The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-10-20
THE NEW DOCTORS PATIENT

said the Doctor, reminds me Of lit
tie experience had not three miles
from here when l was young practi-
tioner. 1t was back in the seventies.
We didn't have any such club house
as this in those days, In fact there
wasn't much to San Carlos except a
few stores and rough-looking houses;
but there was large stretch OF coun-
try to draw from, and every one who.
came here seemed to get rich on the
jump, except myself. / was young
where / had received few months
practical work after leaving the uni
versity-none too much. either, you
may be sure.
II located here, let me see. in--but
that has nothing to do with my story.
/ sat around my Office for the first
three months and never a patient en-
tered my door. l treated all kinds of
diseases. set broken limbs and per-
formed the most difficult operations in
Imagination, but only In Imagination.
and / saw my small stock of ready
money vanishing day by day.
You can understand with what
feelings took a message from my
landlady one morning that there was
patient waiting for me in my Office.
] tried to appear unconcerned and
made masterful effort to swallow
few more mouthfuls of breakfast be-
fore leaving the table, but the food
stuck In my throat. SO had to give 1t
up.
''On entering my office saw a rough
looking cowboy sitting stiffiy on
chair. Hello. Doc!' he exclaimed as I
appeared You're wanted at Bill
Barry's ranch. Jm's broke his shoul-
kder.'
"'I asked no questions, but donning
my hat and overcoat, took my little
black medicine case and followed my
guide out into the street. where he
helped me up into a prairie buggy
and OF we drove towar the hills at
breakneck speed
mot word passed between us until
we had long left the town and were
well on our way. My driver looked
straight ahead and did not offer me
NhdhSC W am u quCbtlOu- Il udQ
thought out the whole process cof set
ting dislocated shoulder, broken
arm or collar bone, for thour per-
haps the man had made mistake. and
Jim's shoulder might not be broken,
after all.
"The rafting old buggy bobbed vio-
iently along over the uneven road, and
30
keep from falling off. 1t was difficult
to talk under these circumstances; but
at length I asked, IS this Jim one of
the boys?'
mo attention was paid to nay re-
mark. l repeated 1t.
Hey? Oh--er-yes,' was the answer
got; and my companion whipped up
his horses into burst of speed. This
effectually kept me silent once more.
"As we were mounting a hill, and
necessarily diminished our pace lit
tie, l. essayed another remark. How
did Jim get hurt?' l asked.
"Oh. he was wrestlin' with one of
the boys he explained, quite natural
ly We were now in sight of the
ranch, so I held my peace.
my driver drew with a flourish
beside an old tumble6own barn, and we
were surrounded by crowd of rough
looking fellows. You'll find Jim in
there, Doe said one, pointing to the
barn. 4 guess he's asleep
cat this noticed that several of the
men were smiling while others turned
away their faces whenever Iiglanced
in their direction. as If anxious to
avoid my eye.
my companion of the ride, whom
they all seemed to call Bob, had hitch
ed the team and we" back by my side
again. Come right along this way,
Doc he said, leading the way toward
the barn. At this ] heard subdued
snicker behind me, nd turning quick
ly, caught every ore of them, their
ewes end cheeFe llgine out with
laughter, looking like men ready to
roll over and over on the ground with
mirth.
"Like a fash it came to me that this
was the first day of April, / didn't
need any more explanation, for saw
at once that they were about to play
some trick on me. For moment d
bitter feeling surged over me, and in
my anger and disappointment I could
have erId. But in those few steps