Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-03-19
The Surgeons Ring
BY EMILE BERGERAT

Mgrvd npon for performing the opera
siop. the famous surgeon, C~alebasse
Dad received from his American mia-
Ekaaaire patient. Mrs. Vanderfeller, a
Ping With a polished but uncut stoas
sxnrth u kings ransom.
Tsis ring he had come to consider
a ne2fsman Of good Iuck and never per
garr8a2 an operation without wearing
al. When he had that On his finger,
ne succeeded in everything; when he
gRe1 BIZ off. even for a moment, his
-sarti was sure to tremble, the scalpel
would slip and the patient die.
Ore day when German Calebasse
MAD 10 perform a very difficult opera
rans npon a rich banker at Marseill ).
@ha was thought to be suffering with
ssaHser of the stomach. he arrived at
zsSs hospital ahead of time, and there.
se-n1ng his ring as usual, he opera
ted Rpon three poor patients whose
condition was too dangerous TO await
sfsx -atnrn. He worked with his usual
@fE12ees. his scalpel cut, severed
and perforated with lightning rapidly
NfNa most vital organs, and when he
stuxred there was nothing TO do
as.sr 30 gut back the intestines and
t5ten up the wound-a thing n be-
a7ner can do. The pupils of the
famous surgeons did this, and, as
aszaal, the operations were so success
Nu8 mat a week later the three pa
3ezfs, in perfect health, went back
70 zhejr usual occupations and were
lost in the crowd.
Professor German Calebasse re-
varned from Marseilles. The opera
afox had failed, the patient died. The
famous surgeon had losl his rins.
IKE autopsy on the body of the
Banker proved that the ring had not
beqx lost in his stomach. and 1t must,
t~herefore. in all probability, have been
saronped in the intestines of n of
ae three poor fellows operated on at
s9n hospital the same day. But in
whose stomach should one look, and
who were these three unknown pa
%ieE4s@
Ne only was the ring of very great
ssall1e. but, what was more, The great
Hzrrgeon believed it to be his tails
Eas4an. and 1t must, therefore, be re-
gsanared at all costs.
n first luck seemed to smile upon
tine professor. One of the three pa
szeEts had a relapse inc came back
@a fae hospital. but no ring wis found
9r Kim. An accident also ave the
a chance to examine the sec
@ynG patient. hui his ~bistoury met no
ssfsne or golden mounting. There re-
ZIEsined then only one man,
His name was Pantruche and he
vvas a ragpicker. an honest and phil
s~Essarhical occupation. Gavarai knew
vssaa ne did when he gave to his i'm
zss17qal Thomas Vireloque a ragpick-
s~E Eag and hook. Pantruche was
wbs same kind of a a He bad a
wuick eye and plenty of good humor.
Eg was not very difficult to locate
EsH IN his shanty outside the city,
shere he slept among piles of rags
and bottles. One day the surgeons
azasa stopped GU side his door as if
ar accident.
Why, here is one of my old pa
ser. as sure as | am alive" the
etSa o. cried. How are you old boy?
WHY save you not come back to see
3@cause l am as fit as a fiddle
arEss1, zsnt I often think of you. Pro
Eeasor, and in my heart l thank you
~sveE1 day
Ana now you never feel any pain
ga y5u auaomen or back? You ought
40 heel some pain, for to tell you the
srlfh Z did not consider your opera
a5oH finished. and You really ought to
g4so under the knife again to be entire
N cured. BE very careful with your
sssf. and If you feel the least pain,
.-MnIe straight back to ne without
EkDSTEg a moments time, OF send me
wort and ] shall send my auto for
sea
J hank you very much, Professor,
1sar as I told you, I never felt better
81 yEly life"
Fas;ht days later the doctors car
agar stopped outside the door of the
tns117y and rushed the ragpicker OFF
- t1e hospital M more.
so it has come to this. after all.
ClsG fellow. You did right in writing
rne Where dc you feel the pain?"
inst where you told me. In the
sIraN of the back, as if something
voBnd and hard was in there and was
Earning around when I sleep.
The professor no longer had n
.ssoHSL, His ring. the magnificent gift
~ fhe American m|ilionairess. was in
E.Rntruche's kidneys. He mu have
afzr5gped in there, and the dirty rag
g@reser was unknowingly carrying
armand "a small fortune.
C~zleOasse, however. did not like TO
Ssssave the man, so he told him just
yssnfx ne thought had happened TO
ynaKe a second operation necessary.
EEt Pantruche refused point blank
ssyS allow himself to be vivisected. The
asIsHy OF Jonah and the whale proved
wr ~ H. -sLN