The Portland daily press., 1895-06-15

DR.. James Ripley was always looked
upon as an exceedingly lucky dog by all
of the profession who knew him. His
father had preceded him in a practice
in the village Of Hoyland, in the north
of Hampshire, and all was ready for him
on the very first day that the law al
lowed him to put his name at the foot of
prescription. In few years the old
gentleman retired and settled on the
South coast, leaving his son in undis-
puted possession of the whole country
side. Save for DR.. Eorton, near Bas-
ingstoke, the young surgeon had clear
run of six miles in every direction and
took his 81. 500 year, though, as is
usual in country practices, the stable
swallowed up most of what the consult
ing room earned.
DR.. James Ripley was two and thirty
years of age, reserved, learned, unmar-
ried, with set, rather stern features and
thinning of the dark hair upon the top
of his head, which was worth quite a
hundred year to him. He was par
tioularly happy in his management of
ladies. He had caught the tone of bland
sternness and decisive suavity which
dominates without offending. Ladies,
however. were not equally happy in
their management of him. Profession
ally he was always at their service. So
ciallT he was a drop of quicksilver. In
vain tbs country mammas spread out
their simple lures in. front Of him.
Dances and pionios were not to his taste,
and he preferred during his scanty lei
sure to shut himself up in his study and
bury himself in Virchow's Archives
and the professional journals.
Study was passion with him, and
he would have none Of the rust which
often gathers round a country practi-
tioner. 1t was his ambition to keep his
knowledge as fresh and bright as at the
moment when he stepped out of the ex-
animation hall. He prided himself on
being able at moments notice to rat
tie off the seven ralnifications Of some
obscure artery or to give the exact per.
centage of any physiological compound.
After long days work he would sit up
half the night performing iridectomies
and sxtraotions upon the sleeps eyes
sent in by the village butcher, to the
horror Of his housekeeper, who had to
remove the debris next morning. His
love for his work was the one fanaticism
which found a place in his dry, precise
nature.
It was the more to his credit that he
should keep up to date in his knowledge,
since he had no competition to force him
to exertion. In the seven years during
which he had practioed in Hoyland three
rivals had pitted themselves against
him, two in the village itself and one
in the neighboring hamlet of Lower
Hoyland. Of these one had sickened
and wasted, being, as it was said, him
self the only patient whom he had treat
ed during his Is months of ruralizing.
A second had bought fourth share of
a Basingstoke practice and had departed
honorably, while a third had vanished
one September night, leaving a Quilted
house and an unpaid drug bill behind
him. Since then the district had be-
come monopoly, and no one had dared
to measure himself against the estah-
lisbed fame Of the Hoyland doctor.
It was, then, with feeling Of some
surprise and considerable curiosity that
on driving through Lower Hoyland one
morning he perceived that the new
house at the end Of the village was oc-
cupied, and that a virgin brass plate
glistened upon the swinging gate which
faced the highroad. He pulled up his
30 guinea chestnut mare and took a
good look at it. ttVerrinder Smith, M.
d." was printed across it in very neat,
small lettering. The last man had had
lettering half feot long with a lamp
like a fire station. DR.. James Ripley
noted the difference and deduoed from
1t that the newcomer might possibly
prove more formidable opponent. He
was convinced of it that evening when
he came to consult his medical direc-
tory. By 1t he learned that Dr. Yer
rinder Smith was the holder of superb
degrees; that be had studied with dis
tinction at Edinburgh, Paris, Berlin
and Vienna, and finally that he had been
awarded gold medal and the Lee Hop
kins scholarship for original research in
recognition Of an exhaustive inquiry
into the functions of the anterior spinal
nerve roots. Dr.. Ripley passed his fin
gers through his thin hair in bewilder-
ment as he read his rivals record.
What on earth could so brilliant a man
mean by putting up his plate in little
Hampshire hamlet?
But DIR. Ripley furnished himself
with an explanation to the riddle. No
doubt DR.. Verrinder Smith had simply
come down there in order to pursue
some scientific research in peace and
quiet. The plate was up as an address
rather than as an invitation to patients.
OF course that must be the true explana-
tion. In that case the presence of this
brilliant neighbor would be splendid
thing for his own studies. He had Of
ten longed for some kindred mind, some
steel on which he might strike his flint.
Chance had brought it to him, and he
rejoiced exceedingly.
And this joy 1t was which led him tc
take step which was quite at variance