The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-20
DEATH CHEATED THE DOCTOR.
Took Dying Mans Insurance and the
Patient Is Now Driving Spikes.

(BumalO EXDress-)
Stretched upon a bed in a humble
east side home lay a man. 1t would
be more accurate TO say the shadow
OF a man. His frame made scarcely
more than a mound in the bed than
his bare skeleton would have made.
His cheeks were colorless and as hol-
low as ais cough.
ITS no use, DOCTOR he said feebly
to the robust professional man who
stood looking at his watch while hold
ing II patients pulse. II know it is
all u1f with me. / suppose you've kept
me alive a month or two longer than
if I Dirt have you, but l know
what gaIIoping consumption means
and I want to square UP accounts
now"
You mustn't give up yet, my man, -
said the doctor, cheerilY. Don't you
worry yourself about accounts until
you are better"
But the patient was not to be de-
ceived by the inference he was ex-
pected TO draw from the words until
you're better"
I'm much obliged to you, doctor, -
he said, with a CHASTITY attempt at a
smile. for your trying to cheer me
up and keep me agoing. But 1 know,
doctor, / know. Now I'll tell you what
Make it out to cover everything up to
the finish"
The physician affected a laugh and
tried TO change the subject. But the
patient was insistent, and to humor
him he finally sat down and scrubbed
bill. Tt was for $500.
Thanks, doctor; it's very reason
able, considering all you've had TO do
for me. Now I'll tell you. I'm a poor
laboring man, as you know, earning
$3.50 a day when ! was able to work,
but when mans laid up he can't earn
even that much, and there's my wife.
, she's had to live all this time, so all
our savings are about gone by this
| time. But I'm going to pay your bill
just the same.
I've got a life insurance policy for
$500. / can't last more than two or
three months longer, and-no. don't
shake your head. doctor; I know it.
Now. listen. Pay over 5000 to my wife
now-she needs money 3Ow-and the
policy is yours. That VIII give you
the $500 you've charged me and thu
800 more that yop really ought TO
charge"
There was no gainsaying the pa
tent. He was determined The ply
sician knew the mans estimate of his
I remaining term of life was liberal It
would be unfair to say he also know
it would be a good investment, a clear
profit of S1G0 available within three
! or four weeks at the longest. However.
the doctor wrote his cneck for S200
and gave il to The wife the next day,
when the insurance policy was made
over to him.
That was four years ago. The anx-
ious little woman felt the end was
near. She couldn't forsake hope how
ever. She had heard that sometimes
a change Of climate viii save a col
sumptive, and, true to a wife's self
sacrifice. she made arrangements With
! tor to send her husband to North Car
DINA
A month went by. and the new bene-
/ iciary Of the life insurance policy re-
| ceived notice that the regular monthly
assessment was due. He paid il. An
other month passed and the notice
came Of the next assessment. whi@n
he also paid. The wife called in at
the doctors Office and reported with
grave face that the hospital down
south wrote her that her husband was
slightly improved, but would not give
her any encouragement
One after another the months rolled
by-like automobiles on a country road,
1t may have seemed to the doctor
and just as rapidly the notices of as
sessments due rolled in.
One day, about q year after the
deeth- bed scene before described the
doctor received a letter from the pa