The McCook tribune., 1897-08-13

my naccuStome(
mind IN certain sense improper ant
irkso;ne. although by no means un'
pleasant. Also it wasted time arL
tended 20 direct our attention from -.
vast undertaking to which we Were
pledged. Accordingly. within a very
few days of the occurrence already de-
;scri5ed, l visited a register, and hav-
ing, as it seemed to me, paid several
unnecessary fees, provided myself with
license. On my way back l walked
down Fleet street, thinking amiably
of getting married and DR.. Johnson
and intending to take the omnibus at
fCharing Cross. AS l went / happened
to look up, and my eye fell upon no.
'tice TO the effect that certain we'll
known life assurance company had its
offices within the building opposite.
Cured to me that l ought to insure
my life, so that, should anything hap
pen to me, Fanny might have some
thing 70 keep her from poverty. As
it was, she would have absolutely
nothing. All that I had, and that my
wife had brought with her, was strictly
settled upon the boy John in such a
way that | could not even give my
subsequent wife a life interest in it.,
or part of it. l stopped there in the
street, and having given the matter
a few moments consideration, came
to the conclusion that it was my duty
to provide for Fanny to small extent
say two thousand pounds.
Upon this decision. I crossed the
roadway, and, entering the Office,
some inquiries from clerk. AS it
happened, the doctor attached to the
company was at that moment in at
tendance and disengaged, so thinking
that l could not do better than get q
disagreeable business over at once, /
sent up my card and asked to see him.
The messenger returned presently,
with request that l would ''step up"
which l accordingly did, to find myself,
to my astonishment, in the presence
of an old fellow-student of my own
with whom l had in former days been
tolerably intimate, but whom l had
not seen for years. We greeted each
other cordially enough, and after few
minutes talk told him the business !
had il hand, and he began his medical
examination with the series of stock
questions which doctors always put
upon these occasions.
The only point upon which he dwelt
at all was insanity, and he was so
persistent upon this matter that 1 per-
ceived he had heard some of the
rumors about me being mentally de-
ranged, which my friends and relations
had SO materially assisted to spread.
However, | got through that part of
the business, and then 1 undid my
shirt, and he proceeded with the ply
sical examination. First he applied
the stethcscope to my heart, and
quickly removed it, evidently satisfied. |
Then he placed it over my right lung
and listened. While he did so, 1 saw
his face change, and a thrill of fear
SHOT through me as it suddenly came 10 |
my mind that had experienced some |
trouble there of late, of which l had |
taken no notice, and which had, in
deed, quite passed out of my mind.
Next he tried the other lung, and
placed the stethoscope On the table.
What is the matter?" 1 asked, keep
ng IS calm face as l could. for |
,ould tell from his look that there was
very wrong.
Come, Gosden, you are a medical
nan yourself, and a clever one. and
here is no need for me to tell Won
lbout it,
Upon my word" l answered. 81
NOW nothing of what you mean. l
lave not bothered about my own
.ealth for years: but, now think of if
have had some local trouble on the
hest, last winter especially. What is
t? 1t is better to know the worst"
Our rule here" he answered drylv
is not to make any communication to | 6
he person examined; but, as we are .
rother practitioners, suppose I NAV
ispense with it, and tell you at once
hat l cannot recommend your life tn ,
ne board to be insured upon any +
erms. That is what is the matter with +
on, old fellow" and he went on in r
erms too technical for me to write I
own here, to describe the symptoms OF t
ne of the most deadliest, and vef Y
!ost uncertain, forms of lung disease s
short to pass sentene of death up- i
4 me- t
I do not think 1 am a coward. and I n
ope l took it we'll The bitter irony h
the whole thing lay in the fact that C
hile / was in active practice, 1 had b
ade this form of disease a special a
udy, and used to flatter myself that
could stop it, or at any rate stave it n
f indefinitely, if only could get at it II
time. l might have stopped my a
Tn, If I had known about it. All, a
no shall heal the physician? e,
.Well. there you are, Gosden," went a
my friend; you know as much tt
| I,