The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-05-03
CHAPTER I.
STARTING OUT IN THE WORLD.

Il lacked aroma, or lacked apprecia-
ton of it. I sat at the table, idly
watching the people come and 60.
Some would rush in as if all of life
must be crowded into the next half
hour, hastily give an order. swallow
the meal when it came as If mastlca-
ton was one of the last acts OF their
lives, and rush out again. These peo-
ple evidently begrudged the time it
took to pay the bill. Others would
saunter leisurely in, scan the entire
place with cool, scrutinizing stare,
pick out the table promising the most
elbow room and calmly await the ar
rival of their diuner.
It was at noon. I had finished my
midday meal in a restaurant Id San
Francisco, and sat thinking, not very
placidly, OF the scenes around me, and
also of my uncertain prospects in GER
tain game called "life," in which Twas
about to start as a professional man.
I had just graduated from the Ann Ar,
Dor Medical College, and equipped
with my diploma, few hundred dol
lars and what of experience and hope
attaches to twenty-six years OF age, l
had come West to build up a prac-
tice.
I had but recently reached the
Golden Gate of the great Western
slope, and had spent the first few
days "seeing things" But now l
had had my fill of idleness. was
anxious to get to work, both for the
pleasure of occupation and the fnan-
cial emoluments thereof, of which l
would soon be in need.
I was practically alone in the world:
It had not been 50 up to the second
wear of my college life. My father
was a merchant of St. Louis. He was
very fond Of me. He and I were all
that were left of a small family. He
had generously provided for me dur
ing my school days, and been ex-
tremely liberal as to my allowance
after I entered the university.
But he succumbed to d, sudden
attack of pneumonia, leaving me en-
tirely alone. He left no large estate.
After settling up his affairs, I found
myself with enough money to COM
fortably see me through college and
leave to me the little I now possessed
as working capital"
I had not yet opened an Office. That
was to be my work that afternoon; so,
shaking off the somewhat morbid spirit
that had come over me, 1 paid my
bill, and strolled out of the restaurant.
I had noticed in some of my walks
through and around the city that in
the northern suburb, where many new
houses were being built, there were
comparatively few physicians signs.
In this direction / turned my steps.
I did not know soul in San Fran
cisco, save those whose acquaintance
I had made during my present short
sojourn. But was full of the pluck
of youth. Ny ambition was to be-
come a successful practitioner and,
some time, to be the owner of one of
the beautiful fruit ranches that make
California famous.
I experienced little difficulty in
securing an Office. The rent, after all !,
was triAe higher than I had expected
to pay; but, after something of a
search among dingy and ill-ventilated
places, I fell in with the good-natured
janitor of fine new fiat, who offered
me at what was really reasonable
figure the four front rooms of the first
Aoor. This would leave him and his
wife the four rear rooms-all they
needed for their comfort. The rooms
were finely decorated and we'll lighted;
and as flats were something of a nov
city in San Francisco, I paid deposit
and concluded the bargain, reasoning
to myself that the very novelty ofitselt
would serve as an advertisement.
Iexpended four hundred dollars in
getting my new abode furnished. The
front room. which, if occupied by q
family, would be the parlor, I fur
nished neatly but not expensively as a
reception aud waiting-room; next to
this my consulting and operating-room;
then a small, cosy affair of library,
in which I stored my books, instru-
ments, cabinets, skeletons, relics and
the various trophies incident to stu
dent life.
I had good lot of books, of which
/ was very proud. Part of them were
medical works I had purchased dur.
ing my college career, but the greater
portion of them had been my fathers.
Back of the library was my bedroom.
Having arranged these things to my
satisfaction, after careful survey, ]
considered myself the best-locnted
physician on the hill. I listened with
q degree of pride to the lauda'
tory remarks OF my friend, the iahi,
tor. AMI his estimable wife. who fain
would believe me already on the road
to professional glory. In fact, I had
yet to earn my first dollar. Next door
TO my fiat a motherly sort of woman
kept a clearinghouse. Acting upon
the advice; freely given, of the iaui'
tor, made an engagement at this
boarding-house to take my meals
there.
Nothing could exceed the pride with
which 1 contemplated the perfectine
of my plans. The last thing il the
completion thereof was sign, which
I had already ordered of brass,
worker downtown. gazed with par.
donable pride at the shining affair
when I had screwed it to the door
post. 1t seemed to me the most or
namental finishing that my landlord,
whoever he was, could have for hi:
apartment house.