News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-11-15
DR.. MARTINS DISCOVERY.

When, after graduating with hon.
or from the medical college, Tom
Martin settled at the little manufac-
turing town of Coulter, his friends
and classmates, and even an old pro-
fessor or two, said that he had made
a mistake, that he should have gone
to city where his talents might have
been brought into active play for the
good of humanity. Such was the
verdict of all who knew him.
But Tom Martin had some quixot-
ic ideas about people outside OF cities
needing good doctors and about the
attentions which ought to be paid to
the overworked, underfed and under
exercised employees in the small fac
tory towns, and so, against the will
and protest of all who wished for his
welfare, he settled at Coulter and
hung out his shingle-"T. c. Martin,
M. D."
From her cottage window across
the way Mrs. Angebella Stout read
the sign and remarked to her daugh-
ter, Nan, who was cutting out patch
es for log-cabin quilt
"Well, Nancy Lee Stout. never
Pears like they amt no end to the
young doctors springin' upnow days
jes' like mushrooms. 1t didn't ust to
be so. 1t ust to take some work to
make doctor, but now any young
ster that fools aroun' college fur two
er three years kin hang a sign an go
to dosin' people. wonder that they
amt more deaths than there is with
SIGH doin's. l do airnestly believe
that there's more doctors than there
is people to doctor"
"Some people change doctors so
often like them Bradfords, that they
have chance to git aroun' to 'em
ALL" said Nancy, who had rather a
matter-of-fact way of looking at
things.
eyes, an l cac'Iate that old man
Bradford'll be havin' this young
green-horn a-pizenin' Mary, after all
tie Oldest doctors in town sayin'
there can't be nothin' done for her !;
it's jest like him."
Taint no use. Mary Bradford'l II
never git on her feet again. Look at
Sophie Wilson and Annie Peabody
and Hannah Day; they wuz took the
same way an they never got up.
It's workin' in the fac'try that does
it,"
eyes, an Think it's bad enough to
have the affection on body and the
everlastin' contemplation of fun'ral
expenses, without a-payin' out a
dozen useless doctor bills"
Mrs. Stout did not mean to be
harsh. 1t was only her way, and
then she was only saying what ev-
erybody else in Coulter had said.
Mary Bradford was the latest of
the factory girls to be taken down
with the dreadful spinal disease caus-
ed by too constant bending over the
work with too little light, air and ex-
ercise. She had been a girl of prom
Use and at school a pupil of whom
great things were hoped. But, like
an Unsuitable monster the great fac
tory at Coulter swallowed all the viii
lage youth, and necessity threw Mary,
the eldest of five children, into the
number.
John Bradford had seen better days
and it was a great blow to him when
his promising daughter was COM
PEELED to leave school. But he needed
her help and she gave it freely.
She had now been in the factory
three years, and had borne her part
bravely until now, broken down, her
health undermined, she had given
up to die with that most indefinite
of uncertainties, Spinal trouble"
Her father was wild with sorrow.
1t was true that the doctors had Civ
en- her up, but he was clutching like
drowning man at every straw. Mrs.
Stout was partially right-Dr. Mar
tin had not had his shingle hung out
a week before Bradford called at his
Office and requested him to attend
his daughter.
Glad of a patient on which to try
his skill, the young physician went
to see Mary Bradford. Strange to
say, he had what are not very COM
mon in this conservative old world,
ideas of his own so he did not shake
his head over his patient, as many
and older doctors had done, but gave
an encouraging word and set to work
on the case with all the enthusiasm
and confidence of youth.
OF course it set many tongue
going, and in no friendly manner
either, for there were few who had
any faith in the power of medical
skill to work aught of good for Mary
Bradford.
Mrs. Angebella Stout again ex-
pressed herself.
ct really makes my heart bleed to
see how stupid an dumb some folks
kin be. The idee o. John Bradford
a-gettin' that young upstart to doc
tor Mary an a-pretendin' to be able
to have any faith in him
"Like as not the young scamp
knows he can't do nothin' for her, an
jest as soon as he gifts his portion O