The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-02-27
A COUNTRY DOCTOR.

One star differs from another in glory.
There Is high authority for this asser-
ton. but its evident truth is of no Especial
significance to q sick man. Perhaps
even to man In perfect health 1t Is not
of striking importance. But to the OBJ
servant mind it is interesting to note
that the country doctor differs greatly
from his professional brother In the city.
was struck by this fact few days ago
during a sojourn in the hill country Of
Connecticut.s While there ! passed
day with leading physician Of the
township. He leads queer life
"a city doctor knows nothing Of the
difficulties we encounter" remarked my
friend as we drove toward the well titled
fields lying beyond the village. It was
early morning, and the air was as fresh
as young man Just out Of college. The
doctor had been up for two hours placing
the affairs of his Office on solid basis.
"You see," he continued, lit is not so
bad in summer, but when the snow
comes / lead a terrible life. freeze my
nose and ears, lam overthrown by drifts,
at night suffer from cold, and at mid
day the sunlight on the snow hurts my
eyes. Nevertheless, am happy
He whistled merry tune, touched his
mare with the whip, and in a few min
utes drew up at farmhouse, whose
white walls and green blinds were pain
fully inartistic.
He was gone about fifteen minutes
doleful quarter of an hour for me. A
COW munched grass in the front yard
and an old oaken bucket was the only
'.citifed" thing in sight. BY that strange
law Of action and reaction it took me
back to that awful night when saw
'eThe Old Homestead at o New York
theater.
When the doctor had replaced his
drug store underneath the seat and had
gatherAd up the lines asked:
"What kind of case did you strike
there2'
Nothing serious" he answered. "A
young woman of seventy is suffering
from facial neuralgia. She has youth
and energy in her favor, however, and
will be all right in day or two"
I looked at him in surprise. Had his
lonely life affected his brain?
Zone trouble / have" he went on,
ssies in the fact that / cannot obtain any
assistance in critical cases. When one
of your New York physicians desires
advice from colleague all he has to do
Is to send message down the block
somewhere. There are times when
would give half my income for another
doctors aid, but can't get it. have
to follow the bird that hocked by itself
and do my own consulting. must stop
here moment. I'll be out again in FIVE
minutes
don't believe a rural physician has
any idea of time. It may be that he has
the ability to count pulse, but his in
depreciation of what is comprised in the
expression, five minutes is peculiar,
/ held that mare for fully half an hour.
The flies bothered her and she grew rest
less. There was no relief for me but to
gaze at the undulating landscape and
indulge in day dreams. "a pleasing
land of drowsiness it was, of dreams
that waye before the half shut eye, and
OF gay castles in the clouds that pass,
forever flushing round summer sky"
-T I'll bHNIIou10 CIOWHctl Hill SOtlD IlllGS
to the northward arose gigantic tree
that seemed to rejoice in its enormous
size. Perhaps beneath its branches the
treacherous redskin had closed his heavy
eyes. Perhaps it will look down upon
the valley when Chicago has grown
modest and Patagonia has been admitted
to the Union.
Such feverish fancies filled my mind
until the doctors return.
Whats the matter inside?" asked.
''Oh, nothing to worry about. The
sick man is about ninety-eight years
old, and overworked himself yesterday
in the bayfield,. He'll come out all
right. I've prescribed days rest and a
calomel pill. Why, do You know, that
man, in spite of his age. can do more on
a farm in a week than you or could dc
in month. This is healthy country,
my friend"
began to think he was right. Dur
ing the morning he made ten calls. Not
one of his patients was under seventy
years of age. At dinner, however, his
telephone rang-for they have few
modern appliances up there, including
tank drama-and he was urged to
hasten to the bedside of sick baby.
went with him and held the mare.
.sTheres naught so much the spirit
soothes as rum and true religion, re.
marked Byron, a poet once in vogue. II
is evident that he had never waited for
a country doctor as he tended a crying
child. Such an experience is not only
soothing to the spirit; it is narcotic to
the senses. When the doctor returned
was fast asleep, while the mare was in
state of ssnicollapse.
"What did you do for the babyg' ]
asked
.'Told them to kin the COW" he an
swered Grossly, and did not pursue the
subject.
Later in the afternoon he was called
10 patient living <eight miles away.
Our road led through dense forest, and
the air was sitting. Before we had
emerged from the woods storm came