Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1911-01-03

wished me TO go over TO her house and
eee~her son. The poor boy" she said
''has always been strong and well till
four or five days ago. when he had
trouble with his heart. Do come and see
him" SupposinG from her words that
her son was a boy, l went over. There,
reclining on an easy chair, was young
man not less than twenty-five years
old. He showed no outward signs of
illness, his color being good. though
when took his hand TO test his heart
beat l found his pulse quite rapid.
asked him to give me his symptoms,
which he did in these words:
"a few days ago l was looking out
of my window. ! remember the cir
cumstances well. 1t was about .
o'clock. A cart was numbering UP the
street You opened your front door
and went out. Suddenly my heart
which had always beat regularly, be-
gan TO jump and futter. | fell back
on this chair and waited for the un-
usual action to subside. 1t finally did
so, but it returns every day and about
the same time"
do you drink coffeeW
YES"
"Stop it at once"
"Liquors?"
Occasionally"
"Stop them too"
Smoker"
"He smokes all the time" his moth
or put in.
"Stop smoking, but gradually-two
cigars a day for awhile. then one and
finally none"
He looked quite cut up, but said
presently, well, seeing it's you, I'll
do It, but there's no other doctor in
Christendom that could persuade me-"
That's the advantage of a woman
physician" said the mother Men
are dictatorial and unsympathetic."
l put my ear down on to the pa
TENTS chest to hear the beating of his
heart. 1t certainly beat rapidly, but
could hear no sounds denoting any or
ganic difficulty. l told him that his
trouble was nervous and by following
my directions he would soon be free
from It. l went away not expecting to
be called in again.
Within a week my patients mother
came over TO say that her son, not
withstanding that he had followed my
recommendations had daily recur-
rences of his trouble. | asked her
when they came on, and she said about
. o'clock. This was the hour that l
went out on my afternoon round Of
professional calls, and l agreed TO so
in the next day to see the patient l
went the next day directly from my
office across the street and found the
young man looking well enough, but
the action OF his heart was certainly
above the normal.
Well, attended him for several
months, his condition remaining much
the same l found my visits to him
relief, for instead of talking about his
ailment he seemed to attach little i'm
portance to 1t and chatted delightfully."-
on other subjects. Many time when
visiting him would suddenly discover
that my time had been slipping away
and must curtail my afternoon calls.
Indeed, there were times when l found
l had neglected some important CAFE.
One afternoon when our meeting had
been especially delightful my patient
said to me:
Il have told you great deal about
my heart. but you have told me moth
ing about yours. Mine beats wildly
whenever see you go out on your
round OF afternoon visits. At other
times it is normal. In other words, it
has beat for you ever since first saw
you leave your Office. | would know II
yours does not beat for me-"
rose with dignity. not TO say irrita-
ton, and replied:
DO you mean TO tell me that you
have been fooling me all this timer
MY heart is affected"
"For-for me only?"
For you only. l can't love but one
woman at one time"
Opposing currents struggled within
me. / was vexed TO have been treated
like a-well, like a woman instead Of
physician. Nevertheless | could not
keep down a delicious sensation that
| was loved. However, | maintained
professional status.
MY time said curtly, ''is as valu-
able when visiting one whose inten-
don is to make a fool Of me as pa
tent who needs me. shall make You
pay for this"
strode out Of the room. But | was
too late. The fellow had caught me.
I tried TO stay away from him and
keep him away from me. II was 10
use. The paws of the trap closed about
me- | married him and lost the re-
suits OF six years hard work.
And yet, while I don't wish 10 dis
suade others OF my sex from studying
| professions. must admit that my life
with my husband and my children has
been IN keeping with nature. and ]
have not regretted marrying.
HELOISE AMES.
Annapolis Banking & Trust Com.
1rou All G.