The times., 1899-01-19
srERNBERG AND MINE SURGEON
Case where the Former Was Ont
done h. u Ninc Doctor.


of the recent war. 1T was in Moscow at
the session of the Medical Congress IL
happened that Sternberg and l got into
that old town on the same train and went
UP to the registry bureau together, and,
for that matter, we We're pretty chummy on
the score of old acquaintance. Or. Stern
berg was in his uniform and all that sort
of thing. as he is entitled TO he by reason
of being at the head OF the medical corps
of the army. | was alongside OF him in
ordinary citizens clothes. being entitled 10
such and nothing more.
But bless you. one uniform more or
less doesn't count in Russia; why. even
the chambermaid who does up your room
is in uniform. So DIR. Sternberg registered
as an arriving delegate to the congress.
and he put the whole thing right down
without stopping to count how many lines
Of their old book he was using up with
his brigadier general and surgeon general
of the army of the United States or Amer
lea When he'd got that all down in the
book it was my turn to sign, and | Just
put my name down. Then the official who
received us shook hands with Sternberg
and with me, being just as cordial to the
one as TO the ether. He said he was glad
to see US both and that il we would re-
turn in the afternoon he could then tell
us where We would find quarters. DIR.
Sternberg evidently expected a different
sort or treatment from one of his rank
but whatever he may have been looking
for he didn't get it,
Well. i strolled around the town. sizing
ii up with a few other cities I've seen.
While | was walking I noticed a swell
coach, with flunkeys in uniform, come
dashing along. Just as it passed me the
whole thing was hSuled up short, and {
heard somebody in the coach sing out in
good American, Hello Doc Then I saw
VINO it was-a man had known out West
He asked me TO get into the carriage AMI
ride up to his lodgings with him. II there
was any more stylish turnout In Moscow.
| didn't happen to see it Just then, and
was glad enough TO have such a ride, 10.
the very look of Russian signboards has
a tendency to make a man feel more lone
some than any other mortal thing. So {
hoped in, and a dream in calves and
epaulettes and silver trimmed livery closed
the door after me. and my friend remark
ed TO this superior person the single word
Home. He did it Just as natural as il
he was a Russian prince. and had been
doing it all his life.
And that was the funny part; he Was
Just an ordinary American medical prac-
titloner from somewhere out in Wyoming,
i had got to know him at meetings ut
medical societies in st. Louis and Omaha.
When ! knew him he was surgeon under
CLulidCl Win u GC1t mine out InCTG.
drawing probably not more than sIJJ a
month. aud obliged to take care of all the
miners. and it's scandalous the WY
those mines use up their miners Well,
we drove through a sort Of a park ami
up toward a big building which had been
pointed out TO me as one of the Cars
palaces. We drove up all right into a
porte-cochere. and the soldiers presented
arms with a snap and rattle OF Their
ira 4rrtn hat f-s~
opened the door, and we went into tIe
palace between a double row of similar
gorgeous creatures bowling down before
us. Then We walked along those mag
piiicent marble halls real marble, and [
could see whole rows Of vassals and serfs,
drawing salaries just TO be part OF a 1
this magnifcence.
This fairly took my breath away. but
l followed my medical friend wherever he
was going. Even il il was his palace |
felt could stand it just as long as any coal
mine surgeon from Wyoming. Pretty soon
We went into most elegant set of apart
ments, parlor and bedroom and dining room
and everything complete. Then he hand
ed me his card and he had the cheek 10
ask me how this was for snug quarters for
a rising medical man. | looked at the card
and saw that in addition to his name and
the statement that he was physician and
-
Company, OF Wyoming he had had a new
line engraved, Suite y. Imperial Palace or
the Car
Well You could have knocked me down
with feather. As soon as felt myself
reviving had few questions to ask
oh. that's dead easy he explained.
this rising young medical man from coal
mine In Wyoming The superintendent of
our mine is a sort Of colonel: there's a
regiment of militia sprinkled over a few
counties-they would be a regiment if they
could get together. So told him | want
ed to be surgeon of that regiment. with a
uniform and commission. He fixed me
up all right. made me a surgeon of the
regiment, and pretty soon 1 got a big sheet
Of paper, with a seal in red down in one
corner. That was pretty good for a begin
ming. but it seemed to me that the seal
could be improved on. 1 was sure they
came in bigger sizes. l mentioned that to
my old friend, the Governor. and he saw
the point. He had a most imposing docu-
ment prepared authorizing me to leave and
enter the State as often as | pleased and
he signed it himself and got the secretarv
OF state to sign it and to slap on the big
gest seal there was about the capitaI the
great seal Of the State of Wyoming. theT
call it.
That was something like I can tell
you. Then | got my passport from Wash
inGton, with another seal on IT, and that
completed my outfit, Then. when / got
along as far as Berlin. l took count OF
stock TO see that l was all right for yuu
read lot about what happens TO pecpe
in Russia when their papers are not il
order; but / was all right. with as pretty
collection of seals and signatures a;
you'd want TO see. When | got here in
Moscow and went 10 register | pulled ont
the whole museum They were all in =
big blue envelope, together with a band
of red tape around that. First thing thsy
struck was my passport with its lttl,
seal. Next they got my regimentai com
mission. with its much larger seal Last
Of all they finished OF with the great seal
OF Wyoming. That got them; they toak
me into a private room. and it Didn't seem
ii they could do too much for me
In short while set OF high-laced OIL
cials came in and made a series of apoIo-
giles for their remissness in not MEETING
me and making proper arrangements for
my reception, but they explained that if
would only consent to overlook their fau-t
the Car had commanded a set OF apart-
nents to be made ready fer me in tb-s
palace, with many regrets that he was
taken by surprise and many apo.osf-s
that they We're no better
Perhaps the Gar could have done bat-
ter if he had had notice. but il strikes M,
that this set OF rooms, with 4 bath and
meals on the Europeau plan VIII do on a
pinch.
Now. mind YOU concluded the physi-
clan, This is what was done for mers
contract surgeon TO a hole in the ground