The daily Alaskan., 1905-06-14
HIS FIRST
 PATIENT

region tloCked about her at JUG uahVes and vied with each other In making her presents. Nevertheless she would listen to none of them when they spoke If love. The reason for this was that Henry Brownen, the son of a retired banker. who lived near her home, had, long before he had right to think of marriage, asked her 10 be his wife. Then he had gone east 10 college and lfter that had studied medicine inPhii' tdclphia. Henry had written Ethel regularly during his first year at col lere. irregularly the second year and ,nly occasionally after that While he attended medical lectures he did nS' write at all
 Henry had shown fair ability in col lece. but when he became a student of medicine it was plain that he possessed a remarkable aptitude tor that profes' sion. The fame of his great promise spread abroad, and, hating relatives in the Quaker City, he be Ome a favorite socially. The girls he had met while in college began to seem very plain people to him compared with the high bred James of Philadelphia, while his for uer country sweetheart seemed a very ,ow order Of being. \ marriage wlth her seemed out Of the question. Bui what could he do? He 2ASt return home for awhile after finishing his medical course and must meet Ethel Before being graduated he received very fatteriEg offer to become the as sistant of a noted surgeon and wrote his father that he would remain m Philadelphia, entering upon his duties as soon as he had taken his degrce.
 While he was miugling with the elite of an aristocratic city Ethel remained the same plain country girl, with the same sweet. unprctcntiOuS bearing the same true heart She was beloved by every one who knew her and would still have been sought in marriage had she consented to listen 10 proposals Such girls do not give their hearts ano take them back easily. Ethel was much troubled by her lovers treatment and when he did not rcturn after hay ing been graduated she realized that he had passed beyond her. She neither wrote upbraidiuG him nor spoke a wond to his dIscrcdit. Shc told her parents that Henry was right. His social sta ton had always been above hers, and now having met tle refined people of a great city, she could not hope that De would prefer her Co her more rchocd rivals. Then she burst Into a passion of tears and ran away to her room.
 From that day she was changed. The color faded from her cheek, and she grew thin and was troubled with a hacking cough. The village doctor wSs called, but reported that he could do nothing for her since her malady was occasloned by some mental trouble.
 NIT. Rrowncll, ST, was an honorable man. He knew of his sons course, but made no comment intending Co walt until Henry had taken his medical de gree. When Henry wrote that he eN- pectcd to settle In Philadelphia, his Ia ther sent him a telegram to come home at once. Henry had no choice but to obey or suffer his fathers diSplcaSuro From the latter he Shrank and reluc | tantly took a train for home.
 It was a spring morning when he reached the station, where nc found bis father, who had come to drive him over several miles to their homo.
 Henry" said the father, II desire that you begin your medical life right here. After year Of work among your old friends, if you desire it, you shall have my consent to return to the city"
 But I can never advance here" said the son. "Thc field is too narrow"
 "You will have my influence to SC cure patients
 Henry leaned back in the carriage with a frown.
 "To prove that l can help you con tinued the father, T am going to drive you to the house of one who has been failing for a long while. You, a recent graduate, should be far in advance Of the togies about here who have failed to cure the patient, and you will have good opportunity to show your skill"
 There was something In the tone with which his father spoke that Hen " did not like, but the enthusiasm Of youth stepped In and suggested that after all, he might show his old friends, the country doctors, how little they knew. Glancing out of the carriage, he saw that they were approaching the woodbridge farm. He cast a quick side glance at his father, but the elder man wore an impcrturbahle though serious expression. They turned into the gate and alightcd at the door, Hen " was led upstairs, door was thrown open, and there on a bed lay his dis cardcd love.
 The windows were open and the odot ot flowers was borne into the room by the south wind A vine climbing about the easement was twisting and turning to thrust It's latest sprouts into the