The record-union., 1893-09-02

Lu6 pIODdllOl1 VI OOdD
was drawing to a close. The time had
come when he must stand before board
Of wise men, well skilled in medical sci
ence, whose duty it was to declare his
fitness TO dose, or not to dose, the people
Of his State with calomel, rhubarb,
quinine, etc, and, in short, to follow in
their footsteps, and the teachings of DR..
Sharp. Notwithstanding his awkward
appearance Joab was found to have his
large head crammed full of medical ex-
pressions, and his tongue being amply
able to expound what his head con-
tained, and, coming as he did with a
glowing character from DR.. Sharp. he
was, with due solemnity, granted diplo-
ma with portentious seal and permitted
to make a trifiing addition to his name
so that it read-JOAB GREEN, NJ. d.
Long before this interesting period ar
rived, it had, during a family council,
been definitely determined that Joab
should commence the struggle Of life III
another section of the State. Accordingly,
a few days after his examination. Joab
entered the E.Gsty old office, gave a
CHEEKY, hopeful farewell to his former
students and received in turn
their wishes for his success. So with the
world before him and life the tint of the
rose. happy, Hght-hearted, good-natured,
awkward Joab Green mounted his black
horse, and with his saddlebags before
him prepared TO bid long farewell to
the little village which had witnessed his
untiring labors and final rise to his pres
ent position. But as he frightened his
rein, preparatory to starting, the rotund
figure and shining countenance of the
little doctor came rolling from nearby
doorway, and the Voluble tongue thus
accosted Joab:
"Ah! Joab, my boy, cannot allow you
to depart in this manner. l have sOme-
| thing to say to you of which have been
thinking several days, and have finally
arrived at the conclusion to say it now.
just tie your horse and come up to my
private Office"
Vaguely wondering what could be in
the wind, Joab followed his old preceptor
and was soon seated in the cosily-cush-
ioned armchair in which only visitors Of
importance, or those desiring a tooth ex-
tracted, were ever allowed. The eyes of
the little doctor danced and glittered with
renewed energy from behind table piled
high with medical authorities of great
merit, where he invariably fortified him
self in case of an invasion, or while de-
livering himself of an important or
weighty opinion. After cycling Joab a
full minute the little man said:
''Joab, my boy, L might have allowed
you to go your way, as | have many an
other youngster before you, without i'm
parting that which l now intend. Indeed
it is the almost fatherly love l bear you
that impels me to share with you the
greatest secret of success-I may as well
call It a recipe-you will not find between
the lids of any of these authorizes lgiv-
ing an exhaustive flourish above the
breastwOrk of books with one OF his fat
little hands, but is rather the result of a
life long eX perience. The secret, if known
to many physicians, is applied by few,
and it is only the high opinion of yourself
and your ability that could cause me to
make you my confident. l may as well
state that many practitioners of note have
passed q long and useful life without
even suspectiug that such a secret eXis-
ted, which would have been greatly en-
HANGED had they known it."
At this point the little doctor paused
to note the effect of his communication
upon his auditor, while Joab, who had
listened with open-eyed, if not OPEN
mouthed interest, drew himself together
with an effort and replied:
MY dear doctor, | am greatly graft
fed and elated at hearing that l am to be
made the recipient of your confidence. l
feel that l am utterly unworthy the
honor, but as l, it appears, am to be your
confident, it is only in justice to myself
that L claim the right to make return of
some sort"
mot at all, my boy, not at all!' chimed
in the little doctor. "I wish you to un-
derstand that it is my love for you, and
no mercenary motive that impels me to
act thus generously; and as for selling
my secret l would not foster the idea one
instant under any circumstances"
Precisely my feeling, DR.. Sharp" re-
piled Joab. ut is my respect and liking
for you that induces me to insist upon
your accepting something from my hand.
if not as payment for your confidence,
then as a present from me. Anything
l possess is at your disposal, and l insist
that you name what will be most accept
able, otherwise l must decline to receive
your great professional secret"
"Ah, Joab, my boy, l like that" said
DR.. Sharp. Il might have known that
blood would tell, and that the grand old
principle of Southern generosity was
thoroughly inculcated in your nature
For the sake of old friendship, then, rot
from any mercenary motives, L will ac-
cept gift at your hands, and as l am to
name it, what do you say to your black
horse?'
To say that to part with his beautiful
horse was no eXertion to Joab would
be drawing the long bow with considera-
BILE vengeanc but when alongside of
that was placed the ardor OF youth, the
thoughts of the wondrous cures to be
effected, once he was in possession of the
great secret; the not well-defined idea
worry and anxiety to the little doctor for
which reimbursement had never been
made. these, coupled with his exceeding
good nature, caused Joab to bow to the
Inevitable and accede to the proposition
of DR.. Sharp with the best grace possi-
ble.
"He is yours, my dear doctor! he is
yours!" returned Joab; ''and could only
wish that your demand had been Of
greater value. Still he is a good horse,
and, next to my mother, l have loved
him better than anything on earth. Treat
him kindly, doctor, for he is almost hu-
man." and, for an instant, careful OBJ
server might have noticed a suspicion OF
moisture in the. speakers eyes.
The good-natured smiles broadened on
the plump face of the little doctor, and his
eyes emitted an extra sparkle as he pro-
duced a very large envelope from a very
small drawer, and, after carefully weigh
ing it between his thumb and finger,
pushed it from behind his breastwork in
the direction of Joab and concluded:
"Joab, my boy, the secret of successful
practice Is in this envelope. Take it!
Study it at your leisure! Study it well:
follow its teachings and succeed. Good
by! God bless you!"
And so they parted.
An hour later Joab Green, mounted
upon an inferior animal, left the home of
his youth. While the pang of parting
still fingered in his breast, the ioy born
of hope struggled for admittance, and ma
ture had never looked lovelier. The
small birds he had known from boyhood
sang new song-a song replete with
confidence and hope, until finally the
natural exuberance of youthful nature
bubbled over, and Joab Green shouted
for Joy at the thought of the new life about
to open before him.
His thoughts at length CHANGING to
touch earth, he drew from his pocket the
great envelope and gazed at it as a miner