The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-26
ss @ A
CHATTER 1.

How long "Old Screff'' had been fix
ture of Prof. Schoeler's clinic was q
matter of speculation. Some claimed he
had been there from the days of the I'M
mortal Won Graefe, others that he had
not nut in an appearance until the early
eighties. His age might have been forty
FIVE or even fifty-fiVe, since there We're
lines in his face that seemed not attrlp-
utable to age alone.
A man seems to retain, whether In his
dress or department., something that re-
calls the time of his life when he pros
pered most This period with Seroff must
have been twenty years before L met
him The position he filled at the clinic
was by no means mental, but he man
aged to make it seem so. The younger
members of the staff took the pick OF all
the cares and left to him the frayed and
shiny chronics. No one ever thought OF
going to him for information, although
we realize that he was perfectly capable
of giving it. He acknowledged any little
attention with almost canine apologize
pleasure: but with the half-coeked ear
of suspicion, as if looking for the lash
experience had taught him often comes
with over confidence in human nature. Al
times his chair would be vacant for days
at a time; but his little case Of bottles
and instruments shone up bravely in the
SlanIlnR
attesting to the fact that things were
brighter where his long, thin shadow
was not interposed between the window
and themselves.
1t was a Sunday morning in spring
that feeling desire to be alone, [ look
train to Potsdam Wandering little
out Of the tourist beaten path, l came
upon a rambling pile of stucco that bore
the aspect of an inr1 A sparse little Tor
est of oleander and lime trees set out
in green-painted tubs, garnished the
front with military monotony.
A few walters in dingy dress suits and
deliberately brushed hair, quickened into
life at my approach and began to mop
the tables and scrape about the chairs.
In spite of this implied invitation to re-
main outside / went directly into the tap
ROOM whittier they followed, as if by
show of force to intimidate me into Civ
ing a formidable order.
At a table by the open easement sat a
man, his back toward me- He was ap-
parently sleeping; his head resting on his
hand, his elbow on the table. There
adorned this table before him a flea
bitten high hat whose vintage I fancled
to be far older than that of it's COM
psnion a long-necl5ed. brown labelless
bottle that stood beside IT, apparently
glazing at the red silk handkerchief that
protruded over its up-turned brim, like
a derisive tongue. / knew the hat and
the back. they both belonged to DR..
Scroff of Schoeler's clinic.
Ny entrance with an invading army of
walters aroused him. Slowly and with
dignity he Strengthened himself in his
chair. He did not turn and glare at US.
as most people would have done, for
Scrof could not be rude by even SO small
an action.
Walking over to him I placed my hand
lightly upon his shoulder. He turned and
fastened upon me a pair of watery,
Slightly congested eyes. A look of recog-
milton shot into them as, springing up
with such energy as to overturn his
chair. he said: My very dear sir, what
an unexpected pleasure. Who would
have thought 1t now?" AS if we had
met in the heart of Central Africa,
rather than a few miles from Berlin.
I did not see you at the clinic yester-
day" 1 said, by way of easing the con-