The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-03-31
MY STRANGE PATIENT

me a tail, handsome fellow. who
gave the name OF George Gritiiths.
Hel had a fearless eye. a cheerful,
even genial expression, an exception
ally well modelled, aquiline nose, and
a splend d mustache, trimmed and
tended, evidently, with scrupulOUs
care. There is no obvious reason,
certainly, why he should require my
services: there was no possibility Of
making him better looking.
II hear that you are specialist
in dermatology he began, after l
had greeted him with the usual form
ality.
l admitted the soft impeachment.
WELL" ht went On, Il want YOU
To perform surgical feat on Inc. l
want my nose altered"
1 expressed my surprise, and as
sured him that in my humble
opinion, his Nose was best let alone.
But he disputed this proposition, and
insisted that he had reasons for being
weary OF the aqulline and for crav-
ing a probOsciS as unlike as pOsS bic
70 that with which nature had en-
dowed him. Seeing my curiOs ty,
and possibly not wishing 10 be deemed
a madman, he proceeded TO explain
them TO me.
AFTER several years roughing IL in
Texas" he said, II have come back
rich, and there is nothing TO prevent
my enjoying myself hut the pestering
attentions OF relatives whom had
hoped TO have done with forever
n - n
escape them or their opportunities,
and so, however eccentric you may
think Inc, / must enlist your services.
i presume there is no danger in the
operation"
No danger, replied accepting
his explanation as That Of un eccen-
trio man. whose affairs after all,
were no business Of mine, "and very
little pain--practically none, in fact
But you must keep in doors for few
days after it is over. When and
where shall call upon you?"
Gould you not operate here, and
now" he asked.
Impossible. Your journey home
would not be without great risk"
But could not stay here?"
Could you not accommodate me for
the short time necessary? Doctor. i
could and would pay you literally for
the service. Consider, il 90 home,
my identity would he again revealed
TO those from whons / desire TO con-
ceal II"
This speech, one would have
thought, would have aroused my
suspicious, hut it did not. The mans
frank and o, en- expression disarmed
me entirely, and / could but look
upon him as had done previously,
simply as an eccentric Individual 1t
so happened that / had spare room.
] could not regard the question OF
remuneration with indifference, and
80, to cut a long story short, / con-
sented.
For the purpose OF more convent
emily operating suggested, some
what timidly. the sacrifice of his
beautiful mustache. To my surprise,
he assented eagerly, and was for the
application OF the scissors and razor
forthwith. You would scarcely
credit the difference the removal OF
this artistic hirsuite appendage--
1.-THE crop OF many years, "a he jOk
ingly described it-made TO my pa
tient 1t displayed what had been
concealed before, his mouth, and the
sinister expression OF this was such as
TO etfectually nullify the honest geni-
ality OF his upper face. In fact,
the removal OF his moustache consti-
tuted. as / promptly told him, sum.
cient disguise to battle any number
OF inouisitive relatives But he in.
sisted on the nasal operation never
theless. His motto was evidently
Thorough "
Well. performed il. and when.
six days later, George Griffiths left
my house with nothing but rapidly
healing and almost invisible scar 70
blemish the straight nose which now
adorned his face would have
wagereo my case OF instruments 10
two-penRy pepknife that the most
observant OF his previous acquaint-
snces would never have recognized
him.
About week after my eccentric
patients departure the particulars,
so Tar as they were known, or re-
msrkably brutal murder were made
public The body OF lady named
Bates evidently stabbed TO death,
had been discovered in a house In a
London supurb. where she had re-
sided with her husband. who had
now disappeared and whose portrait
and description we're now freely cir
cuiated 10y the police A brief
amount OF attention TO these pub
listed details was sufficient TO con-
vince me that my patient George
Gririths. was the criminal.
lost no time In communicating
what knew TO the authorities, by
whom, IL must be said, my story was
received with some incredulity. You
zee. my special branch Of surgery is