The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-07-28
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Ny PATIENT.

1t was about five o'clock one Satur-
day afternoon, Il time when the east
END doctor sometimes, but not always,
gets few minutes rest.
The inuer door was pushed slowly
open, and the heat Of Il thorough little
gutter urchin appeared. He was q
capital specimen of the London
'gamin''-naked feet aud legs up to
tie knees, ragged trousers, a thin cot
ton shirt, open at the chest, a ragged
cot and no hat. He was grewsomely
dirty, but his thin, almost delicate
fingers told me at once that he was a
pickpocket.
II want DIR. Prebble," he said in a
hoarse voice.
"WelI, you've got him." answered.
"Bill'S fell down and hurt 'iself," he
said slowly.
who is Bill ~ ! asked.
A shade of disappointment passc
over his face. l had evidently fallen
in his opinion. Ny not knowing Bill
proved conclusively that had not
mixed in the choicest society.
LES our lodger," he said cautious
ly, IAN l amt a-goin' to tell you no
more
why didn't he go to a hospital ~
uunlO, ne Siiu. II WIS at
work, and fell off of somefiug. So e
come 'ome. That's ALL
Luckily a medical mau is safe in al
most any neighborhood. Moreover, |
was well known, and as l went along
| heard the gossips saying:
"There goes the doctor. He's come
to see after Bill"
Clearly Bill was celebrity.
Il
and, noddiDg to woman, who stepped
on one side to let us enter, said,-
Its all right, old GAL"
l found out subsequently that the
"old galn addressed was the young
gentleman's mother. Respect for
parents is not Il leading feature in that
neighborhood.
Without wasting a minute | knelt
on the floor to examine Is lis injuries.
found they we're oerious-a dislocatel
shoulder, two ribs broken and internal
injuries, which might prove more
serious still.
On his fingers were the marks of
oakum picking, which showed that
Bill! was an ex-jaiibird, and in the
corner of the room stood a suspicious
Looking bag, out of which peered u
Jimmy. IL was then fairly safe to as
sumo that Bill had met with an acct
dent while engaged in his professional
duties as Il housebTeaker. He was
educated. One could see that at once
by the development or his brow. In
his face, too. t0ere were some lingering
traces of refinement.
| looked up at the boy, who was
watching me carefully, aud, l have no
doubt, reading my thoughts.
"You amt a-going to tell no tales,
gov'nor?"
my business is to cGre him if l can,"
said briefly. Now | want your
help
With .ome difficulty l managed to
re; his shoulder back into position.
Then | set his ribs. Beyond that |
could 10 nothing until lie recovered
sufficiently to ans few questions.
1t was necessary TO find nurse.
The man ought 10 have been in a hos
pital, but it was impossible to move
him. Indeed, it Eas almost a miracle
that he had ever reached home in such
a mangled condition.
Not far from my dispensary there
was a nursing Institution, supported
bv some ladies, who devoted their time
and money to nursing the poor in their
own houses The matron was splen-
did woman, who never stopped to in
quire whether a case was deserving.
The fact that a man or woman was i'll
was all that she cared about. Their
crimes and short comings she left to
other people.
Miss Shepherd listened to my story
with her usual sympathy.
"There is only one young lady l can
send" she said thoughtfully, land she
has MT had much experience. How
ever, we must do something. I'll in
troduce her to you and see what you
think"
1, is q curious thing that on first see
ing that girl she did not strike Inc as
at all good looking. Since then have
learned to know Ter well, and l think
her one of the most beautiful women
in the world.
In these years of work among the
poorest of the poor, met 40 woman
of such q radiant, glorious nature as
| he pale faced girl whom l saw for the
first time that Saturday evening.
To my great disappointment Oh
reaching the sick-room her composure
quite gave way. l had hoped she
would be strong enough to maintain
| QST S0ll-COhiFOl, luSlSStl Ol "HlCh BIC
trembled and turned deadly white,
looking almost inclined to burst INTO
tears.
Come, come, Miss Clinton W said.
"You must get accustomed to scenes
of distress. If you break down, you
won't be able to help me at all"
81 beg your pardon, DR.. Prebble, "
she stammered hastily. ut was only
the first shock. Everything is SO hor-
rible. You may depend on my doing
what you require"
4 Then | explained the case to her
carefully and taught her the duties OF
q nurse as we'll as | could in such a
short time.
Miss Clinton must have nursed her
patient better than | expected she
would, for he passed Il fairly good
night, and when | saw him at eleven
o'clock on Sunday morning the fever
had abared somewhat, leaving him, oil
course, very weak and IN more OF
less precarious condition.
The nurse whom NJ SIS Shepherd had
sent to take charge of the case during
the day was a highly experienced