The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-05-10


you will not wonder that l like TO
keep out of it as long as | cam
You ought to be in it now, sala
the doctor, and, indeed, as he spoke
the man began to SILVER and tremDie'
and crying with chattering teeth, on
--h--h! it's on me again." clutched at
the solitary chair that stood in the
room, land sat down in such paroxysm
OF shuddering that the floor shook De-
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 a door behind him,
he stepped into room almost as care
as the first, except that heap or "a IS
lay in one corner and handful OF IRE
smoldered in the rusty CRATE. A water
| jug and cup and plate stood upon
the floor close to the wall but on lift
ing the jug he found il empty. Re-
turning to his patient, ne found the III
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.
l shall have you taken to the inhrmary
at once. just lie down here for few
minutes until can procure fly, and
l will have you there in a jiffy. | VIII
take you myself, so there will be no
ed him by the arm and shrieked out:
But to his surprise the patient clutch
ed him by thearm and shrieked out:
mo, doctor, no! anything rather than
that! would sooner die on the floor!
l won't go, tell you. If you can't
do me any good here, just leave me
alone; but go to infirmary or hospital,
/ won't, or have a nurse fussing about
me either. I've fought through as bad
as this before without any help, and l
will again! Col" he fairly yelled in
his excitement; "go and leave me to
get through it without your help
"Oho" muttered the doctor to him
self, so it will be the asylum instead
of the infirmaIy. Don't agitate your
self, my friend" he continued to his
patient; "if you prefer misery to COM
fort, and sickness to health, that's your
own affair. I'm not going to force any
kindness on you. You shall stay here;
| can't pass any harsher sentence on
you than that. Now will you be good
enough to strip to the waist, and let
me overhaul you thoroughly. You
haven't had malarial fever so long as
you say without enlarged spleen or
liver, I'll be bound"
The man sulkily took of his coat
and waistcoat. Don't ask me to strip
any further. doctor. It's too cold; and,
to confess the truth, haven't had my
clothes off for weeks, and I'm ashamed
you should see them"
"All the more reason for taking
them of now said the doctor. Man,
how can you endure it? 1t is enough
to breed a fever In itself! Off with
them!" and he caught hold of him to
help him to remove them. But the
other wriggled from his grasp, and
planted himself in a corner of the
room, with his hands clutching his
waist as far round as he could reach
Don't be such bowling fool" said
the doctor, with as much good nature
as he could command under the cir
cumstances. Listen to me, my friend.
You have contracted liver and enlarged
spleen at this moment, or I'm very
much mistaken. But you have worse
than that. / felt something when l
caught hold of you a moment ago. and
I'm afraid it's a malignant tumor of
the most serious kind. AS live" he
went on, stepping close to him, and
passing his hand round the waist, in
spite Of efforts to prevent him, II can
make out more than one even through
your clothes. Come, come! Be lit
tie more reasonable. Let me get you
to bed and examine you properly.
You're not fit to be on your feet at this
moment. Come, my poor fellow. don't
play the fool any longer. If you do,
shall have to conclude you a mad
man, and take measures accordingly.
Don't force me to that"
We'll. doctor, give in then. Just
step into the other room while I un-
dress. please, and I'll call when you're
TO come in.'
The doctor raised his eyebrows at
this modest request, but thought it
best to humor him, and went into the
outer room, closing the door behind
him. As he did SO, he heard the key
turned in the lock on the other side. In
another minute, however, it was turn
ed again, and a few seconds later he
heard the voice Of his patient: Come
In now. doctor" Entering, he found
him on a ragged mattress that lay on
the hoor, covered with dirty blanket
and the coat and trousers he had been
wearing. Kneeling down beside him,
he proceeded to examine him in regu-
lar professional fashion, but to his
amazement he entirely failed 10 detect