Smyrna times., 1911-12-06
DR.. Perkins Fee
1t Game to Him on Christmas Eve
By r. A. mitchell.
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.


other should have been there was a
vacuum He was a wonder in both
diagnosis and in operating, but he
had no ability to put on that urbanity
which goes so far with a patient. In
deed. h61 the doctor not been recon-
mended ~ other physicians he would
never have worked his way into a
practice AS it was, he had all the
patients Re wished. more than he wish
ed. for Many of them he treated With
out pay.
That's peculiar feature Of our
professioG p he said. "a merchant may
decline II sell a man goods without
price, bus doctor who will decline to
treat a sex person without a fee
should be grummed out Of the medi-
cal fraternity"
But the doctor wore himself ont. as
many physicians are doing nowadays,
by trying Z do more than he could.
The day Aafore Christmas, after Of
fee hours. a we'll dressed man came
into his Office and asked the doctor to
perform an operation on a. member of
his family.
Il can't" said the doctor. "Pm used
up"
What do you usually charge for
performing such an operation?" asked
the gentleman.
"a thousand dollars" replied the
doctor. hoping to head the man off by
the enormity Of the amount.
IN give you $1,000"
Don't want it. Go to DIR. GuilforS
He's a better man at that than 1 in
that line"
But want you"
well. you can't get me, and that's
all there is about it. Good morning"
The gentleman retired. and the doc
tor. throwing himself on a lounge.
pressed his hand to his throbbing tenn
pies. The door had been left I'M
guarded, and a ragamuffin boy stepped
into the room.
Get out O. herew shouted the doc
tor.
But I've got the fee,' said the boy,
looking at the doctor pleadingly.
1.-THE fee?"
"Yes; mother told me all about the
doctors when she give it to me. She
said the hardest thing me and the kids
would have to meet was sickness and
the doctors wouldn't do nothin' for us
without the fee. Reckon she died. COS
none of EN- wouldn't cure her. cos
she hadn't no money to pay 'em. She
left the kids~-7vzssv,. Charge. Sanie's
I'm sick1 nd it's Christmas eve
Me- >Gfe the boy was fumbling in
his pOcl-~t and pulled out a silver half
dollar. blackened through disuse. Ap-
preaching the doctor. he handed it to
him. The doctor took it.
"How did you happen to come to
me?" asked the surgeon.
Il sOr the sawbOnes sign"
"Never heard of DR.. Perkins?"
"No; l only knowed you was a pill
shower"
Where do you nveT
"Out on the Parkeville road. l walk
ed the hull six miles,"
The doctor pulled himself off the
couch. called for his automobile and
prepared to go out. Entering a closet
where he kept gifts from grateful pa
tents" he took down a thousand dol
lars worth of presents that had been
made him. in addition to his regular
fees. Taking the boy with him. he
went to the house Of sickness. He
found three little children in one room.
a girl of six in high fever. He bent
down over her with the first kindly
tession on his face that any pa
I tient had thus far seen there. smoothed
her brow with his hand and talked to
her about a lot Of nice things he was
going to send her. Then he took some
tablets from his bag and instructed
the head of the family--the boy who
had summoned him-as to their use.
The doctors next act was to dra W
from his overcoat pocket the presents
from grateful patients and hand
them to the boy.
Take care Of these, sonny" he said.
'-and when you want any money sell
one Of them. If anybody suspects you
Of having stolen them send him to me.
They'll last you some time, and when
they're gone I'll give you some more. ''
But don't vou want 'e1n?" asked
the astOuishe7 boy.
Want EN-! No Haven't got your
fee instead? They have all been given
me by rich people. some of them in
genuine gratitude. others I'd make sure
they can get me when they want me
They are better employed in your serv.
ice than laying in my closet. wish
had time: I'd try to get you fixed up in
better shape. But l can't do that: an
breaking down from overwork. Good
by. little girl: take your, medicine
bravely. and I'll tell Mrs. Doctor Il
send you or bring you all the nice
things I've been telling you about"
Then. instructing the boy to step int
a telephone station the next day anC
let him know how his sister was. tb,
doctor got into his auto and his cbauf
feur took him home.
Christmas morning Mrs. Doctor
stopped I'm her automobile at the hons,