Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-07-02


struck me that we might cooperate
little to our mutual advantage.
"Indeed?" said l. wondering what
might be in the old gentleman's mind.
The fact is, I'm getting ancient"
he went on.
Not a bit Of it" said /. You're in
Your prime. fair, plump, and forty
Deny the first, admit the second, and
make the third half as much again,
said he. I'm not broken down-and
don't want to be before my time.
That's just the point. This last win
ter gave me Il warning Besides, I've
enough TO live on, and I'd like to have
little chance for play after 40 years
of work. want to travel bit, to see
something of this big country of ours.
I'm like a mole that knows his particu-
lar garden by heart, but has hardly
notion of what may be on the other side
of the fence. The long and short of 1t
is. I'd like TO shift my heavy work to
younger shoulders, which will bear it
more easily. and, | dare say, better
Not BETTER" SAID l.
The fact is, as you've probably dis
covered, this town is hardly big enough
to support two doctors comfortably.
1t has seemed to me that we might make
some Arrangement which would be adj
outrageous to both of us. There's
Young chap in Trent who is trying to
dicker with me. but I've put him off.
for you're first on the ground, and [
don't believe in making two people
sleep in a ed that's large enough for
only one. By the way, though, am
right in supposing that you've decided
to remain here permanently? That
would make a difference. of course"
Il can't say that | have any settled
plans said /, but there's no expecta.
ton of moving Immediately"
We'll, think it over There's no
hurry about it, he answered; and,
ehirruping to his mare, away he ratified
toward the village.
l followed slowly in his wake, let
ting the bay choose his own gait. Dr.
Banks proposition had taken me by
surprise; moreover, it had served to
rouse me to realization of the com.
pleteness with which my future was
subject to the caprices of fate. For the
present, to be sure, there was no cause
for anxiety; but a week might change
the situation completely Suppose
Lamar should choose to depart; there
was no certainty that he would not
leave me behind. Suppose he should
die; it was hardly probable that
should profit by any bequest. Suppose
his enemies should discover his retreat
Il Il e.,
as l was concerned. would be the same.
This last danger seemed to be the least
imminent of the three. but it was as
well TO reckon it in. | had been in his
pay for the better part of a year, but,
in reality, was my position improved?
l had lived in comfort, free from the
cares which had burdened me in the
city, had accumulated few hundred
dollars, and physically | had been
gamer by the removal TO the country.
That was one side of the ledger. On
the other could be read loss of the lit
tie progress l had made in my profes
sion. absence of settled purposes of any
sort, and a growth of that often disas-
trous docility which follows unques-
tioning subsection to another's strong
will. Things could not go on as they
were indefinitely. Sooner or later the
end must come. And then2 Was l
prepared TO devote myself to the narrow
field of country practitioner, useful
and honorable as ii was? Banks had
done me great service; he had reused
me in most timely fashion; but the
awakening had been far from pleasant.
From habit my horse came to Il stand
and equally from habit l entered the
place and asked for my mail. \ letter.