to great Creator
Far below, at the foot of the tree lined
gorge, a brook trinkled and murmured
over its stony bed in the dense shade of
the forest kings, here and there break
ing from their leafy shadows to revel in
the sunlight which forced its way where
some great monarch had fallen either
through old age or the fury Of the storm,
for the ak of the woodman had not then
violated that exquisite corner of crea.
ton.
There in the bosky shade the brook
rippled along, trout and minnow sport.
ing unmolested. Wild birds quenched
their thirst and bathed in its shady
depths, while the timid deer stole through
the forest to drink of its cool waters.
Peace and silence reigned in the beauti-
full gorge, on the edge of which dwelt
the object of this simple sketch; peace
among Gods creatures; silence, save for
the song of birds, the harmony of the
breezes through the forest trees. But
peace and harmony do not seem to have
reigned in the home of the dweller on
the verge of that gorge, so beautiful. 80
idealized by nature
1t was stormy spirit which had taken
up abode i'll the dwelling on the summit.
DR. Hoff was passionate and quarrel
some People shook their heads and
spoke with pity of the sharer of his lot,
the delicate young bride he had brought
from far over the sea to bear the loneli-
ness and hardship of life in a new
country. She WAS talr to see, this young
English lady Of gt'.iie birth and rearing,
all fitted to rorgh it III company with the
passionate. high tempered man in whose
hands she had placed her life To be
sure the settlersin the vicinity We're glad
to obtain DR. Iloif's professional advice
and attendance Doctors were not as
frequently met with in those days as in
the present ones In sparsely settled
country districts a doctor was a real
godsend: his life was no sinreure either.
There were long distances TO 20 over
unbroken. rough roads, Fees were very
small. often hard to collect. professional
services were very frequently paid in
kind, not in money.
These facts frequently angered DR.
Hoff and raised up his passionate tenn
per.
II he worked he wanted his fees. that
was quite natural He did not wait
with patience. like SO many nf his pro
fesslonal contemporaries learned To wait.
until harvest--it might be more than one
harvest WAS in, until Tom tones colt
was sold or John Smiths steers were
yoke OF oxen until the brihdle cows
calf was helfer Of profitable age to sell.
No. be fretted and fumed., threatened