Imperial Valley press., 1911-12-20
DR.. Perkins Fee
1t Game to Him on Christmas Eve
BY F. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

profession, and in the place where an
other should have been there was a
vacuum. He was wonder in both
diagnosis and in operating, but he
had no ability to put on that urbanity
which goes so far with Il patient In
deed. had the doctor not been recon-
mended by other physicians he would
never have worked his way into a
practice. AS it was, he had all the
patients he wished. more than he wish
ed, for many of them he treated with
out pay
That's a peculiar feature of our
profession" he said. "A merchant may
decline to sell Il man goods without
price, but doctor who will decline to
treat sick person without a fee
should be drummed out of the medi-
cal fraternity"
But the doctor wore himself out, as
many physicians are doing nowadays,
by trying to do more than he could.
The day before Christmas, after of
fee hours, well 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. "I'm 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.
"I'll give you $1,000"
Don't want it, Go to DR.. Guilfor1.
He's better man at that than 1 in
that line"
But l 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 lounge.
pressed his hand to his throbbing tenn
pies. The door had been left I'M
guarded, and a ragamuftin boy stepped
into the room.
Get out O. here" shouted the doc
tor.
But I've got the fee,' said the boy,
looking at the doctor pleadingly.
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 'em wouldn't cure her. cos
she hadn't no money to pay 'em. She
left the kids in my charge. Sallie's
down sick. and it's Christmas eve"
Meanwhile the boy was fumbling in
his pocket and pulled out 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 knowcd YOU was a pill
shower"
Where do yCu live?"
''Out on the parkevilie road. / walk
ell 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
tients." he took down 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 Il high fever. He bent
down over her with the first kindly
expression on his face that any pa
tient had thus far seen there smOOthed
her brow with his hand and talked to
her about Il lot of nice things he was
going to send her. Then he took some
tablets from his bag and instructed
the head of the famiy-the boy who
had summoned him-as to their use
The doctors next act was to draw
from his overcoat pocket the presents
from grateful patients and hand
them to the boy
Take care Of these. sonny he said,
land 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 you want 'em?" asked
the astonished boy.
Want EN-? No. Haven't I got your
fee instead? They have all been given
me by rich people. some Of them in
genuine gratitude others to 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: am
breaking down from overwork. Good
by, little girl: take your medicine
bravely. and I'll tell Mrs. Doctor to
send you or bring you all the nice
things I've been telling you about"
Then. instructing the boy to step into
telephone station the next day and
let him know how his sister was. the
doctor got into his auto and his chauf-
| feur took him home.
Christmas morning Mrs. Doctor
|