The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1905-12-08
Eelfct @isrellany,
My Strange Patient.

About two years ago there came tc
me tall, handsome fellow, who gave
the name of Mr.. George Griffilhs. He
had fearless eye, a cheerful, even
genial expression, a we'll nodded, aquil
inc ncse and a splendid mustach
trimmed and tended, evidently with
scru pulous care. There was no oh.
vious reason, certainly, why be should
require my services. There was nc
possibility OF making bim better look
ing.
Il hear you are specialist in der.
matology," he brgan, after l had
greeted him with the usual formality
admitted the soft impeachment.
"Well,' be went on, 81 want you to
perform a surgical feat on me. ]
want my nose .altered.'
I expressed surprise, and assured
him, that, in my humble opinion, his
nose was best let alone. But he dis
puted this proposition, and insisted
that he had reasons for being weary
OF the aquiline and for craving pro
boscis as unlike as possible to that
with which nature had endowed him.
Seeing my curiosity and possibly not
not wishing TO be deemed a madman,
be proceeded to explain them to me.
"After several years roug ching it in
Texas" he said, 81 have come back
rich. and there is nothing to prevent
me from enjoying myself but the pes
tering attentions Of my relatives.
whom | had hoped to have done with
forever when l went away. But ]
cannot escape them or their importun
tiles, a I'd 80, however eccentric you
may think me, must enlist your
services presume there is no dan
ger in the operation?'
mo danger" / replied, accepting
his explanation as that of an eccentric
man, who's af,irs, at r all, we're nj,
business of mine, land very little pain
practically none, in fact. Bat you
must X, ep indoors for few days af-
ter it is over. When and where shall
I call upon yon?'
"Could you not operate here, and
now?.' he asked
"Impossible: Your j .urney home
wonld no; he without great risk"
But, could not stay herr? Could
you not accommodate me for the short
time necessary? Doctor, l can pay
you literally for the service. Consid-
.er; if / go home, my identity would be
again revealed to those from whom l
desire to conceal it,
This speech, one would have
thought would have arou s.
ed my suspicion, but it did not. The
mans frank and open expression dis
armed me entirely, and l could not
look upon him as l lad done previous
ly, simply a. an eccentric individual
1t so happened | had spare room. l
could not regard the question Of re-
muneration with Indifference, and so,
to cut long story short, l consent
ed. .-...
. For the purpose Of more convent
emily operating. l suggested, some
what t,midiy, the sacrifice of his beau
tiful musrache. To my surprise. be
assented eagerly, and was for the ap
plication of scissors and razor forth.
with. You would scarcely credit the
difference the removal OF this artistic
hirsnte appandag"-"the crop of many
years" as he jokingly drscribed 1t
made to my patient 1t displayed
what had been concealed before, his
mouth. and the sinister expression of
this was such as to effectually nullify
the honest geniality Of his face. In
fact, the removal OF his mustache con-
stituted. as | promptly told him, a
sufficient disguise to baffl any mum
Der of inqnisitive relatives. But he
insisted on the nasal operation never
theless Well, performed it, and
when, ten days later, Mr.. George
Gritfifhs left my h"nse, with nothing
but rapidly healing, and almost in
visih'r. scar to bIemish the straight
nose winch now adorned his face,
would iave wagered my case Of instru-