Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-04-23
DAILY STORY.
THE GRATEFUL PATIENT.
[Original.1


had passed the morning in his consult
ing Office listening to the complaints
of one patient after another until l
o'clock, when, tired out and thinking
that he had attended to the last appli-
cant for treatment, he threw himself
on lounge for a few minutes rest.
There are doctors who have very little
aptitude for the profession. They ask
for symptoms, then whip out pencil
and paper and write prescription, as
surfing the patient at the same time
with a pleasant smile that he will come
out all right There are doctors who
pry into every case, making business
of diagnosing the cause of the trouble
and doing their best to remedy 1t. The
first cure by encouragement and SYM
patty, the second class by investiga-
ton and skill, and consequently they
are apt to be bruSque in manner DIR.
Fordham belonged to this number In
deed, by some he was considered bru-
tai. Nevertheless such was the conf
dence in his surgical ability that he
had far more patients than he wanted.
While taking his minute quantum of
rest he heard some one fumblinG with
the knob of the door leading to the
anteroom. The door opened. and there
stood the ghost of a man, looking at
him with great hungry eyes-a man
whose clothes denoted that he belong
ed to the working class.
Il don't want no medicine nor OPP
Grafton. DOCTOR" said the man in a
trembling voice. Don't you know
me-"
"NO."
I'm the man you found in the hos
pital the day you were hurrySn'
through it. You stopped, felt over me,
found out my trouble, operated on me
and cured me. 1t was very good of
you, doctor, seem hadn't red cent"
That's all bosh." sneered the doctor
Il haven't time to be good. l remem-
Der you now. You're the man | op-
Grated on for stone"
yes. sir, and you made me well
again.
The patient accompanied his words
with q grateful look. Instead of pleas
ing the doctor it seemed to irritate him.
Suppose l did" he snarled. isn't
that my business. making people well?"
ut may be little to you, doctor. but
it's lot to the people you relieve from
sufferin', besides putin 'em in a fix
to do somethin again. It's made lot
of difference to me-"
"Oh, most of these people I treat are
able to pay me well. l work for mon
ey, the same as everybody else. That's
what we all work for"
You didn't get much money from me,
doctor"
"Oh, had to fix you up or there d
have been bad story out about me.
Half of it's for pay, the other half to
avoid getting into a position to prevent
our making money. It's all selfishness
| at bottom"
Il don't know nothin' about that. 1
know you made me we'll"
"Well. Why. man, you're shadow
THAT'S because | haven't had much
| to eat since / got out of the hospital"
IF you're well, why don't you go to
work.
i've been lookin' for work. sir. l
| only found a job this mornin'.'
well. then, why don't you go at it?
l don't see what you want here"
| The man opened his threadbare coat.
| unbuttoned a ragged waistcoat and be-
gan to tumble with his wooden shirt
| Then he took a rusty knife from his
trousers pocket and began to rip. The
doctor watched him curiously. Pres
emily n little gold coin fell from the
shirt into the mans hand. A change
might have come over the doctors eX-
preston had he not been used to con
| trolling it. Doctors and gamblers must
screen their feelings. The man walk ed
up to the doctor and poked the coin al
him.
'I've been keepin' it for you, doctor
ever since l got out. When | left home
my old nanny sewed it up in my
shirt and told me never to part with il
except in sickness. so long as you're
WELL she said, you can work to put
bread in your mouth. but when you're
sick you can't. Besides. you might have
to pay a doctor. They're entitled to it
and l want my son always to pay fol-
what he gifts Eve been hungry, doc
tor, for a month, and I've been tempt
ed to buy a meal with it often, but
remembered what my old mother said
and remembered your kindness in re
levin me from sufferin' and putin
me on my feet again"
The doctor, who was lying with hi:
head resting in the palms of his hands
listened to the speech without motor
or change of expression. When th'
man had finished he remarked, witt
apparent irrelevance:
by thunder"
Then he arose, took the gold piec,
and said to the man:
"Pll keep your coin as a souvenir
Come in here where l store my pres
ents from grateful patients. There's
silver punch bowl from a millionaire.
seal ring from wealthy widow, dia
mond scarfpin from a bank president
| Hpro talya thic nandiuo tho rpou tn,