Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-09
The Argus Daily Story
A Contemplate Trick-B. F. A. Mitchell
copyrighted 1911. by Associated Literary

Left an orphan when l was very
little girl, l was brought up by
maiden aunt, g woman of considerable
brain and will power. had hardly
been settled in her house before she
laid out a course for me to pursue.
II shall give you a good education"
she said, and an education is a foun-
dation on which a woman may build
career as well as a man. I'm not going
TO educate you that you may occupy
subordinate position in some mans Of
fee; not going to make a stenographer
of you to take down some mans dicta-
tion-no man ever dictated to me. l
shall give you a profession. But when
you have been graduated shall expect
you to practice. 1t is not my intention
to spend money on you to be thrown
away. 1 don't propose that after Civ
ing you a profession some man shall
come along. talk a lot of nonsense to
you and render all have spent on you
abortive. If a woman is going TO be a
lawyer or a doctor she must begin by
putting all notions Of love and mar
riage out of her head"
Considering that my aunt made this
announcement to me when l was but
twelve years old. it is not to be ex-
pected that it made any other impress
sion on ne than that I was to follow
the path she laid down for me. 1t evil
IDENTIFY did not occur TO her that l was
rather young to agree when grown to
place myself in opposition to natures
laws. Nevertheless, she accepted my
promise that I would repay her kind
ness in educating me by making my
self the old maid she was herself and
spend my life listening to people tell
about their aches and pains instead
Of hearing the prattle Of my own chill
dren.
Nevertheless, my aunt was a good
woman despite her crankiness. She
took admirable care of me. and when
I became old enough to choose a pro
fession selected medicine. My aunt
died shortly after l had received my
diploma and left me a legacy sufficient
to give me n start in my profession.
The last thing she said to me was:
Remember your promise. You will be
soreIy tempted because you are very
good looking Men will try to draw you
away from the path of duty. but you
must not listen to them. What they
will want of you is 10 make you a
slave. Be constantly on your guard"
AS to the temptation, my aunt was
right.
My being thrown into a field of Ia
Dor where | met many men, some of
whom We're intelligent and attractive,
was probably the cause of my receiv-
ing a number of proposals. But 1 set
myself resolutely to carry out my
aunts intentions regarding me, feel
ing bound in honor to do so. ] re-
fused all my suitors, devoting myself
exclusively to my practice. 1 found
it impossible to keep the fact that l
was pledged to celibacy from being
known, and I believe that for this
reason 1 was especially sought in mar
riage. Nothing is so desirable as that
which is impossible to obtain.
l practiced two years and resisted all
temptations to marry. One day an
old lady came to see me and begged
that l wOulG make a diagnosis Of
trouble that was affecting her son.
She said she believed there was some
thing on her sons mind that he would
not confide to his medical attendant.
A man, she said, would be more likely
TO give his confidence in certain mat
ters to woman than one OF his own
sex The invalid had been a trifier
in love affairs, and she was not sure
but that he had been caught in his
own trap. If she could be sure OF this
she might possibly find a remedy.
There was something winning in the
old Iady's solicitude lest her boy might
be getting his just deserts. 1 was
amused at the absurdity Of a man
having to call in a woman physician
TO cure him Of a possible love malady.
did not attend men patients as n
rule, partly because l had cured one
man and he had given me his heart In
addition to my fee. But since this
dear old Iady's invalid son was sus-
pected to be already in love. even to
the breaking down Of his health, !
saw no reason why I should not Oblige
her So I promised to at least make
one visit.
found fine looking young fellow
some twenty-eight years old, six feet
high and muscular. As ] entered the
room where he was lounging he looked
up at me with a captivating smile that
he had evidently inherited from his
mother. There was an unconscious
strength about him that in a man is
attractive to a woman. /
did not wonder that he had fallen into !
gallantry and could not but have some !
for him that he was suffer |
Ing the penalty. His mother with |
drew and I began to question him pro !
though I only asked him
how he felt and to what cause he |
attributed his ailment; then I said TO ,
him frankly:
You are not I'll; you think you are"
81 know IT."
81 can't at present determine /
your trouble IS mental or /
nervous. If there is anything on your
mind you had better tell ne. I can
DO nothing for you till I know the
-qrrSe Of vO-1r unaIady"