The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-30

nelghborbood, and one day gave speech
TO his thought, ending by saying:
Zone would think, doctor, you d find
city practice more to your liking.
There can t be many cases here TO in-
terest YOU.
"Not many, perhaps" " assentcd the
mcdico, and yet it isn't all family
trade. We had some very interesting
surgical operations arising from acci
dents with rcapiDg machinery and gun
shot wounds, TO say nothing of broken
legs and arms. But my prize patient
lives over yonder-she's one of the
most puzziing | ever heard Of
"Maid, wife or widow?' qucricd
Valentine.
"Thc latter. It's no breach Of pro
fcssional etiquette TO mention her
symptoms; everybody knows all about
poor Mary FrIllcr.'
"Incurabc disease, ] supposo?D
''That s more than | can tell You.
She IS a woman past so, well-prcsery =
but bedrlddcn for the last fifteen years
five years before my time. To all
appearances she's well and hearty, ap-
petite normal, and all that, but swears
she can e move from the waist down
Claims she S paralyHcd. and the usual
tests confirm that. But sometimes | We
thought il WAS a case of hysteria-
| really thought Mrs. FrilIer was sham
! ming-that hers was Just a case of ma
! lingering. But | don't lSnow--latcly
we given over puzhling about her. !
drop in once or twice a month, and al
ways find her the same. -
E'CouI1 an imposturc like that be
successfully carried out?' inquired
| finney Valentine.
''bord bless YOU, yes, - answered DR..
Osbon. "rhe books are full of 'em, -
| Here he laughed quietly TO himself
What g tho Iokc?'2 asked the chief.
"Oh, ! INST happened TO think of n
stock medical story. Once upon a
time certain doctor bad Just such q
patient The woman had for wears
posed as mlrtyr-unablc TO rise from
her bed, although he suspected that
there was really nothing the matter
with her. One day when the doctor
called he found several women friends
| in the room condoinp with the pa
| ticnt. In their hearing the bcdrlddcn
, ono began TO scoId him, complaining
| that his medicine did her no good say
I ing she really thought she ought to
! have other advicc-all of which was
pretty CALLING TO him and made him
made, He knew there was nothing real
| ~ the matter with her. YOU see.
$50 he took i sudden resolve, lie
| plutItl lne ~ luDdJnlIlHR ITlcnUS out
| Of the room, and shut and locked the
door. Then he turned TO the patient
and said:
"' Now. Mrs. Blank, this matter Las
gone about far enough For some time
| have suspected that YOU were entirely
cured. All YOU need is to make little
effort. y on re Just as able to be up
and about as | am a. that the pa
ticnt began TO whlmpcr aud charge him
| 1.i oil
that But the doctor was deaf to that
! line of talk
"Stcpping to the bedside. with n
very determined air, he partly turned
down the covers, saying;
!" Mrs. Blank, ] order you TO get
up INSTANTLY
!" But, doctor, / can't novel she
whined.
50 oh, yes, YOU can he answered,
'if you don't got up this minute / II
get in there beside you! &"
'EOf coursc-'' Valentine was be.
ginning, when DR., Osbon broke in.
"Of course mott was only a
threat. But ii had the desired effect
With startled squeak the woman hop,
and when her friends were admitted
she WAS sitting III rocking chair, very
much frightened. but curcd.'
'T That 's mighty interesting quoth
Fiuuey Valentine 81 wonder now
but what it WIS he wondered he kept
to himself. However. for the next few
nights he maintained close vigil
within sight and sound of the cottage
inhabited by the bed ridden woman,
Mrs. Mary Friller But the only sign
OF life about the place camc from a
half grown, half witted slattornly girl
known as the invalid s stepdaughter,
and who answered to the name of Kc-
ziah Ann.
| Finncy. Valentine had bccm in Ann
andaIc six weeks, In all that time