The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-11-24
The Hour and
The Woman
BY THOMAS :. PARTRIDGE.

ES2S1S251S2S2S2525
There was little doubt but that Don
aid McPhee was sick unto death. He
was as strong as an OK and as healthy
as trout, and, despite his youth, had
come unscathed through many a bit
ing winter gale en- Georges, but when
he stepped from an Overheated par
tor into snOwbank, and shOveled
snow for two Or three hours in light
clothing, it brought en- a chill. Two
days afterward Donald went down
with pneumonia as if struck with a
blow
A fishing port! OF all the places In
the world for woman to practise
medicine! Yet there her sign swung:
VINNEY M. STETCHELL, NJ. D.
1t was uphill work with the doctor,
but she builded well when she snatch
ed Big Mary" McKinnon's child from
the black jaws of diphtheria, binding
the mother to her with hoops Of steel.
Besides, Big Mary was a power in the
Scotch colony of Prince Edward Isl
and people. 1t was pure faith, then.
welded to gratitude, that prompted
Big Mary, in the face of the strenu-
Gus protests of all the other relatives,
with their favorite doctors and their
individual leaning toward this and
that mode Of treatment, to call Doctor
Stetchell in the present instance. The
sick boy was six hundred miles from
his parents, and if anything should
happen! 1t was clear that Big Mary
had taken upon herself tremendous
responsibility.
Nightly the relatives foregathered
in the big kitchen to discuss the case
In all its lights and shades: the vir-
tues Of this application. the dangers
OF that. Some were for one thing
some for another Thomas Johns
Maggie insisted on Doctor Mckenzie
being called. Mckenzie was from
home" and there was some clannish-
ness in the advice; besides, Maggie
felt a desire to do something, indi-
rectly. at least, toward the old bill,
on which her husband had locked with
Indifference for two years.
Mrs. ellis, an aunt, maintained that
pOultices We're weakening: Mrs. Rory
McEachern svore that it would be
murder to remove them. Sarah Nc
Dougall held that there was no hope
before the boy was stricken down.
There were no details, but she had
had dream!
But the woman doctor" was the
bone of contention. And as the case
went on from bad to worse, it was
give and take, the relatives crying
down the rights CT women, and Big
Mary standing bravely by the faith
that was in her.
They've not the sympathy of a
man." whispered Mrs. Plus Mcdonald.
They're too chicken-hearted TO De
doctors!" declared old Mrs. McPhail. !
She cant have much practice to
come six times a day." sneered Mrs
Archie Cameron, winding up a TIT
with Big Mary.
1t was cruel way to account for
the faithful attendance, and the dart,
tipped with truth, went over the low
cred transom and dropped into the
breast of Doctor Vinney, bending over
the invalid.
Call Doctor MCKENZIE" cried
Thomas Johns Maggie, for the hun
dredth time. with an eye single to the
bill
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 a child over
with cold water to bring out the
neasles!" She appealed to the whole
kitchen. "Who ever heard of the
ikes!"
"PeacA Women!" cried old Ronald