The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-05-11
THE WRONG
BOOK
BY ESTHER VANDEvEER
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

IL was III L0e Oluen time, Wnen LraV-
clers westward from the Missouri river
went by wagon train system. | was
young man then and had some money
which | had invested In the stock OF
mining company on Clear Greek,
about twenty miles west of Denver.
News came that those operating tn,
mine had struck rich vein of ore. ana
| concluded to go out and look after
my interests.
So Joined wagon train at Kansas
City consisting Of two wagons. The
owner, John Scarsdale, was taking his
family out to Denver to settle there.
They consisted Of his wife, his son,
Henry. twenty years old, and his
daughter. Amelia. Henry had taken
course of medicine at an eastern uni
yersity and was going to put out his
single in Denver.
There is nothing like being thrown
with girl constantly and not seeing,
other girls to make Ipan fall in love
And suppose it's the same with a girl
in reference TO the man. At any rate.
we had been on the road but few
days when ! began to consider Amelia
attractive.
Dr. Henry Scarsdale had whole
library of medical books with him
and studied whenever we were in
camp. He was an enthusiast In his
profession. He became celebrated
physician afterward. but at that time
he was simply at the beginning OF his
career and always yearning for some
one to fall Ill that he might apply his
knowledge
Unfortunately / was destined to
need his attention. Ny heart would
get to beating rapidly at the slightest
provoeation. The young doctor on
hearing Of my trouble unpacked box
OF books that be had intended not to
open till he reached Denver, got out
volume on heart disease, ran his eve
over the index til he came TO "palpi.
tation' and familiarized himself with
my case. Then he improvised steth-
oscope. placed It against my chest over
my heart. listened and looked serious.
/ knew by that look that / was
doomed. He told me that must not
consider my case hopeless, which l
understood to mean that 1t was hope
less, especially since he told me that
might live quite awhile. But the next
morning. feeling more hopeful. | told
the doctor that l thought be might
have been mistaken. whereupon he
said very decidedly that l would find
out. II lived to reach Denver 1t
would be more than he expected.
This broke me all up again, and
continued to decline during the rest of
the journey. couldn't make the
slightest motion without my heart
beating like a trip hammer. / lost
flesh and was so near run down that by
the time we were approaching Denver
a reclining place was made for me in
one of the wagonr.
conceived great respect for the
medical diagnosing power OF the
young doctor He had told me that If
reached Denver alive I would do
well. and the nearer we got to the
town the more rapidly my heart beat.
1t occurred to me that he didn't really
expect me to live even so long as that.
AT any rate I made up my mind |
would not
When within ten miles Of Denver IN
camp one evening sent for Amelia
Scarsdale and told her that, being at
the point of death, | would have no
further use for worldly wealth and |
handed her my mining shares that /
had transferred to her. l refrained
from telling her that l loved her,
thinking that, being doomed. II would |
be better for her that I should keep /.
my secret Amelia was certainly very /
grateful. tried TO comfort me and de- |
clared that II | lived she would re-
transfer the shares to me. To this |
replied that had given up all hope;
that when her brother told me 1t was
not likely would live to enter Denver |
/ had doubted his power Of diagnosis. |
but ! had been getting worse ever |
since, and I knew now that be was
right.
While we were talking DR.. Scars
dale came TO the wagon and said to
me:
II fear / have made mistake in
your case. ] got hold of book on dis
eases of the heart have today been
reading one on indigestion. and
shouldn't be surprised IL your heart
trouble is Cue to that cause"
You say you fear you have made
mistake" remarked.
YES"
well. fear Won haven't"
diet for few days, and | have
some peptonic pills III give you"
took the doctors pills. and the fact
that he had got hold of the wrong book
my case convinced me that
be was not infallible. My mind drifted
In another channel. my heart stopped
beating so rapidly. and l was a new
man.
Amelia insisted on returning the
mining shares, which made me feel
very cheap. went up in the noun
tains to the mine and returned few
weeks later very rich man. was
much surprised that Amelia did not
ook so beautiful among other women
Is she had seemed on the alkali plains.
Indeed. thought her anything but
She impaired to me the