The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1900-09-21
% HE operating theater was packed
I'll with lookers-on.

farfamed. Pending the arrival Of the
pafIent from the anaesthetic room on
the other side Of the passage, the great
surgeon stood washing his hands and
talking to his dressers.
An enthusiast himself he always in
spired his subordinates with enthusi-
assn and his daring and success as an
operator made him the envy and add
miration of all his juniors.
His fine but stern face relaxed into a !
smile over the naive remarks OF one Of |
the students, and little laugh even |
broke from his lips. 1t was unusual
for Mr.. Menzies to laugh; he was
kncwn as a grave, silent man, and the
lines Of his face were severe, though
there was a great kindness in his keen
gray eyes, and his rare smile was par
ticularly charming The world in which
he moved knew well enough what it
was that had carved the sternness into
what had been so pleasant and bright
face. knew what had caused the look
il his eyes which never wholly left
them
The world had been loud in its com
miserati0n. a year before, when Mr..
Menzies' wife had left bin and their
3-year-old daughter for another man.
who had been he great surgeons
friend Equally loud in its expressed
sympathy. but the surgeon had made
all such expressions an impossibiliiy.
TO no living soul had he ever spoken
Of the blow which had ruined his hap
plness. and no living soul had even
venured to touch upon the subject to
him.
He faced life sternly now, instead of
smilingly as before, that was all; and
lie flung himself, heart and mind. into
his profession. giving apparently no
thought to anything beyond it, except
to his small daughter.
The child went with him every
where. and was even now sitting in
the carriage. in the hospital courtyard
gravely and intently scanning the PEG
PIE who passed to and fro in the full
sunshine
There was a sudden hushing OF the
busy talk in the operating theater. al
the patient was wheeled in and LIFTED
upon the table, and the surgeon move'
forward.
Patient quite ready. sir. sald I'M
house surgeon respectfully.
The surgeon did not even glance a
the face of the man upon the table. bu
proceeded to examine the seat of III
injury asking a few terse questions a
he did so.
Game in early this morning. yo
say:"
Yes sir, only just conscious enoug
TO tell us he was run over
Poor fellow well it is quite obv
Gus what must be done. 1t is cas-
Of life or death The only chance
saving him is to operate at once
The clear. decided voice could b
heard all over the theater, the stronl
steady hands were watched eagerl
from every corner as they began the
work with no hesitation, no unce
tainiy of touch.
For a quarter of an hour Mr. Menzl'
worked on in silence. broken only i
an occasional short word to the dress
beside him.
As usual he was absorbed in the ta'
before him, every other thought Tor u
moment relegated TO the back OF d
mind. Outside. in the courtyard d
little daughter sat in the carrla
watching the pigeons struttng to al
fro in the sunshine. and the people WI
passed in and out of the great dool
watched over herself by the coachma
who adored every hair of the cur
head. and worshped the grounu III
was walked upon by her tiny Lee
There was nothing the small girl
ioyed more than coming to the h0Spl
Ito wait for father it gave her
lightful sensation of being grown
added to the delight of the long drl
sitting beside father, and holding
hand and chatting to him upon
many and varied incidents Of the rou
She glanced up at the windows 4
wondered where father was Just u
very minute. and whether he "o'
come soon. Then she turned her e!
back again to the pigeons in the 81
shine, strutting boldly up and DO
underneath the feet of the pasSefs-
Upstairs. in the theater. there wal
breathlesS silence.
The most critical moment oil
operation had been reached Wheh
surgeon paused for a moment
glance up the table at the face oil
patient, and to ask a question OF
house surgeon.
But the question was only nan
tered, his words broke of suddel
and a student, more observant u
his fellows, noticed what a curl
grayneSs overspread his face.
Something gone wrong over the