The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-01-19


cral.
AT Weldon, having partakcn of good meal,
we repaired TO the smoking room oil the car
which we had nearly IN ourselves. our con-
versation soon fell upon subjects more or less
connected with the physicians practice. lie
related many scenes within his experience, one
of which can give almost in his own words
/ had heen all day occupied in responding to
calls of new patients 10 an extent quite unusual,
and il WAS near midnight when there came an
urgent summons 10 repair at once 10 an apart
mcnt. house not remote by person who enlisted
MY instant attention. woman, tall, not 10 say
handsome decidedly engaging, aud greatly IN
earnest. Her manner, when she delivered her
briei summons / shall never forget.
"You will not fail 10 come Doctor2" she
said. lie is my husband. He is in great dis
tress-that is, for him, Tor it must he for urgent
reasons that makes him call for help from any
man. You will come at once, will you not
Come with me now?"
could but enter into the spirit that ami
mated the woman. was sure itwas no common
case 1t WAS not far that we had 10 walk, and
on the WAY she came cluse 10 me- taking my arm
and talking with almost startling earnestness,
and these were her words:
Doctor he is my husband. You must
save him. To know his history is no part OF
your mission. He seems TO be nearing the
end of life"
Here we were at the door. When we entered
the broad hall from which the stairs led, and
where there was an air of respectability that
impressed me, she placed her hand on my arm
in a way that spoke more than her words, and
said:
Doctor, have brought you here strictly in
a professional sense. ! understand what that
is. In addition TO this. you are here as gen.
tleman which shall insist will cover every
thing you will see and hear. You may see and
hear things strange and curious; you viii
infer nothing, but consider him as your patient
For your services you will be recompensed
fully. ] will see it is done"
At this she opened door and ushered me
into room that denoted in all its appoint
ments. if not elegance the reverse of poverty.
] need not say that by this time had become
deeply interested. As we advanced, the first
thing that attracted my attention was the
patient for whom had been summoned. He
lay in bed with his hands outside the covering.
1T was upon his hands that my eyes at once
rested-taperiDg like a woman's, and obviously
wholly unused to any labor that would in the
least distort their shape. More shapely hands
] think never saw Oh man or woman. While
vet nv eyes rested OH the mans hands, in
soft yet resolute voice he spoke as follows:
IL have sent for you TO tell me what is the
matter with me. and ! want you to lose no
time in doing If.
remarked that j would endcavor to do so,
but must first ask him some questions, for
there were always some things necessary to
know that were not easily found out in any
other way. For example:
What is your age?"
His reply was: THAT can tell you at once.
1t is 50 years"
What is your occupation 2" / next asked.
The man looked hard into my face, instead
Of answering my question, as he did the other.
His face was that of a seli-coutaiDed man, not
easily put off his guard. His eyes met mine
inuuiringly. as much as TO say: What do you
want to know that for? What has it to do
with what ais me?
What is my occuparion?" he repeated with
deliberation. u have no occupation" was the
answer.
j saw ] must not be too persistent. / would
study him in a general way. j had already OBJ
tanned hint from his hands; at least knew
that not one of number of occupations was
his, and that one of a small number il must be.
j then ascertained that his chief difficulty was
in his chest While his general health was
good, and his appetite until of late had been
good he had a settled internal difficulty, caus
ing him at times such distress as 10 throw him
into commissions. while the irritation was
not only constant, but positively increasing. /
placed my hand in the region where the pain
was located The presence of the difficulty
was at once detected. His heart beat irregu-
larry. Did he raise anything unusual? To this
he replied:
"Yes, OF late some blood; clear and fresh and
not from the lungs" he added, for they are
and always have been perfectly sound"
] felt his muscles, examined his eyes, and
tongue. Then ] paused 10 look him in the
face while he gazed into mine with fixed
eamestness.
What is it. Doctor" he inquired with just
. trife of excitement in his voice.
j did not feel like making direct answer.
he was determined on having answer on
the spot, and said so. ] told him that / had
been with him too short time and seen too
little of him TO be positive Perhaps j would
be better prepared tomorrow. Then gradu-
ally turned his attention in another direction,
but soon he said:
Doctor, cannot you give me something that
will ward off the spasm which i feel is coming
on-the CONFUSION in my chest? and be quick,
too
From my medicine case gave him what
would meet the emergency. aud make him
sleep also, and this proved true very shortly,
for with grateful look into my face he closed
his eyes, and in a few moments was sleeping
like child, large and handsome man as he
was.
All this time the patients wife stood mo-
tonless at the foot Of the bed. as fine q speci-
men of physical and intellectual womanhood
as one seldom sees. She was younger than her
husband by - years, and not any less capable
Of carrying her part Of any burden of life.
She motioned for US to retire TO an adjoining
room, the door of which was open.
will you tell me what my husbands COM
plant isy" she asked when We were seated.
As am not yet prepared to say myself what
il is" was my answer.
"Will il kill himI" was the next ques
tion, followed by that is, will it kill him
soonI"
Without answering directly, ] said it wa!
always best to he prepared Any writing OF
business or anything of that kind is better al
tended 70 when one is strong, as your husband
now is, than later, when he is weak, or is liabl,
10 be.
The woman seemed 20 comprehend that
thought her husbands case was dangerous j
not desperate. She hastily threw on wrap
and saying she would be gone but a short time
departed, having first obtained my promise {,
remain until she returned.
This gave me opportunity TO take sur
vey of the room. Everything indicated liberia
means and refined taste. Who were these pee
pie? What WAS the reason for the mans re
luctance in speaking of his occu patton? Thes
and similar speculations occupied my min
during the woman's absence. Once the ma
Inoaned, slightly reused Seeing me, he put on
his hand, saying, almost inaudibly, "Ah, il
you, Doctor and soon was sleeping profound
again. As lie lay there il was easy TO see tina
he was no common man-perhaps was extrs
ordinary in more ways than ore. So also th
woman, whose strength Of character | ha
already felt sure of. Where had she gone, an
for what purpose, at this late hour? The answC
might relate 10 matters of Importance that bon