Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-02-01
My Strange Patient
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A BOUT two years ago there came {.
| "A me a tall. handsome fellow, wa
gave the name Of Mr. George GIinths
He had a fearless eye. a cheerful. eve.
genial expression, a well-molded, Gql
line nose and a splendid mustlCh
| trimmed and tended, evidently vi d
rupulous care. There was no obvious
/ reason, certainly, why he should re-
lulre my services. There was no pos
/ sibility Of making him better looking
Il hear you are a specialist in der
matOlogy" he began after had
| greeted him with the usual formally
| admitted the soft impeachment
Well he went on. Il want you
to perform a surgical feat on me. /
want my nose altered"
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
oi the aquiline and for craving pro-
boscis as unlike as possible to that
with which nature had endowed him.
Seeing my curiosity and possibly no.
wishing TO be deemed a mailman, he
proceeded to explain them TO me.
After several years roughing It IN
Texas, he said, Il have come back
rich, and there is nothing to prevent
my enjoying myself but the Fostering
attentions Of my relatives whom !
had hoped to have done with forever
when ! went away. But | cannot es |
cape them or their opportunities. and /
so, however eccentric you may thfnk /
me, ! must enlist your services. / pre-
sumo there is no danger in the opera
uon?"
No danger" | replied. accepting his
explanation as that of an eccentric |
man, whose affairs. after an. were nc
business of mine. and very little pain
practically none, in fact. But YOU
must keep indoors for a few days after
i is over When and where shan
aall upon your
Gould you not operate here. and
now he asked
impossible. Your journey homeI
would not be without great risk"
But could | not stay here2 Could
you not accommodate me for the short
line necessary? Doctor. can pay
you literally for the service. Co 81
er II ! go home, my identity would be
again revealed TO those from whom
iesire TO conceal it."
This speech. one would have thought
would have aroused my suspicion, b (
[ did not. The mans frank and open
disarmed me entirely. and
could but look upon him as hal
lone previously, simply as an &c, n
ric individual II so happened / had
! spare room. could not regarl the
he question OF remuneration with in
Inference. and so. to cut long story
hort consented.
For the purpose of mo-e convenient.
= operating, / suggested. somewhat I
mildly, the sarriiiea OF his beautiful !
lustach. To my surprise. he assented
ageriy, and was for the appllcat on
Z scissors and razor forthwith Yovl
'ould scarcely credit the difference I
he removal Of this artistic hirsut [
ppendage-"the crop Of many years $
s he jokingly desert bed it-made 10 a
" patient L displayed what had 4
cen concealed before. his mouth and p
le sinister expression OF this was r
ich as TO eifectually nullify the non \
. geniality Of his face. In fact the o
smoyal Of his mustach constituted as n
promptly told him. a sufficient dis. a
lise TO battle any number Of inouisi- q
We relatives. But he insisted on the s.
asai operation nevertheless. h
Well. I performed IL. and when ten G
lys later Mr. George Gnhiths Ter, 4
y house. with nothing but a rapify 8
Ealing and almost invisible. scar r. y
emish the straight nose which now 8
formed hts face I would have wager
nay case o. instruments to a ten
mt knife that The most observant a. :,
g previous acquaintances would nev.
nave recognized him.
About a week after ms eccentric IA y
ents departure, the particulars sot
Y as they were known. OF a remark
w brutal murder were made public
he body OF a lady named Bates. evi- b,
entity stabbed to death. had been dis
''eFed in a house in a Mott ia zen M
'1'5o' where she had resided with G