The Marshall republican., 1906-02-02

relationship was Il
my u naccustomed
mind In a certain sense improper and
irksome. although by nc means un-
pleasant. Also 1t wasted time and
tended to direct our attention from the
vast undertaking to which we were
pledged. Accordingly, within a very
few days Of the occurrence already de-
scribed. l visited a register. and hav-
ing. as It seemed to me. paid several
unnecessary fees. provided myself with
a license. On my way back | walked
down Fleet street. thinking amiably
OF getting married and DR.. Johnson,
and intending to take the omnibus at
Charing Cross. As I went I happened
to look up. and my eye fell upon a no
tice TO the effect that n certain we'll
Offices within the building opposite.
Then II WAS that the idea first oc-
CURED to me that | ought 10. insure
my life, 30 that. should anything hap
pen to me. Fanny might have some
thing TO keep her from poverty. As
II was. she would have absolutely
nothing. All that I had. and that my
wife had brought with her. was strictly
settled upon the boy John in such n
way that ] could not even give my
subsequent wife a life interest In II,
or a part OF II. stopped there In tho
street. and having given the matter
a few moments consideration. came
to the conclusion that Il was my duty
to provide for Fanny to small extent
say two thousand pounds.
Upon this decision. I crossed tho
roadway. and. entering the ONCE.
some Inquiries from a clerk. As II
happened. the doctor attached to the
company was nj that moment In at
tendance and disengagcd. NO thinking
that ! could not do better than get n
disagreeablc business over nj once. I
sent up my card and asked TO see hin.
The messenger returned presently.
With n request that I would step up"
which l accordingly did. to nnd myself.
TO my establishment. In the presence
OF an old fellow-student OF my own,
with whom I had In former days been
tolerably Intimate. but whom | had
dot seen for years. We greeted each
other cordially enough. and after n few
minutes talk I told him the business
had In hand. and he began his medical
examination with the series OF stock
questions which doctors always put
upon these occasions.
The only point upon which he dwelt
at all was insanity. and he was 80
persistent upon this matter that | per-
ceived he had heard some OF the
rumors about me being mentally de-
ranged. which my friends and relations
had 30 materially assisted to spread.
However. | got through that part OF
the business. and then | undid my
shirt. and he proceeded with the ply
sical examination. First he applied
the ~stethoscope to my heart. aud,
quickly removed II. evidently satisfied.
Then he placed II yer my right lung
and listened. While ho did 80, | saw
his face change. and "A thrill OF fear
shot through me as II suddenly came 10
my mind that had experienced some
trouble there OF late. OF which I had
taken no notice. and which had, in
deed. quite passed out OF my mind.
Next he tried the other lung. ana
placed the stethoscope on the table.
What Is the matter?" asked. keep
Ing as calm a face as l could, for
could tell from his look that there was
something very wrong.
Come. Gosden. you are a medical
man yourself. and a clever one, and
there Is no need for me TO tell you
about It,"
Upon my word" I answered. 81
know nothing OF what you mean. |
have not bothered about my W
health for years; but, now I think OF AZ.
l have had some local trouble on the
chest. last winter especially. What is
It? II Is better to know the worst"
"our rule here" he answered dryly
not to make any communication TO
the person examined; but, as we are
brother practitioners. I suppose | nay
dispense with 1t. and tell you at once
! cannot recommend your life 10
the board to be insured upon any
terms. That is what is the matter with
you. old fellow" and he went on. in
terms too technical for me to write
here. to describe the symptoms OF
one OF the most deadliest, and vet
most uncertain. forms Of lung disease.
In short TO pass sentence of death up
on me.
do not think ! am a coward, and
hope ! took 1t well. The bitter irony
Of the whole thing lay In the fact that
while ! was In active practice. I had
made this form of disease a special
study. and used to fiatter myself that
! could stop It, or at any rate stave It
indefinitely. II only ! could get at II
time. ] might have stopped my
own. II had known about IT. Ali
who shall heal the physicianY
well. there you are, Gosden." went
on my friend; You know as much
about 1t as ] do; you may live three
and you may live thirty. but