Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-02-22
AN AMATEUR
PHYSICIAN
forisinaL.l

4 lhOSS HtNI4ts csAaA Nt-N STU
Gent, "who arr always telling an inya-
lid just what's Ne matter with him
and recommending some peculiar treat
ment are nuisance"
Il was once very much benefited by
one of these amateur physicians re
| Ilied tie artist.
You? How?"
| "You know Ned Bradleyg'
Yes; a simpleton. He's one of that
kind-knows more about medicine
than a whole school of doctors. Did he
doctor your
well. yes. was feeling very bad
one spring, and in the midst of my all
| ings ran across Ned. L know what's
the matter with you,' he said. It's
your heart Going to u closet he
| brought out stethoscope and clappel
| it to my heart. He listened awhile
then rushed off TO a case where he
| kept half n dozen medical books with
such titles as Ones Own Doctor
Medicine Made Easy and the like
and, taking one of them, he hunted
through the leaves till lie found heart
disease After reading what it said
he reluctantly informed me that l was
liable TO drop down dead at any mo-
| ment"
"Cf course you submitted the case
to physlcian?"
That's what should have done, but
| dared not lest he should confirm
what Bradley had said. Instead
went about expecting each day would
be my last. The flesh melted from my
bones. l lost my strength. | was on
tie verge of collapse. Then / began
to make preparations for my death.
had $4,000 in government bonds and
no relative in the world to whom to
leave them. The only person | loved
was Mary KlaGget, and Mary was re-
ceiving the attentions of Alex Mac
Arthur. Nevertheless, my affection for
her was of the true kind. We had
been chums at school, hunted butter
/ flies together in summer and skated to-
gether in winter Then. when we grew
older. we read the same books. thought
the same thoughts. had similar aspira
tons. All went well till Macarthur
appeared: then l dropped away. But
loved Mary so well that l resolved to
leave her my bonds.
After that | went Gownhill at to-
boggan speed. Somehow l felt averse
TO meeting people-they bore an invalid
so. asking how lie feels, and all that
50 kept at home and at last took to
my bed. | called in o doctor and took
any quantity of medicines, but none of
them did me any good"
Did you tell him about your hear,
disease?'
NO; preferred to have him make
his own diagnosis. AT least. this is
the excuse | made to myself for not
telling him. The truth is, didn't dare
| tell him, for fear his reply would end
the business at once. When l got so
| low that | thought | wouldn't last
much longer / resolved to send for
Mary and give her my property. When
size came and saw my condition she
burst into tears.
Mary l said. you remember how
we used to play together, read the
same books-what pleasant times we
had in each others companionship:
Well. all this made you the only being
in the world to me. Now I'm going to
leave you. There is the key TO my
box in the safe deposit company, and
here is paper making you present
of the contents. You will find there
fifty $1,000 United States bonds. Take
them, and may Alex Macarthur make
you happy
"She just bent down over me and
whispered:
"'You have made great mistake
"'And you're not going to marry
AlexT
"'No.'
"'You don't love himg
"'IIow could wien l have always
loved somebody else?
"She said this so softly and looked at
me SO tenderly out of her trimming
eyes that l began to suspect / had
made fool of myself in drawing out
Of tie race so easily.
Mary | whispered, is it you
loveT
"'Yes: and If you get well We will
ENJOY NfC toSetler-
And If not?'
"'Then don't want your bonds
she was sitting on the bed beside
me. my arms about her. and her cheek
down against mine. The door opened
and in walked Ned Bradley
Horace lie said, I've found out
there's nothing the matter with you
after all
What"
You're well enough. so far as your
heart is concerned
Then what did you mean by telling
me that l was liable to drop at any
moment?
81 got hold Of the wrong book
HE was going on to explain, but
grasped a pitcher that stood on table
beside my bed. and as he vanished out
of the door the crockery splintered all
over the floor. / sank back exhausted