The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-10-25


ships. This formality, Ralph argued
with himself, need not prevent him
from entering the competition when
the time came. He, too, had done
great deal of reviewing in a quiet way
and felt fairly well prepared for any
ordinary questions which might arise
| in the course Of the examinations But
OF "catch" questions he stood in awe.
But who could tell? Some would get
the places and others would fail. He
had made all the preparation possible,
| considering his condition, and why not
take chances with the rest? 1t might
happen that he would be among the
lucky ones.
So, when Ralph Holmes locked the
express car door early the next morn
| ing and went to his gloomy quarters
in the Railroad hotel, it was with the
| determination to take the first hos
| pital examination that came along,
which would be on the following Sat
| urday, and one of the days that he
would be in the city.
Tired though he was, Ralph did not
go to bed at once. The new excite
ment kept him awake. Sitting down at
the table he picked up the first book
that met his gaze. Why he did it he
| did not know, but in doing so he fol
| lowed a definite impulse-a ''hunch,"
as he was accustomed to say. Run
ming over it's pages in an aimless sort
of way and having no thought of
| studying any particular subject he
stumbled, as it were upon a chapter
hitherto unknown to him. "Tumors of
the Adrenal Capsule" it read.
"Well, that's new one on me-" he
| murmured as he glanced casually over
the pages. Inasmuch as the subject
had never been assigned for study, nor,
to his knowledge, had any reference
oeen made to it in class, he thought it
might prove interesting reading
ut must be, a useless lot of stuff"
he murmured again as he started to
read, "or we would have heard some
thing about it. Nothing else in par
ticular to do, though, so guess I'll just
glance over it. Might come handy
some time"
An hour later Ralph laid the book
aside and went to bed.
When Saturday came and students
from various schools gathered for the
hospital examination, Ralph Holmes
was among the number. He dropped
into one of the rear seats in a careless
sort of way, but his presence caused
no little comment among the members
of his own class, who expected to see
him in the competition least of all 9th
ers.
what are you doing here?" inquired
enc.
"Oh, just happened in to see what's
going on" was Ralph's Indifferent re-
ply But when he provided himself
with paper and made ready to write
the others were convinced that he was
more than a mere locker on.
Then came GREATNESS silence as the
questions were being written upon the
board. There was one on anatomy,
then a query on chemistry, another on
physiology, then histology, materia
medica and half dozen other branch
es of medical science. Fourteen ques-
met with suppressed groans, smiles or
whispers of Easy" or "Puddin'? as
they found the various contestants pre-
pared or wanting in knowledge.
Through it all Ralph had maintained a
countenance as cold and expressionless
as steel He felt satisfied that SO far
he was equal to the test, but resolved
not to betray his feelings to the others
around him. 1t was the fifteenth and
last question that he wanted to see,
and his Impotence got the better of
him. He felt something Juggling. A
peculiar, unexplainable something took
possession of him, and as the profess
or's hand was raised to write the ques-
ton he followed it not alone with his
eyes, but with his body. He stood up,
but when he resumed his seat it was
with sigh of relief that was heard
distinctly in every part of the crowded
room. The professor had written;
15. Etiology, pathology, symptoms. diagnosis
md treatment of tumors Of the adrenal capsule.
The explosion of bombshell would
not have caused more CONSERVATION
among the students than did that one
question, for in none of the schools had
the subject been introduced, and it had
been utterly ignored in the quiz class"
work.
AS for Ralph Holmes-well, he's now
serving an interneship in one of the
leading hospitals of Chicago, and the
little mother is enjoying some of the
happiest days of her life.-Chicago Rec
ord Herald