The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-06-20


went OF. He Is expected home tmid-
night. It y arranged that IL you need
him than, n1essage shall be sent %
him" .S = s5 . 3szs
S4 With his sound hand Banks lifted
the case from the buggy. = :
This is serious, Vel y - he said in my
ear. 1--WE can't Waiit l loF him; TN but
q the question. Join dll,. me ,rs IL your ofies
as quickly as you can h; Il. ssii
1 nodded and turned to assist Afiss
Cray to the ground. Young Weston led
the horse away.
Come" said to the girl, "you must
have some supper. By the looks Of the
horse, as we'll as the clock, i can SEQ
that you've taken npbody's dust, on tha
rond. YOU MUST tell me I'LL about 1t
sitter awhile" $50 9 q. 50 49, VII
.I was in Bassettt,v, ffle Hardly % minr
utes ago." said she, with look 81 her
watch. "But how is he2 Have you
any more hope7" $3.50 4 = ,y;;.1
'He is doing as well as any thing hui
man could after such crushing and
plangling, but our opinion is not
changed" #9''s
She left me and walked away slowly
and dispiritedly. The reaction after
the excitement of her ride was already
upon her. Almost as depressed in spirit
as she, made my way to the Office.
Banks had opened the case and was
inspecting its contents. The room, in
expectation Of Fowler's arrival, had
been prepared for the operation.
ut is fortunate she brought these,
Norris" said Banks. "I'm afraid my
old tools would have answered poorly.
What head she must have on her
shoulders to have thought Of borrowing
the case! She is noble woman, Nor
ris, woman in ten thousand"
''Indeed she is" II! ,li2tt.s.st
"Best get to work at olce," Banks
added. "Come, are you ready ?"
A first capital operation! How the
student looks forward to it, how he
pictures in ir1aginati on the moment
when the knife enters the flesh, lhow
he dwells upon the surroundings, the
attendants, the bright keezlii blades.
flashing back the light, the ;os1or of
the anesthetic, the subjects lying there
on the table, MANNED, diseased, his life
dependent upon the skill of the sur
geon's hand and eye! gfSfnaiae wonder
the novice's heart throts with pride
in the profession he has chosen; small
wonder he thinks it the noblest and
best in the choice of man. To cut to
cure, to shed blood to save-to him
it seems to represent the highest de-
velopment of the progress of his race.
But when, long afterward, perhaps,
this same student, now general prac-
titioner, finds himself confronted with
the ordeal-ah, that is different. Be-
tween these days and those others when
he hurried to the hospital amphithe-
ater stretch years in which his conf
dence may have waned, his memory of
the scene about the operating table
grown dull. There is no cowardly desire
upon him to shirk the responsibility
his professional training would count
for little did it not insure him against
such weakness-but he understands
the extent of that responsibility, AS
student-spectator he watched the
work of specialists; now, asa oper-
ator, it is his duty t6 :iendattssVa6} IF " Ap-
proach their skill dis neatly AZ HES in
his power, though the knife comes
strange and unaccustoned to his hand.
Mind you, am not speaking of the
hundreds in every thousand of the pro-
fession to whom surgery Stands as the
best-loved branch of their art, nor yet
of those who have achieved unhesitat-
ing, unfinching obedience to the man
dates Of duty, but Of those others,
among whom 1 count myself, who find
themselves possessed, no matter what
their experience, by reluctance to ply
the knife, even while they prepare for
the ordeal the necessity Of which they
realize. Is the feeling rare? 1t is sell
dom expressed, it is true, but never
theless it often exists, none the less
poignant for its concealment. I have
never conquered it, though have taken
part in many an operation since the
one performed In the low-ceiled room
of the farmhouse. - ~ -
AS Banks had said, The hope 0f the
patients recovery rested 81 His Sturdy
constitution. Since his removal 70 the
house Jones had had. several intervals
of consciousness, although for the most;
part he lay in state 81 seInistupprs
More than once caught the word mis-.
taken in his rambling Talk, when the
fog cleared away from his brain, and
the memory Of Lamar's enigmatic OBJ
servation flashed upon me; but it was
no time to speculate upon the coinci-
dence. . -
Banks was ut the injured mans head,
ready to apply the chlorofor1n. =.
you'll need an assistant" Morris"
said he. "Get somebody who can be-
depended upon to keep his senses and
hand You the right thing when you call
for it. Who is availab1e?'
There were two or three witle-eyed
faces against the window panes, but I
knew too well how much reliance could
be placed upon their owners. Rangs
understood my hesitation. Stepping
to the door, he called out:
Miss Gray"
She could not have been far away,
for she responded to the summons he
fore could make protest. Banks
terse1y told her what was wanted.
n II will do my BEST she said. Her
voice was steady, but, as she entered
the room and came into the glare Of the
lamps, her face showed pale and drawn.
+ 5''It will be severe test of your
nerves." said /. "Don' tsundertake il;
if 3ssl5r. hats .scoa i