The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-10-28
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village parson, who looked after the
souls of the brethren. while the other,
Brother jim, doctored their bodies.
Father Tom lived in the little par
sonage next the church. with the old
est woman inhabitant of the place-a
dame past seventy, but who knew how
TO darn stockings-as his housekeeper.
DR.. Jim lived at the other end of the
village street and looked after his own
homework. even brothers who are
so fond of each other as Tom and l
ought to live apart" said Dr. Jim.
at strengthens the affections"
The brothers passed every evening
Of their lives together, one night at
the parsonage and the next at the
"doctory," and they passed every one
oyer their pipes, for the parson wasn't
prig, and the doctor was wont to say
that tobacco was the only known spe-
ciic for all human ills.
"Tom," said his brother one evening,
81 see that old Bill Lamson has died
over at Leeds"
"Yes, JIM" said Father Tom, "and
was at his deathbed."
81 always suspected. Tom, that you
knew all about Bill Lamson's part in
the Johnson killing years ago, if he
had n part in il. which 1 am inclined
to believe by the way, and that you
kept the whole thing to yourself"
'Well. suppose 1 did know about it,
Jim. If Lamson told me anything
which l won't grant even now-he
told it to me because l was n clergy
man, and it's not in the clerical prov
tnce to tell on man who is repentant,
no matter what his crime"
Fright you are. Tom, and l tell you
that a physician ought to hold secrets
just as tight If they come from a pa
tient. l wouldn't give up wounded
murderer If he had come to me for
treatment and had thrown himself on
my mercy and on my professional
care. I'd consider myself n sort of a
father confessor TO his bodily ills, as
you might to the sins of his soul"
You're all wrong, Jim. You can't
class the physician with the priest.
The soul and the body are things
apart, and the touch of the sacred
doesn't enter into your profession as it
does into mine. You have no right to
claim the clergyman's exemption from
giving evidence against an evildoer
who has trusted you. In concealment
You do the state an injury"
Likely | would If such condition
eyer confronted me, Tom, Iut
wouldn't give the fellow up If he had
once trusted me and l had cared for
him. l might be an enemy of the state
In so doing, but I'd sleep better after
it,"
The brothers separated for the night.
DR.. Jim went bacl; into the little labor
atory back Of the sitting room, musing
over the talk with his brother. at
would be a curious situation to be
placed in," he thought. ito have a
wounded criminal on your hands and
to feel that the state might look to you
as an accomplice because you had
failed TO turn him over to justice after
you had patched him up"
DR.. Jim sat up late studying. He
heard noise outside the door at an
hour after midnight, and, throwing it
open, man fell into the room and on
to the floor. II seen your sign, doctor.
with the light behind it. l guess I'm
done for, but mebby you can fix me
up"
The man rasled and tainted Sturdy
DIR. Jim picked him up and carried
him TO the laboratory, where he laid
his burden on the lounge and made q
hasty examination. The man had n
bullet hole through the thigh and was
weak from the loss Of blood. Beyond
that his Injury wasn't serious. DR..
Jim stanched the flow and gave the
man restoratlves.
Where did you get this wound?" he
asked his midnight visitor when he
had regained consciousness.
Don't tell on me, Doc. I trusted
you. cracked place with pal. He
got away all right and has the swag.
but i got shot when the old feller In
the house walked up. Maybe l done
Tor him. | don't know, though, but he
didn't shoot again after he hit me- and
let drive back"
"You can't stay here" said DIR. lin.
patients and other people will be here
Tomorrow. and you can't travel for a
week. I'll put you on a cot in a room
over the summer Kitchen at the back
of the yard, and I'll look after you
though 1t goes against the grain" And
the doctor smiled bit grimly as h,
thought OF his conversation with Faith
or Tom few hours before.
An hour later the wounded bnrgla
was bandaged. fed and secreted In tn
upper chamber Of the unused samme
kitchen. There was fierce poundin
at DIR. Jim's front door. He opened II
The village constable and a dozen ex
cited citizens were there. Father Tor
has been shot" they fairly howled a
the physician.
DIR. Jim felt his knees tremble unde
him. The constable, who had som
sense, hastened to say: "Oh. he ain
hurt bad, but come along"
The doctor found his brother suffei
Ing from slight scalp wound ana Il
menting the loss Of $500. nearly all tn
money he had in the world.
DIR. Jim treated his brother. and the
strode away toward his home. Sent
ment was all right. but when man
brother was shot. why. that was dlffe
ent. you shot ana robbed my brotl
er," he said sayagely 10 the patier
tossing on the cot.
''Was he your brother, Doc? L,