The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-07
Fiction
HOW THE DOCTOR WON.
BY JEANNeTTE s. BENTON.


tho formaldehyde bottle stood open.
"Iow's the smallpox he asked.
Bad" she replied, emerging rosy
from the towel. as any one wait
ing?"
mo one now but Mr.. Doane Aldrich.
Been three or four, but they got tired
waiting"
VERY well. Tell him 1 will be there
in minute"
As the boy closed the door she walk
cd to the mirror and regarded herself
| attentively, spraying violet water over
her hands and hair
II wish | had some POWDER" she
murmured. 81 am afraid look blow
zy."
To the tall young man in the recep-
tion room she looked discouragingly
cool and unperturbed as he arose at
her entrance.
ut Is little matter, doctor" he ex-
| planned. II have just been transferred
to the Y mine, and they have smallpox
down there. so l suppose 1t is neces-
sary to be vaccinated."
ut certainly is If you haven't been
lately. Things are in bad shape at the
Y. l have put in the whole afternoon
there. There's a good deal of small
poX and more dissatisfaction. l sup
| pose the dissatisfaction Is what sent
you there"
II suppose so. What's at the bot
| tom of the trouble anyway
| "Sickenlng novels and the company
| store. If you can get the company to
do anything before those people muir
der you as its nearest representative
you will be doing good work. How
ever, come into the Office, and will
vaccinate you"
He followed her I'm.
This is the first time / ever came
here as n subject" he remarked.
| He barred his arm and looked dubi-
ously at its white surface.
How could she be doctor? Still,
he had sometimes wished he could be
sick q week or two. 1t would be such
good chance to see her every day.
| What was she going to do with that
razor looking little knife? 1t had been
so long since he was vaccinated he
had forgotten all about It. Did she
Jab the stu1 in at the end of that2 If
she was going to jab he wished she
would and rtop that scratching.
He watched the scratching knife,
fascinated. Suddenly 1t began to de.
scribe erratic circles in his vision.
DR.. Richie felt his arm relaxing un-
der her grasp. With q movement as
| quiet as 1t was quick she eased his
stalwart body to the floor, then loos-
ened his collar and dashed little wa
| ter In his face.
| He opened his eyes slowly.
"Oh, say" he gasped, whats the
matterP
The doctor stood little way Off re
garding him with professional gravity.
IL was vacclnating you, and you
tainted" she explained. You will be
all right In Il moment"
He got rather uncertainty to his feet
and leaned against convenient case
Of drawers.
| Good Lord" he groaned. what do
you think Of me? / hope you don't
| think 1t was because It hurt. / don't
know what 1t was. l was watching
| that little knife; then / was here on
the floor. Please finish the job" he
concluded irritably. "I'll try to stand
up under it."
| AS she adjusted the small bandage
he thought savagely:
IF l should lift you Off your feet,
my sweet doctor, and kiss that dia-
bolical dimple you might at least re-
| spect my muscle. How can a fellow
make love TO a woman doctor any
| wayW Aloud he said, "rhank you,
doctor" rather abruptly, hurried into
his coat, settled with the office boy
and got away with all speed.
The doctor strolled to the window
and watched him go strldlng off, his
big shoulders squared.
| "Poor old fellow~ she said softly.
Then she flushed and smiled in a
way that little beftted member OF
the medical profession.
"He is bashful and stupid, too" she
pouted.
Doane Aldrich squared his shoulders
against his troubles often that winter.
His recognized powers as a pacifca-
tor seemed to have signally failed.
One day he swung into the cart as
the doctor was trotting home.
See here" he said. 81 must talk
with you. l don't know what to do
with those people. Heaven knows
they have reason enough to be sore,
and l am helpless. OF course they
can't realize that, but the company
pays no attention TO my representa-
tions, l an. the nearest thing the poor
brutes have to hate, and they hate me
well. Tomorrow | have got to dis
charge McC uire and Kearney''-
The doctor interrupted: '"rhat means
n strike, to begin with. Then Kate
Mcclure and Dilsey Kearney-why,
they would as soon have a riot az
enough to eat"
But what can do? The men have
come on the shift twice within week
drunk and quarrelsome. Overlook 1t
and they will all get drunk and"-
"Ralse hades," gently suggested the
doctor Then her face grew mis-
chievous. Don't you think you had
better follo"7 your predecessors exam.
| IL 3 II.