The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1911-11-06
How the Doctor
Got His Fee

mo daughter Of mine shall eve,
marry c son Of old Wildon's." thun,
dsred Francis Halbert'Q irate father
"A son isn't to blame for bic faith
srs mistakes" answered Francis
You always maintain your disbelief
In hereditary traits"
In this case believe that Clarence
has or will inherit all HE fathers
ways. He has never ever buried 4
patient. much less cured one"
How can he when hs hasn't the
chance! They either send for old Dr..
corbin or take such good care Of
themselves that Z doctor 10 q minus
quantity In this town"
We'll. he has . quantity Of nerve
to ask for my daughter and that No
10 FINAL"
But. father. didn't you marry moth.
Or IN opposition to her family
wishss!"
Hush. child! Times were differ.
snt In those days." said Mr.. Hhbert.
That evening Mrs. Halbert com.
planned to her husband:
Why are you 20 obstinate in the
case; never have you refused your
daughter the smallest tribe. and now
that this love has come into her life.
you talk as II she were guilty Of some
great offense. Don't you notice how
thin and languid she Is looking. She
is grieving herself to DEATH"
Over that Wilson fellow? Impossi.
Bile. Send her to the seashore and
she'll return rosy and gay. II she
didn't see him every day she'd never
think Of that idiotic physician. He
couldn't prescribe for my pet canary"
HE wouldn't" answered Mrs. Hal.
bert. Francis told me that after you
spoke to him in that abrupt manner,
he said he would never come near the
house again until you sent for him"
Francis Joined some friends at the
seashore and from the tone OF her let.
tiers, her father felt more than justi.
fed in having urged her to leave
home.
On the fourth day the following tele.
gram was received at the Halbert
home:
Am guaranteed here. Rad case Of
diphtheria in hotel. Don't worry. Feel
fine."
Mr.. and Mrs. Halbert tried not to
be anxious, but they could hardly wait
the hour until the daily message ar.
rived.
"Still guaranteed" Mrs. Halbert
read on the sixth day. Hotel physi.
clan takes every precaution. Not
lonely"
Put yourself under doctors care.
Do exactly as he says" Mr.. Halbert
wired his daughter.
II seemed from the rest of the tele.
grams that Francis was enjoying her
enforced isolation and there evidently
was no danger Of contagion as the
doctor watched her closely. was often
her partner at bridge and accompa.
MED her on long walks.
Hes most likely some old fatherly
practitioner who took pity on her"
her father. III I had
searched the world over. could I have
devised any better scheme for keep.
Ing Francis away from Wilson. e..
pecially as she is enjoying herself In
\ frst-class hotel"
Thank the doctor for bic kind
ness" he wrote after he received
word that Francis would leave on the
day. Invite him to visit 10
On your return. when I will thank him
In person and pay for bis services
whatever amount he states"
Dear Father" was the answer .
lew hours later. "Dr. Wilson accom-.
panies me home on your invitation to
lsk as payment for his services your
consent to our marriage"
Goodness! Gracious!" CALCULATED
he surprised father. MY patience is
but II he takes such good
ARE Of his patients that he IL physi.
ian in a big hotel, I suppose I might
% we'll give In. otherwise Francis will
most likely follow her parents exam.
lie and elope. There must be some