Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-10-12

GU OeIOr0 Utortlu8 ~ i spoke, OUT the |
old gentleman shook bis head hopeless.
y.
1T 10 not the least use giving me
drugs, DOCTOR he said. 4 have satur.
atcd my system with them and they |
have no eject upon me-
''Then may I ask why you have sent |
for mer I asked, feeling very much |
like losing my temper.
"'Well, Il 10 like this, DOCTOR he
said, placidly. 4 can't sit up all night |
BY myself. feel % though I should
90 mad II I do. must have somebody
to talk to-
".And you mean to tell me- I
began holly, and paused for want Of
words to express my indignation.
my patient took advantage Of the
pause to proceed IN his gentle. half
apologize manner:
"I assure you, doctor, that looked
upon Il quite - q business matter. I
DO not look upon q physician a. q
lanthrophist, but a. q business man,
whose chief inducement after all IL to
make money. May I ask what your
usual fec isr
any usual fee 10 seven and six
pence I said, severely. was a mod.
cot beginner In those days. But when
I am called out In the night
"'You make II higher. Of course put
in my patient impcrtubabiy; shall we
ray ten shillingsT
~ nodded.
"'And may ask how long your visit
usually takesf'
"Tt varies from I've minutes to an
hour
1.-THE man performed . short calcula.
tion on his fingers.
"'Then We may call your average visit
thirtv.tw, and = half minutes he said
quietly. Well. am quite prepared to
pay you ten shilliugs Tor every thirty.
two and half minutes that you remain
with me. You camo In at exactly 1920.
Allow me to pay you up till seven min.
utes to L. He gravely handed me half
. sovereign % he spoke. and went on:
II you prefer It. I have not the least
objection to- your giving me medical
advice all the time you are here, al.
though that u quite immatcrial to me,
70 long a. you talk about something,
anI keep me from the loneliness that
dread. Do take cigar and help your.
self to the whisky
His tone was 20 business.like and
matter.of.fact that II was impossible
to quarrel with him. Besides. his evl.
dent dread Of being alone. which 70
many victims Of insomnia have. ap.
pcaled to my sympathies. was not
successful enough then to disregard
the chance Of gaining rich and eccen.
tric patient. the very class who make
the profession worth practicing, from
q pecuniary point Of view. made no
demur, therefore. but determined to
stay at least until had given him d..
rections for curing his want Of sleep
by systematic exercise and plain living.
and I lighted ono Of his chero0ts. which
were, indeed. excellent.
AT the end Of half an hour rose to
90. But my strange patient pleaded
with me 20 earnestly to accept another
fee and stay half an hour more that
scarcely had the heart to leave him. A
fresh idea occurred to me.
"T will stay on one condition. I
said; that you lie down and let me try
to got you to sleep felt that II could
succeed In doing 40 should have done
something to Justify my visit and
should be ablc to get back to my own
bed without any danger Of offending
possible remunerative patient.
He agreed instantly. and drew up
comfortable.looking couch to the dre
In place Of his chair.
"'Now. II will do my level best to
sleep. will you promise not to leave me
till I am orr he said. and. feeling
pretty confident Of my powers. I rather
unwiseiy consented.
II began BY reading aloud to him In
q soft, monotenous tone, which have
generally found effective. and at the
'. end Of half an hour was congratulatinG
myself ON my success. when, the old
gentleman Jumped up wide awake. and
fishing In his packet, produced another
. half sovereign.
~ must not forget your Fee he
said 40 he lay back again ut full length
| on the couch. please 60 on. 1t Ii very
soothing
II was getting desperately sleepy my
self. and more than ever anxious to sue
, coed and get away.
, "'This won't do he said quite aDx
iously. II 20 to sleep how on eartl
shall know what ! owe YOU?
"'You can trast that to me- said
/ shortly. and continued the reading
t again. with what seemed like complete
> success. till at 2 o'clock my patien
. jumped up as lively as ever to prcsen
me with my fourth fee.
1.-THE want OF success made me des
{ perate, and was already regrettin
deeply the promise which prevented M
] leaving tho old gentleman to his fate
and getting homo, when anothe
I thought suggested itself to me.
0 1.-THE sleeping draught which he ha
;. refused was lying on the table bcfOr
I me. He admitted having taken larg
; quantities Of every known drug, bu
. this was very strong one, and nigh
J. affect him more than he expected, II
] could get him to take It. He had n
= fused 30 pointblank before that ID
4 not ask bis consent, but slipped
Q quietly unto . glass while was reat
ins.