St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-03-05
THE NEW DOCTOR,
BY TOM p. MORGAN.

real estate, loan, insurance AMI co lion
office and bachelor residence OF tie
speaker. awe are confronted by an
epoch. Heretofore it has been our policy
to welcome immigration with open arms,
so to speak, but now the time has ar
tived for the exercise OF discretion.
What do you think, Fanshaw?''
81 reckon" returned MIR. Hank Fan
shaw, sententiously.
"Thats So" assented Mr.. Ike Eos
dick. "The new doctor will have to
CO."
Messrs. Banning and Benson wagged
their heads in affirmation.
EXACTLY !" resumed the colonel
"While working for the advancement of
our city as whole, we must also con-
slider the best interests Of its citizens in
the abstract"
"Shorelyr' said Ike Fosdick, briskly.
can We'll stend by Harry. The new
doctor will have to CO."
"Mebby hell try to cut up rusty"
began Banning.
"Let him cut!' broke in Fosdick.
"We're able for him."
AS the ancient adage has it, two of
trade rarely agree. But it is rare indeed
that one Of any trade or profession is pos
sessed of partisans so prejudiced that
they will voluntarily take it upon them
selves to purge his path of professional
rivalry. Equally unprecedented was the
determination of these five prominent
citizens Of New Chicago-a settlement
/ fo ink h,lf
big with hope Of future greatness-to
deliberately deprive its census roll Of an
addition who might perhaps prove as
prominent as themselves and factor in
the. advancement Of the hamlet toward
that desideratum of all Western settle
ments-a boom. Then, too, it was little
short of amazing that Colonel Pride-a
self-oonvicted legislator in embryo
should coolly turn back an untested
conner in whom, for all he knew, night
be tho material Of which active par
tisans are made.
Conflicting representatives of other
professions would probably have been
left to settle their differences after the
good old fashion Of the Kilkenny cats, or
otherwise as they might elect. But now
thar the professional baltiwick of DR..
Harry Wakefield was trespassed upon
the matter was not one that concerned
the young physician alone, but his
friends as well. Should they stand
tamely by while an alien interloper was
cndeavoring to possess himself of the
position and practice rightfully belong
ing to DR.. Harry? They EN- phaticalIy
reckoned" not. DR.. Harry had "stood
by New Chicago in its direst need, anc
New Chicago, represented by Messrs
Pride, Fosdick, Fanshaw, Banning ant
Benson, would 'stand by" him.
Two years before had come the time o.
New Chicago's dire need. A poor wretch
in deadly terror of dying alone, ha'
drifted thither and thrown himself on thu
tender mercies of the settlement. H
had kept his CHASTITY secret we'll Thu
hamlet boosted no physician then, and i
was not till his malady manifested it
deadly nature so plainly that the TYR
could not doubt, that they knew it wa
smallpox.
Then it was too late for n~ccautionar,
measures to avail; the sce..s OF the pcs
thence had been sown broad $, througl
the settlement, Then .n url IL lit /
season Of chaos-when d>s ar le yl.ed
the eve of grim battle }a7 re tie prts
pect of which strong men c'rrrc t'r
little while and trembling mothers cluspe
close wondering children ii s-cA.-.y
with dread.
But inaction reigned but 9.cr u -!
while, and then the strong mr.l tErue
squarely toward the issue. They nou.l
tarily isolated the settlement from III
world around and begin the grin bat
with the pestilence.
Then had come to them young H;rr
Wakefield, new-fedged ga 'uute fro,
an Eastern medical college, w..o, Will
seeking location in the West for III
displaying of his maiden "shing'c," ha
heard of New Chicago's extremity an
hurried thither. What he lacked in eN
perence he made up in will. The SET
Element tooA heart, and presently tn
pestllence was conquered, but not unit
it had claimed for its prey more than on
poor soul And from thcnceforth Ne
Chicago called Harry Wakefield blessed
and his fame soon extended all over til
adjacent county, and sometimes who]
days ride was necessary to bring him
more remote patient.
And now there had come an alien ii
tent upon trespassing upon DR.. Harry
, professional preserves. They knew Ii
tie about the new-comer, and cared eve
less. The rising sun of the mornin
: upon which tie conference was held
, | al Ia'o &c, hol Oh %ha,
, nailed to the door frame Of modest co
tage, this sign: ~. L. Ransom, MD
And that told them all they desired 1
know. So far as they had known, II
only corners to the settlement within tt
last few days had been young wome
3 and an older one-mother and daught
they believed-and it had been rumors
r that they were to occupy alone the CO
tage which now displayed the offensi
ign. No man had thus far been SEE
about the cottage. 1t was now suppos'
d +, that the new doctor had arrived duril
the night and at once thrust out his sig
The women were probably his moth
and sister. Further than this the prom
nent citizens neither knew nor cared.
q new doctor was there.
;. can the new doctor must go!" sa
: Fosdick.
And the others agreed with him. t
> women could stay or go, as they mig
d elect. Ike Fosdick was for turning t
}, doctor out headlong and thrusting h
. from the settlement with scanty ce1
"a mony. But the others were trihe me
r. conservative. It would be we'll to lea
a DR.. Harry's wishes in the matter. I
interloper might possess parapherna
that Harry would be glad to purcha
g and besides it would be but fair to IL
e. him to witness the downfall Of his p
fessional rival.