Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-06-15


cigar and Eliminating over certain
events long past and almost forgotten
In his hand he held letter typed on
q plain white sheet of paper. A bright
fire was cracking merrily in the open
crate, and DR.. Jensen would read the
letter and then gaze into the leaping
flames and under his breath mutter:
Damn hiIni"
The letter had neither heading nor
signature, there was no writing to iden-
tify the sender, the post mark on the
envelope was from remote sub
station away out in the northern
suburbs of the great city; but Dr. Jen-
sen knew, as well as he knew his own
name, Just who had sent that letter.
Knew it because it referred to GER
tain event in his past life, spoke OF a
compromising photograph and othor
things; only one man knew these
things. the knowledge which would be
very disastrous to DR.. Jensen'S dOmeS-
tic and financial affairs. The writer of
this letter limited that a money con-
sideratiOn, if sufficiently large, might
purchase the discriminating evidence.
Only one man knew these facts, there
fore he must have sent the missive.
To go back little: When Jensen
was graduated from an important
eastern medical school and had had
two years hospital work he stood on
the threshold OF his career. He liked
medicine, had been a good student and
was we'll fitted to practice. But he
had financial ambition. All his life he
had been poor; he had worked his way
through college, with the heel of pow
erty ever pressing his neck. He
wanted money, but the pathway to
money through practice of medicine
was as a rule slow and uncertain.
MANY (doctors) are called but few
are chosen" was only too true and
Philip Jensen studied the subject of
his future very seriously. The ethical
thing for him to have done at this
time would be to open an office, fur
nish it mOdestly, put a pretty gold
sign reading: Phillip Jensen, Physi-
clan and Surgeon on the door, and
then to sit down in any easy chair and
wait-wait for some person to come
along and be suddenly stricken with
stomach ache. He must wait for his
patients-wait perhaps like the Hon.
Peter Stirling for two years before a
client came along. In doing this he
would be strictly ethical, but two
years of being ethical wasn't pleasant,
especially when the doctor needed
food and raiment during that time.
If he were reasonably successful in
building up a practice he might after
about ten years be able to pay his Of
fee rent and support himself. But he
didn't propose to be poor that long;
in ten years he wanted to accumulate
a goodIy amount of money; in 20 he
wanted to be independent. He studied
carefully over these questions and
finally became an advertising special.
list" He departed from the hewn
lines of medicine; through the papers
he told of his skill in his chosen spe-
cialty; his charges were reasonable.
and before very long the credit side
of his ledger was getting larger than
the debit. What DIR. Jensen did he did
we'll: he was not an impecunlOus
uuack, but a skilled and expert physi-
clan. A year later his practice had so
increased he needed help in his ac-
counts and office work. A bright Irish
chap named O'Brien was secured as
DR.. Jensen's secretary. O'Brien was
about the same age as the doctor and
the two soon became fast friends.
O'Brien was a lawyer and was trying
to get on his feet by the old ethical
way but his funds ran out before
clients began to come in and he was
perfOrce obliged to seek work. Jensen
was glad to get him; his keen percep-
ton of business affairs and his ready
Irish wit were valuable assets for a
private secretary, and that is what he
was
With the coming of money DR.. Jen-
sen branched out. From the COM
forts of life he went to the luxuries.
His rooms were beautifully furnished
and ne and O'Brien lived together.
II was said these bachelor apartments
0f DIR. Philip Jensen became the scene
Of more than one little dinner where
at wine, women and song were pre-
dominant. DR.. Jensen was enjoying
life TO the full and Harold O'Brien
was helping him along. a SoOuIy crop
of wild oats was being sown by both
IAen.
For three years life flowed on IN
eventually for the doctor and his Sec
rotary, when one evening DR.. Jensen
said:
Harry, I'm going to surprise YOU"
How, PHILIP
I'm going to get married"
Married? Ha, ha! Well, that's a
good one. Phil. Who's the lucky lady !?
and how about all our friends here?"
dull red color suffused Jensen's
face as he replied:
Never mind who the lady is. l
haven't spoken to her yet and don't
know if she would have me; but I'm
getting sick of living as we do, /
want home; the money question is
easy row and I'm going to have one"