Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-11-04
CLINTON'S
..JUROR=DOCTOR....
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Even as far back as 1870 Clinton was
one Of the most important interior
towns of Missouri. Its people have al
ways been hospitable to the stranger
Therefore, when ID. r. III. Morrison,
young, handsome and skilled in his pro-
f%essiOn, sought Il home in Clinton in the
fail of 1870 and hung out his Single,
he was not pestered by the usual Ques-
iions of curious old women as to whcth-
Pr or not he was married, nor by the
often embarrassing inquiry of garru-
lOus old men about his antecedents and
prospects. In fact, nobody bothered
Doctor Morrison with prying questions
of any nature when he rented and
handsomely fitted up an office in the
principal building of the town. Every
body he met extended Il warm welcome
10 him and hoped he would do well.
Even the medical fraternity, headed by
Doctor Britt, Joined in welcoming Doc
tor Morrison to Clinton. and besides
manifesting Il natural interest to know
from what college he had obtained his
diploma, none of the doctors in compe-
titiOn with whom he was bound sooner
or later to come annoyed him with
questions about his former home or
how long he had been practicing.
from the very first there was an air
OF mystery about Doctor Morrison
which less gentle people than those of
Clinton would have insisted upon pene-
trating. He was reserved in manner.
answered politely but in monosyllables
MI questions asked of him, showed
neither interest nor contempt for the
affairs of others, kept n light burning in
his office hours every night after even
the night owls of the town had zone
10 bed. formed no comprehensive. vet
wat agreeable and always %approacha-
hle, and in Il thousand other ways de-
ported himself in such II manner as
would have excited to the point of fren-
~ the curiosity of the ordinary coun-
Try town. Some of the more gossipy
Clintonites predicted when Doctor Nor
rlson first hung ont his slingle that he
wouldn't stay in the town long, for the
reason that nearly all of the doctors
then there except Doctor Britt were
almost starving to death" One of
Them tentatively remarked this to Doe
Tor Morrison zone day, and the Doctor
only smiled and said something about
"hc supposed he would manng some.
how 10 live
Weeks rolled into months. and still
not n citizen of Clinton or of Henry
County called Doctor Morrison to nj
tend Il east of sickness. Still he con-
ilnued to live at the principal hotel and
I" be the best dressed man in town. He
wore a Prince Albert suit of black and
n Shimmering silk s%tovcpipe hat. He
paid all of his bills promptly, and ask
I'D nobody for the loan of II dollar. If
he had an account ut the bank there is
no record of 1t. 1t is remembered that
he bought four new suits n year, one
for each season, though he ALWAYS
dressed in solemn black. and that the
hoy who cared for his horse and buggy
always got his pay promptly. He at
'N"''N hi NV hltNNluSN VI the IOWn
md district medical societies and dis.
rourscd learnedly on the various phases
of therapeutics. lie was Il regular at
tendant ut church, showing no denomi.
national bias and patronizlng the fairs
of all churches alike. His conduct was
So gcnteel in all respects as 10 disarm
prylnS curiosity, even II the people of
Clinton had possessed their full share
of that common human trait. His walk
and talk Were too conventional to give
rise to unusual comment or to excite
undue Interest in him.
Doctor Morrison was permitted 70
live his life in Clinton as he saw tt IN
live 1t. As before remarked, nobody
bothered him with questions about his
past or future. Not u soul In the town
except himself knew where he came
ROM. In the course of Il year Major
salmon observed that Doctor Morrison
managed 10 get on every jury, except
u grand jury, summoned in Henry
county. lie also noticed that every
Jury OF which Doctor Morrison was n
returned yerdicts that were dc.
clared 10y the lawyers to be the most
surprising In the history OF jurispru.
dence' The Major remarked this to
Doctor Britt one day and that worthy
gentleman said he was going TO make