Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-10-20
The Hour and
The Woman
BY THOMAS J. PARTRIDGE.

BY THOMAS j.. PARTRIDGE. n
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
There was little doubt but that DON
Id McPhee was sick unto death. He
as as strong as an OK and as healthy
a trout, and, despite his youth, had
ONE Unscathed through many a bit
lg winter gale On Georges, but when
g stepped from an overheated par
lr into a snOw-bank, and shOveled
now for two or three hours in light
lothing, it brought en- chill. Two
avs afterward Donald went down
18th pneumonia as if struck with a
low.
A fishing port! OF all the places in
ne world for a woman to practise
ledicine! Yet there her sign swung:
VINNEY NJ. STETCHELL, NJ. D.
1t was uphill work with the doctor,
ut she builded well when she snatch
d big Mary" McKinnon's child from
he black jaws of diphtheria, binding
le mother to her with hoops of steel.
esides, Big Mary was a power in the
cotch colony Of Prince Edward ISL
i'd people, 1t was pure faith, then,
edded to gratitude, that prompted
liz Mary. in the face of the strenu-
Is protests Of all the other relatives,
it'll their favOrite doctors and their
Idiyidual leaning toward this and
lat mode Of treatment, to call Doctor
tetcheII in the present instance. The
ok hoy was six hundred miles from
IS parents. and if anything should
appen! 1t was clear that Big Mary
ad taken upon herself a tremendous
ssponsibiIity.
Nightly the relatives foregathered
the big kitchen to discuss the case
/ all its lights and shades; the vir-
les Of this application, the dangers
{ that. Some were for one thing,
ONE for another. Thomas Johns
Iaggie insisted on Doctor Mckenzie
eng called. Mckenzie was from
ONE" and there was some cIannish-
ess in the advice; besides, Maggie
cit a desire to do something, indi-
ectly, at least, toward the old bill,
n which her husband had looked with
adherence for two years.
Mrs. ellis. an aunt, maintained that
Oultices we're weakening; Mrs. Rory
EcEachern swOre that it would be
aurder to remove them. Sarah Nc
'Ougall held that there was no hope
efore the boy was stricken down.
here were no details, but she had
ad a dream!
But the woman doctor" was the
one Of contention. And as the case
tent on from bad to worse, it was
i've and take, the relatives crying
own the rights of women, and Big
larry standing bravely by the faith
hat was in her
They've not the sympathy Of a
lan," whispered Mrs. Plus Mcdonald.
They're too chicken-hearted to be
.octors!" declared old Mrs. McPhail
"She can't have much practice to
ONE six times a day" sneered Mrs.
archie Cameron, winding up a tilt
With Big Mary.
1t was a cruel way to account for
he faithful attendance, and the dart,
tipped with truth, went over the low
sred transom and dropped into the
reast of Doctor Vinney, bending over
he invalid.
"CaH Doctor McKenzie!" cried
Thomas Johns Maggie, for the hun
iredth time, with an eye single to the
dill.
'You and your McKenzie!" retorted
Big Mary, out Of patience at last. "A
pretty mess he made of it with the
minister's baby, sponging child over
with cold water TO bring out the
neasles!" She appealed to the whole
kitchen. "Who ever heard of the
ikes!"
Peace, women!" cried old Ronald
McPail. 'The lad is in her hands, and
;he's in the hands of GOd!"
The doctor entered the kitchen. She
vas a trim little figure Of a woman,
Without a trace of mannishness about
Ter to relieve the oppressive femin-
nifty. Old Ronald removed his pipe
rom his mouth, pulled his spectacIes
Town on his nose, and stared over
hem as if viewing a new breed OF
attic brought into the district. Ten
ear-old Flora. wide-eyed, stood root
4 to the foor, looking as if she had