La Junta tribune., 1898-11-09

sity with good degree. and his
chances OF ultimate success we're most
highly estimated by those professional
friends who knew him best; but he
had himself almost lost heart. He
looked every day with sinking spirits
and leng,hening face on his young
wife and son-now a rapidly growing
boy with portentous appetite. whom
he must soon begin TO think of placing
at school-and his heart sank lower
still one morning when the only visi-
tor TO his surgery was a ragged mes
senger, who produced from his pocket
dirty and much-folded slip OF paper.
which. on being smoothed out. proved
TO be only the usual parish order TO
/ visit pauper patient In the poorest
| quarter of the town. II looked just
| Ike any other such as he was in the
! daily habit OF receiving and he glanced
at 1t almost mechanically as he an
| swered:
] Peter Ingram. Paradise Row-ur-
! gent Very well / shall be there in
/ about half an hour"
! II was not a promising duty, but II
was at least better than to sit
eating his own heart In the bitterness
OF enforced ideness. as he had too oft
en- been compelled to do OF late; SO.
waiting only to put his stethoscope and
thermometer in his pocket, he seized
his umbrella and started The streets
| through which he passed to his destin-
alton. each darker and dirtier and more
thickly studded with public houses
than the last, seemed TO his morbid
fancy TO symbolic his own position
and prospects. In one OF the darkest
and dirtiest of all he stopped before
house even in such ncighborhood
/ was conspicuous for its neglected ap-
/ pearance. The paint had long ago
peeled in great patches OF the door.
and more than half the panes of glass
| were broken in the window. while the
| remaining ones We're perfectly Opaque
| with dust and cobwebs. Nine out nf
ten persons would have passed the
house as uninhabiici, but DR.. Falconer
| knew better. Finding his knock un-
answered. he tried the latch, but the
door was locked. Again he raped
sharply, this time with the handle OF
his umbrella, and after second repe-
| tition a key grated in the lock. the
door opened three inches. and gilt
tering eye. under red bushy eyebrow.
sharply scrut,nized him from behind
1t. Then it closed again; he heard
chain unfas,en. the door was opened
just wide enough TO admit him. and
closed. locked. and chained behind him
the moment he had entered.
Are you afraid of thieves. my
| friend? ?" said the doctor slancing round
the four bare walls as well as the
light permitted. You need hardly be
| neroyus on that score, | think"
No" said the man who had admit
ted him. .one who has parted with
the very last rag and stick he can
spare has at least that consolation.
vacuus cantabit, you know. But /
have still little pride left. and don't
like every one to see me in this
plight"
"Ah.'' said Faleoner, catching him
by the arm to draw him near the light.
you have come down in the world,
then. Was 1t drink? Be frank with
me-"
II won't deny that drink began IT,"
he answered. quietly. But don't make
a mistake. doctor: drink isn't the cause
OF my present illness. was once n
university man myself. and looking for
ward TO profession. Drink ruined
my prospects. and | found myself a
private soldier instead. But | pulled
| up. | haven't tasted drink for many
years. An old wound received at Abu
Klea, and repeated doses Of malaria
have brought me to my present condi-
ton
Am / to understand. then said the
doctor. that you are yourself the pa
tient l was sent for to see? Why are
you not in he'd. then?"
Because there is no one TO open the
door but myself am alone in the
house-and in the world. But when
you see my bed he added. grimly
you will not wonder that l like to
keep out of it as long as ! can
You ought to be in 1t now" said
the doctor and. indeed. as he spoke
the man began to shiver and tremble.
and crying with chattering teeth, "Oh
-h-h, it's on me again!" clutched at
the solitary chair that stood in the
room, and sat down in such a paroxysm
of shuddering that the floor shook be-
meath him. and the very window rat
tied in its frame. The doctor hastily
produced his hypodermic case, and
looked around in vain for jug Of
water. Opening a door behind him.
he stepped into a room almost as bare
as the first, except that heap OF rags
lay in one corner and handful Of fire
smoidered In the rusty crate. A water
jug and a cup and plate stood upon
the floor close to the wall. but on lift
ing the jug he found 1t empty. Re-
turning 10 his patient. he found the ht
had terminated In violent sickness.
My poor fellow said he. as soon
as this had subsidized. you must go TO
bed and have q nurse to look after you.
shall have you taken to the infirmary