Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-06-05

my suggestion.
"tOh, I am the patient he said,
placidly.
II stared in greater surprise than
ever, for he looked quite picture oi
health, and he smiled good-naturedly.
"sIf you will sit down, will tell
you what is the matter with me- he
said, as placidly as before Il do not
like to see a man standing when am
sitting, and if you do not take your
coat of, you will catch cold when you
20 out again. You doctors never use
your knowledge to take care of your
selves. That is better'-as I obeyed
wonderingly.
"I am q victim to insomnia he
went on, after had taken the other
arm chair; Il suffer terribly. You
cannot tell what it is to stay awake
all night long while the rest of the
world is asleep. Not a soul to speak
to, the one living person in city OF
dead. I think that it will send me
mad some day.
Yes, it is great afliction, said,
shortly, not little chagrined that I
had been summoned at that time of
the night, to a consultation which
could have been held at any time, but
it can be cured in time with healthy
living
"sBut that does not help me tonight" 3"
said my patient, pushing the box OF
cigars toward me.
you are suffering tonight p I
asked with my most professional air.
Yes, am perfectly certain that I
shall not sleep wink. Itwould make
me feel suicidal to 60 to bed and try.
That is why I sent for doctor; but I
am sorry you have had to come so
far
"'Well, it is lucky that / have
brought some drugs with me- I said
opening my brief bag before me. Twill
give you a sleeping draught for to-
night, but you must give up drugs
and live healthily, and take plenty of
exercise and diet yourself, if you really
want cure
~ took out the soporifc had pre-
pared before starting as spoke, but
the old gentleman shook his head hope
lessly.
."It is not the least use giving me
drugs, DOCTOR he said. i have sat-
urated my system with them, and they
+ .,a M aHaot ,,nnp MOI
"'Then may 1 ask why you have
sent for me?" I asked, feeling very
much like losing my temper.
"'Well it is like this, DOCTOR he
said, placidly. Il can't sit up all night
by myself. I feel as though should
20 mad if I do. Imust have somebody
to talk to-
"tAnd you mean to tell me- be-
gan, hotly, and paused for want OF
words to express my indignation.
"My patient took advantage of the
pause to proceed in his gentle, half
apologetic manner.
"'I assure you, doctor, that I looked
upon it quite as business matter. l
do not look upon physician as phil
anthropist, but as a business man,
whose chief inducement, after all, is to
make money. May I ask what your
usual fee is?'
"'My usual fee is seven-and-six-
pence I said, severely. was mod
est beginner ip those days. But when
1 am called out in the night
"'You make it higher, of course,
put in my patient, imperturbably ,
shall we say 10 shillings' =
II nodded.
"'And may I ask how long your
visits usually takes?'
"'It varies from five minutes to an
hour
"The man performed short calcu-
lation on his fingers.
"sThen we may call your average
visits S23 minutes he said quietly.
well am quite prepared to pay you
10 shillings for every 323 minutes that
you remain with me. You came in at
exactly 20 minutes past IL. Allow me
to pay you up till seven minutes to
one.' He gravely handed me half-a-
sovereign as he spoke, and went on :
IF you prefer it, I have not the least
objection to your giving me medical
advice all the time you are here, al
though that is quite immaterial to me,
so long as you talk about something,
and keep me from the loneliness that
I dread. Do take cigar and help
yourself to whisky
"His tone was 80 business like and
matter of fact, that it was impossible
to quarrel with him. Besides, his evil
dent dread of being alone, which 80
many victims to insomnia have, ap-
pealed to my sympathies.
"I was not successful enough then
to disregard the chance of gaining a
rich and eccentric patient, the very
class who make the profession worth
practising, from pecuniary point of
view.
~ made no demur, therefore, but
determined to stay at least until I had
given him directions for curing his
wants of sleep by systematic exercise
and plain living, and l lighted one of
his cheroots, which were, indeed, ex-