The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-22
very remarkable, and his scientific enthu-
Ci9Sm ppaat


without even the high pleasure of carry
ing out his view. He had the eye of a
hawk for anything wrong in the complex
ion or aspect of those who fell under his
observation. The very postman at the
door, whom Dr. Roland had met two or
three times as he went out for his cOnsti-
tutiOnal in the morning, had been OWNED
and cut open, as it were, by his lancet of
a glance. and saved from a bad illness by
the peremptory directions given to him,
which the man had the sense (and the
prudence, for it was near Christmas to
obey. In that case the gratuity passed
from doctor to patient, not from patient
to doctor, but was not perhaps less salts
factory on that account. Then DR.. RO-
land would seize Jauey or Molly by the
shoulders when they timidly brought a
message or a letter into his room, look
into the blue of their eyes for moment,
and order a dose on the spot-a practice
which made these innocent victims trem-
BILE even to pass his door.
son, granny, l can't, / can't take it up
to the Doctor they would say, even
when it was telegram that had come
little selfish things, not thinking what
poor sick person might be sending for the
doctor. nor how good it was to be able to
get dose for nothing every time you
wanted it!
But the most of the people whom he
met were less easily manageable than the
postman and the landlady's little grand
daughters. DR.. Roland regarded every
one he saw from this same medical point
of view, and had made up his mind about
Miss Bethune, and also about Mr. Man
nering, before he had been a week in the
house. Unfortunately, he could do moth
ing TO impress his opinion upon them, but
he kept his eyes very wide open, and took
notes attending the moment when per
haps his opportunity might occur. AS
for Dora, he had nothing but contempt
for her from the first moment he had
seen her. Hers was a case Of inveterate
good health, and wholly without interest
That girl. he declared to himself scorn-
fully, would be well anywhere. Blooms
bury had no effect upon her. She was
neither an@miC nor dYspeptic, though
the little thingsEd We're both.
But her father was a different matter
Half dozen playful demons were skirm-
ishing around that careful, temperate,
well-living man. and DR.. Roland took the
greatest interest in their advances and
Withdrawals. expecting the day when one
or other would seize the patient and lay
him low. Miss Bethune, too, had her
little band of assailants, who were equally
interesting to DIR. Roland, but not equally
clear, since he was as yet quite in the
dark as to the moral side of the question
in her case.
He knew what would happen to these
two, and calculated their chances with
great precision, taking into account all
the circumstances that might defer or ac-
CELEBRATE the catastrophe. These observa-
tions interested him like play. 1t was a
kind of second sight that he possessed,
but reaching much further than the
.+fciF Of iph1 81 D, > l,
winding-sheet only when it is very near
mounting in day or two from the knees
to the waist, and hence to the head But
DIR. Roland saw its shadow long be-
fore it could have been visible to
any person gifted with the sec
Ond sight. Sometimes he was
wrong - he had acknowledged as much
to himself in one or two instances; but
it was very seldom that this occurred
Those who take pesslmistic view either
of the body or soul are bound TO be right
in many, if not in most cases, we are
bound to allow.
And it was not with the design of hunt
ing down patients that DIR. Roland MADE
these Investigations; his interest in the
persons he saw around him was purely
scientific. 1t diverted him greatly, if
such a word may be used, TO see how they
met their particular dangers whether
they instinctivcIy avoided or rushed to
encounter them, both which methods
they constantly employed in their uncon-
seriousness. He liked to note the acct
off or to hurry on the approaching trou-
BILE.
The persons to whom these occurred
had often no knowledge of them, but DR..
Roland noted everything and forgot moth
ing. He had a wonderful memory, as
well as such excessively clear sight, and
he carried on, as circumstances permit
ted, sort of oversight of the case, even
if it might be in somebody elses hands.
Sometimes his interest in these outlying
patients who were not his interfered
with the concentration of his attention
on those who were-WhO were chiefly, as
has been said, dyspeptics and the like,
affording no exciting variety of symptoms
to his keen intellectual and professional
curiosity. And these peCuliarities made
him very serviceable neighbor He
never objected to be called in in haste
because he was the nearest doctor, or to
give flying piece of advice to anyone
who might be attacked by sudden pain OF
uneaSinesS; indeed, he might be said to
like these unintentional interferences
with other peoples work, which afforded
him increased means of observation, and
the privilege of launching a new prescrip
ton at patients head by way of expert
ment, or confidential counsel at the pro
fessional brother whom he was thus acct
dentally called upon to aid.
On the particular evening which he
occupied by telling Miss Bethune the
story of the Mannerings-nOt without al
object in SO doing for ne had a strong de
sire to put that lady herself under his
microscope ana find out how certain
things affected hcr-hC had scarcely got
himself comfortably established by his
own freside, put on piece of wood tc
make blaze, felt for his cigar-Case upon
the mantelpiece, and taken up his paper
when a knock at his door reused him il
the midst of his preparations for com
fort, The doctor lifted his head quickly
ana cooked one fine ear like dog and
with something of the thrill of listening
with which a dog is reused TO listen Tha'
he let the knock be repeated was by nc
means to say that he had not heard tn,
first time. A knock aU his door was some
| thing like a first statement of symptom,
to the doctor He liked to understand
| and make certain what it meant
Come in, he said quickly, after tn,
second knock. which had little hurry
and temerity in it after the tremulou.
sound Of the first
The door opened and there appeared q
| it, flushed with fright and alarm. vet pal
lid underneath the flush, the Young a0C
CuWcly cOuntenauce of Mrs HCsketh. DO
ra IS friend on the attic floor
OH Dr Roland said, taking i'm thi
unexpected appearance. and all her cir
CumStguCCs, pAl sICal and mental at