Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-11-27

onterOom Was full OF people waning
their turns, and Lampkin was admit
ting them, examining. treating and dis
missing them a. rapidly a. possible.
They sat in a row. those nearest the
Office door coming first. Once or twice
In looking into the waiting room to an
nounce that il was another's turn the
doctor noticed an old grny headed man
among the others. BE sat holding q
folded paper in his trembling hand and
! took pains to allow those who had come
later than himself 70 90 in before him.
Afraid Of me, :" thought the doctor,
with smile. He looks superStitious. !"
It was near closing time. 10 Lampkin
ordered the Office boy TO shut tho outer
door and 70 admit no one else. The old
man was the last patient and the fact
that be was left alone in the waiting
room seemed to frighten him more than
ever. When the Office boy closed and
locked the door, he sprang up. took hold
of the knob and pulled ut IL excitcdly.
1.-THE doctor will see you in min
ute, said an assistant, who had takep
his hat TO 90 out "Sit down and wait
for him.
~ believe I'll come back tomorrow.
stsmmered the old man. II can wait
I'm in no hurry"
"wait q moment" urged the assist
ant "You look nervous Dr.. LAmpkin
will not hurt you. He does not even
give medicine You have nothing to be
afraid Of.
The old man seemed only partially
reassured. He resumed his seat, his eyes
bent alternately on the outer door and
the one opening into the Office. The rs
sistant sat down 10 keep him company.
holding his hat and gloves in his hands
He tried to draw the old man into con-
versation. but the effort was futile.
When Dr.. Lampkin opened the door and
motioned for him to enter. he began to
tremble violently.
1T II your turn now. said the doc
tor. smiling genially Come in. /
won't hurt you What il your trouble'"
The old man made DO response. His
eyes were fixed on the floor. A close OBJ
server and suspicious one might have
noticed that the long white beard and
hair were false. Seeing the paper in his
hand, Dr. Lampkin took it.
"h this for mel'' he asked
The old man nodded YES. he said
In = queer, piping voice my son
wrote il and told me to bring il to you.
The doctor opened It 1t ran as fol-
lows:
Dr.. Lampkin:
DEAN sIR-HAving heard q great deal about
your wonderful skill In curing imaginary dis
sascu, have decided 10 scnd my father TO you.
He has tho idca firmly nxed In his mind that
early In life while drinking from brook on
his farm he swallowed small snake He be-
hevcs that 10 has grown 10 bc prctty largo one
and tha, IL IL eating mp his food. Indeed. my
fsther has nm enormous appetite. IL is hardly
ever satisfied. Do what you can for him. and
the bill zhall be paid on presentation TO me-
feel that you can do more for him than all tho
regular ply siciAns put together. Yours truly.
JANE FRITZ LINTON.
"Ah, seel" said DR.. Lampkin. ad-
dressing the old man and motioning his
assistant to retire. Your son writes
me that you swallowed small snake
when you were young and that It Ii
now giving you some trouble.
The old man looked up suddenly. and
his eyes flashed Indignantly.
"Ah. he told you that. did he? he
admits to you that have the snake, and
yet he has been lying to me about 1t for
the last ten years ! shall 60 home and
give him a good licking. He knows |
can't read, or he wouldn't have wrote
it"
The patient rose suddenly. AZ If to
leave.
BE calm" said Lampkin. He was
doing 1t for your good. As for myself.
! believe in being frank about such
thinga OF course you have II. but ! can
remove il without any trouble Come
into my Office
~ am little uneasy about IL, )" said
the old man AZ he followed the doctor
into the other room. ~ have had IL 20
long that I am afraid I'd be sort Of
well. reckon there would DO an empty