The Bemidji pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami County, Minn.) 1896-1917, 1900-05-10


college days. He. had left the uniyer-
sity with a good degree, and his
chances of ultimate success were 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 frightening 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 land his heart sank lower
still one morning when the only yisl-
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 70
visit a pauper patient in the poorest
quarter of the town. It looked just
like any; other such as he was In the
daily habit Of receiving, and he glanced
at it almost mechanically as ne an
swered: 81.
II Peter Ingram, 8 Paradise Row--tlr-t
gent. Very well, ! shall be there in
about half an hour
It was not promising duty, but It
was at least better than to sit
eating his own heart In the bitterness
of enforced idleness, as he had too Oft
en- been compelled to do of late, 50,
waiting only to put his stethoscope and
thermometer In his pocket, he seized
N tr,ss tro1 a,,1 cfa nd Tho StraatG
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 a
house even in such neighborhood
was conspicuous for its neglected ap-
pearance. The paint had long ago
peeled in great patches off the door,
and more than half the panes of glass
were broken in the window, while the
remaining ones were perfectly opaque
with dust and cobwebs. Nine out 81
ten persons would have passed the
house as uninhabited, 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 a second repe-
tition a key grated in the lock, the
door opened three inches, and a gilt
tering eye, under red bushy eyebrow,
sharply scrutinized him from behind
| III. Then 1t closed again: he heard q
chain unfasten, the door was opened
just wide enough to admit him, and
closed locked, and chained behind him
| the moment he had entered.
t.Are you afraid ct thieves, my
friend said the doctor, glancing round
1.-The four bare walls as well as the
tight permitted. You need hardly be
nerovus on that score, I think
| mo- said the man who had admit
tied 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 dont
4 like every one to see me in this
.plight."
An" said Falconer, catching him
by the arm to draw him near the light
h. you have come down in the world
then. Was it drink? Be frank with
me
II won't deny that drink began it.
he answered, quietly. But don't make
| al mistake, doctor; drink isn't the cause
of my present illness. was once q
university man myself,and looking for
. ward to d profession. Drink ruined
! my prospects, and found myself q
private soldier instead. But I pulled
up. haven't tasted drink for many
i years. An old wound received at Abu
1 Klea, and repeated doses Of malaria
have brought me to my present condi.
tion."
Am Ito understand, then" said tbs
| doctor, that you are yourself the pa
tient 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 like tc
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 SILVER 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 Ne
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 door behind him,
| he stepped into a room almost as bare
as the first, except that a heap OF rags
| lay In one corner and a handfulSof fire
smoldered 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 it empty. Re
| turning to his patient, he found the 1T
had terminated in violent sickness.
My poor fellow said he. as soon
as this had subsidized, you must go to
bed and have nurse to look after you.
1 shall have you taken to the infirmary
at once. Just lie down here for a few
Z - -. 49, "a nd