Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-08-25
bR. FhfsTOp's BRoJAER.

occurred
A few months previously one of
those disastrous colliery explosions,
only too common in our neiehbor
hood, had taken place, and eight Of
the men, poor fellows, all badly in
jured, had been brought into the
Martin ward. We all had a heavy
time Of it, and our house surgeon
never very strong-had completely
broken down under the strain OF his
devoted attention to his patients.
He had the satisfaction OF seeing
all the cases with one exception)
fairly started on the road to conval-
escence before he, too, came on the
sick list, and was ordered absolute
rest for several months. No man
ever deserved rest more than he.
BY his constant and unwearied
labors of love he had earned the
blessing pronounced in Abou Ben
Adhem as "One who loved his fellow
men," We all greatly missed his
CHEEKY presence in the wards, and
felt small interest in the doctor who
came as his "locum,' feeling sure
that no enc could take his place.
DR.. Preston, the temporary house
surgeon, however, made favorable
impression on his arrival and soon
showed that he thoroughly knew his
work. He had quiet, reserved man.
ner, and we had worked together
some days before l learned anything
more about him. Then an accident,
if there is such thing, showed me
the real man. One evening, Oh going
his rounds, | reported new case,
just come in, to him. 1t was man
who had been found lying in the
road. He had evidently fallen
against curh-stone and had r,ceiv-
Ell scalp wound. That he was a
stranger in the town was proved by
some papers in his pocket, showing
him to have been discharged from a
sailing vessel at Hull a few DAYS
previously.
81 have not made out his history
yet" said "he seems to be very
poor and apparently has no friends
mo friends !" repeated DR.. Fres-
ton, with an expression l had not
seen on his face before. "Ve1y few
of us realize what those words mean,
sister. 1t means more than mere
friendlessness. 1t means a man s
life without any influence for good
upon it-no restraint to keep him
from sinking to the lowest depths !;
no anchor to hold him back from
suffering shipwreck on the rocks
which surround us oil i; some seen
and some hidden ones more danger
GUS than ALL"
He paused, then turned round to
face me, and spoke more quickly, as
if he wished to force himself to say
something.
"To me it is the most painful sight
of all, because l am haunted by the
feeling that somewhere in this world
there now may be a man who is
friendless and alone through my
fault. Every fresh face 1 see l think
may be his. Every morning I wake
with the thought that I may see it
before night"
looked at him with intense in.
terest. My woman's instinct, which
SO seldom errs, told me that he had
never spoken of this to anyone be.
fore, and that it was a great relief to
him TO do so now.
longed 10 hear more. He seemed
to read the sympathy expressed in
my face and went on more quietly:
II had younger brother. There
were only the two Of US. was old
er by three years, and both in ap-
pearance and character we were to-
tally unlike. He had been spoiled by
my father, who always let him have
his own way, chiefly, fancy, on ac-
count of the strong likeness he bore
TO our mother, who died when we
were quite young. l was at Oxford
reading for degree previous to en-,
tering the hospital when my father
died.
my father had had nasty fall in
the hunting field, and was almost at
the last before / got to him. All his
affairs were in perfect order, but he
was anxious about Jack-always his
first thought.
you'll look after him, Tom" he
said. "Promise me you'll look after
him. II you promise, know you
won't go back A promise is prom
Use with you, Tom; I could always
trust YOU"
II did promise, again and again,
and God knows / meant to keep my
word, and my cid father died quite
happy with my promise still sound
ing in his ears and his eyes resting
to the last on his darling Jack. He
never doubted me for a moment.
How could he foresee?
Il went back to Oxford, and Jack
entered the same college. That was
the mistake. At distance-if had
only seen him now and then--we