The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-24
A DOCTORS DUTY.

see ANYTHING very heroic about IL You
ride about the country, and it, pill here
and q powder there and a little witch
hazel for auntie's rheumatism. and that :
all there is TO it: now isn't it. honestly
And vet one would think that you doctors
were soldiers from the way you stand 10
for the nobility Of your calling. Well, II
may be all right but It strike me that
there's precious little on earth more pros
aic than prescription writing and looking
al peoples tongues.
Grace Donald said this banteringly 70
Dr. George Leigh as they sat on the gal
lery of a southern plantation house near
the Mississippi river not far above New
Orleans. DR.. Leigh was a northerner- he
had gone south with his father during re-
construction days when he was little more
than a boy. In New Orleans he had stud
led medicine and had gone up country
70 the little river village with its sur
rounding plantations to practice.
Dr. Leigh smiled little at the thrusts
OF his companion. The laughter IL the
girls voice took away any possible stins
in her words. Grace Donald was plan
ters daughter the daughter of one Of the
few men in all that region who had saved
something from the wreck OF war, and
who during the dark days of carpet-bas-
ism and bad government had succeeded
in wrestling something more than a llv-
ing from the soil. She was a beauty, THIS
girl, a beauty of the full southern type
There was not much society in the little
village near the plantation. and she had
hailed the coming OF thfs northern doctor
IS being something very like an epoch IN
her life, but she took good care that he
did not know anything about the feeling.
Dr. Leigh was a country-br boy. He
had a sort of rugged simplicity about him
that was his chief charm. He was blunt,
but as honest as the day. The person who
called him brilliant would have shot wide
Of the mark He went about his duties in
this Mississippi parish with the same de-
yotion that he would have shown in the
care of the children of princes. II was
possible that some of his southern neigh
bors rather resented the solicitude that
DR.. Leigh showed over the physical con-
cition Of their quarters. He won respect
and liking. however, and as he had
habit Of curing people, blacks and whites
alike, he found that he was not outwear-
ing his welcome in this up-country region
by the great river.
Miss Donald" he said, "a man must
not be blamed because he is a champion
of his own calling. 1t is true, though you
may not know it. that the surgeon runs
risks from which even a soldier might
shrink. 1 have never said this before.
and I say it now only because you arc
pleased TO joke about what yo1 call ths
mock heroics of that New Orleans physi
clan who read a paper here the other
night
I meant no harm. DR.. Leigh. but when
il comes to a question of risks I never
would think of placing the soldier and the
doctor in the same rank And then Grace
Donald's thoughts went across the river
and across the great plains beyond TO the
g,
officer was fighting almost daily with the
treacherous Apaches.
Lieutenant Paul Weston was sent to
West Point from the Memphis district. He
had known Grace Donald from childhood.
When he had graduated and was on his
furlough he had asked her to be his wife.
She had told him to come back in two
years time after he had been given q
chance TO see something of other women
and OF the world.
DR.. George Leigh had learned to love
this southern beauty. Her very capricious
Hess captivated him. He loved and said
rothing. On the girls part there was A
respect and liking for this man who went
SO steadily about his duty and who re
fused the money of the poor.
il was in the summer OF 1878. The hot
breath of the yellow fever touched the
cheek of the southland.
The air grew dense and silent,
The wild bird ceased it's song.
And strong men cried in anguish
How long. o God. how long,
But the skies gave back no answer,
Deaths pitiless scSthe still swung.
And the harvest the reaper gathered.
Was a harvest of old and young
Grace Donald drove into the village. She
met DR.. Leigh lust as he was leaving his
office. over his shoulder was slung a
valise. He was APPARENTLY ready for a
journey. Grace Donald told the driver TO
stop. why do you go away. DR.. Leigh"
She called out. know you re a northern
cr and are likely to be a prey 10 yellow
Jack. but he won't come 10 us here in the
highlands. and you needn't have any
fear"
My course lies down the river not up.
Miss Donald. said DIR. Leigh.
Surely you're not. going to New Or
leans2 It's The very hotbed Of the fever
MS death to a northerner to go there"
There was something more than anxiety
Ia the girls voice.
They need physicians in New Orleans
and they have asked for volunteers. II is
a Doctors duty. Why should I not go?"
You are from the north. You are not
acclimated. You can't escape the touch OF
this dread thing.
the girl. 4 had the fever when I was a
child and I might go. but they tell me
that in this epidemic the people who have
Tad it once are having il again, that none
IS immune" and Grace Donald shuddered
q little
They need nurses. Miss Donald. but rs
e ones duty each must judge for him
self"
TWO weeks later. after hesitation and
coubt and after a conflict OF feelings
Grace Donald left for the Crescent City
She had thought time after time Of the
words. 1T IS a Doctors duty, and with
them she had coupled the thought, it IS
womans duty" and douby the duty OF
j southern woman
She went straight 10 the headquarters Of
physicians and nurses in the building Of
the Young Mems Christian association,
and there offered her services. \ north
crn physician had just been stricken. they
told her. lie had sixty patients on his
allotted visiting list. That morning he
had come into headquarters with the
grasp OF the yellow demon at his throat.
He had told the officials that he knew
he had the fever. that It had just come on
hut that he would make the rounds OF his
PATIENTS once more. Against their urgent
catreaties he had gone TO his carriage
and had visited each one q his sick be-
fore he succumbed and went 10 his own
couch Miss Donald might take this ~ her
FIRST ease.
Grace Donald went to the bedside az d..
George Leigh. She found there an attend
ing physician 1t IS too late. he said.
Dr. Leigh knew 10 rest Had he not ln-
SISTED OF seeing his patients after hc
was stricken he might have been saved
He is dslirious and dying