Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-18

lR
Tam Dr. Terrtndcr Smith,"
humorous eyes Of a blue which had two
shades too much green in it. She held
a pincenez in her left hand and the
doctors card in her right.
How do you do, DR.. Ripley?" said
she.
'How do you do, MADAME" returned
the visitor. "Your husband is perhaps
out?''
II am not married, said she simply.
sob, beg your pardonl meant the
doctor-Dr. Verrinder Smith"
81 am DIR. Verrinder Smith"
DR.. Ripley was SO surprised that he
dropped his hat and forgot to pick it up
again.
"What!" he gasped. "The Lee Hop
kins prize man! You?" He had never
seen a woman doctor before, and his
whole conservative soul rose up in re-
volt at the idea. He could not recall
any Biblical injunction that the man
should remain ever the doctor and the
woman the nurse, and yet he felt as if
u blasphemy had been committed. His
face betrayed his feelings only too
clearly.
Il am sorry to disappoint you, said
the lady dryly.
"You certainly have surprised me-"
hs answered, picking up his hat.
You are not among our champions,
then?"
II cannot say that the movement
has my approval.
"And why?"
II should much prefer not to discuss
it,"
But I am sure you will answer a
lady's question.
Ladies are in danger of losing their
privileges when they usurp the place of
the other sex. They cannot claim both. 3"
"Why should woman not earn her
bread by her brains?"
DR.. Ripley felt irritated by the quiet
manner in which tho lady cross ques-.
toned him.
II should much prefer not to be led
into discussion, Miss Smith"
CDR. Smith," she interrupted.
"Well, DIR. Smith But if you insist
upon an answer I must say that I do
not think medicine suitable profession
for women, and that I have a personal
objection to masculine ladies'" 1t was
an exceedingly rude speech, and he was
ashamed OF it the instant after he had
made it. The lady, however, simply
raised her eyebrows and smiled.
cit seems to me that you are begging
the question, said she. "Of course, if
it makes women masculine, that would
be considerable deterioration.
1t was neat little counter, and DR..
Ripley, like pinked fencer, bowed his
acknowledgment. II must go" said he.
II am sorry that we cannot come to
some more friendly conclusion, since
we are to be neighbors," she remarked.
He bowed again and took step to-
ward the door.
"It was singular coincidence, she
continued, "that at the instant that you
called was reading your paper on 'Lo-
comotor Ataxia' in The Lancet.
"Indeed," said he dryly.
II thought it was very able mono
graph"
''You are very good.
'But the views which you attribute
to Professor Pitres Of Bordeaux have
been repudiated by him.
81 have his pamphlet Of $780," said
DR.. Ripley angrily.
"Here is his pamphlet Of 1891" She
picked It from among litter Of period
icals IF you have time to glance your
eye down this passage
Dr.. Ripley took it from her and shot
raffdly through the paragraph which
sh6 Sildicated. There was no denying
sehas It conlpletely Knocked the bottom
out Of hiS own article. He threw it
down, and With :another. frigid bow he
made for thu door. AS he took the reins
from thNgroom he glanced round and
sxa6,that the lady was. standing at her
yi1doY, and it seemed to him that she
Waslaughing heartily.
All day thp memory Of this interview
likunted him. He felt that he had come
very badly out of it: She had shown
herself tosbe his superior on his own pet
subject She had been courteous while
he had been rude, self possessed when he
had been angry. And then, above all,
there. was her presence, her monstrous
intrusion, to rankle in his mind. Awo-
man doctor had been an abstract thing
before, repugnant, but distant Now she
was there in actual practice. with q
brass plate Up just like his own, COM
peting for. the same patients. Not that
he feared. Tie competition. but he OBJ
jected to this lowering of his ideal Of
womanhcod. She could not be more