Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-04
CHAPTER I.

II was very early in the morning, 1t was
scarcely dawn, when the young man start
ed upon a walk OF twenty-five miles to
reach Alton. where he was to be assistant
70 one of the physicians in the place, DR..
Thomas Gordon, or, he was Familiarity
called, Doc" Gordon. The young mans
name was James Elliot. He had just grad
uated, and this was to be his first expe-
rience in the practice of his profession Of
medicine He was in his twenties. He was
small but from the springiness of his gait
and the erectness OF his head he gave an
impression of height. He was very good
looking. with clearly cut features. and dark
eyes, in which shone, like black diamonds,
sparks of mischief. They were honest eyes,
too. The young fellow was still sowing his
wild oats. but more with his hands than
with his soul. He was walking because of
q great amount of restless energy; he fair
ly reveled In stretching his legs over the
country road IN the keen morning air The
train service between Gresham, his home
place, and Alton was very bad necessttat
ing two changes and waits of hours and he
had fretted at the prospect. When young
man Is about to begin his career, he does
not wish TO sit hours in dingy little railroad
stations on his way toward 1t. 1t was much
easier and pleasanter to walk, almost run,
TO II, as he was doing now. His only bag
gage was his little medicine case; his trunk
had gone by train the day before. He was
very well dressed. his clothes had the cut
OF city tailor He was almost dandified
His father was well-to-doi a successful
peach grower on wholesale scale. His
great farm was sprayed over every spring
with delicate rosy garlands of peach blos-
SONS and IN the autumn the trees were
hsar
had made fortune, and, aside from that,
had achieved a certain local distinction He
was then mayor of Gresham, which had
City government. James was very proud
OF his father and fond of him. Indeed, he
had reason TO be. His father had done
everything In his power for him, given him
a good education. and supplied ham liber-
ally with money James had always had
sense Of plenty of money, which had kept
him from undue love of 1t. He was now
beginning the practice of his profession, in
a , small way i is true 20 but that he recog-
acclimated, become accustomed to your
profession in q small place before you
launch out in city" his father had said.
and the son had acquiesced. l. was the
natural wing-trying process before large
flights were attempted, and the course
commended itself to his reason. James, as
we'll as his father, had good reasoning pow
er He whistled TO himself as ne walked
along. He was very happy. He had SEN
sation as Of one who has his goal in sight.
He thought of his father, his mother and his
two younger sisters but with no distress
at absendng himself from them, although
he lived in accord with his family. Twenty
five miles to his Joyous youth seemed but as
a step across the road. He had no sense
of separation. What is twenty-five miles?'
he had said laughingly to his mother when
she had kissed him goodbye. He had no
conception OF her state of mind with regard
to the break In the home circle. He who
was the breaker did not even see the break
Therefore ne walked along, conscious of
an immense Joy in his own soul, and wholly
unconscious OF anything except JOY In the
souls of those whom he had left behind. 1t
was a glorious morning, a white morning.
The ground was covered with white frost.
The trees the house roofs, the very air,
were all white. In the west a transparent
moon was slowly sinking; the east deep
ened with red and violet tints. Then came
the sun, upheaving above the horizon Ike
q ship OF glory, and all the Wilderness burn
cd and giowed and radiated jewel lights
James looked about with the delight OF
dlscoverer. It might have been his hrst
morning He began TO meet men going TO
their work swinging tin dinner pals Even
these humble pals became glorihed, they
gave back the sunlight like FURNISHED Sill
Yer. He smelled the odors of breakfast
upon the mems clothes. He held up his
sead high with sort of good-hunored ar