The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-11-09
THE SMILE OF
DAME FORTUNE
How Luck Came to the Res
cue of a Foolish Man.

| had received my medical diplom
2 aud before going home called on one o
the lecturers, the famous surgeon ID
! Coleman Coyley to shy goodby. ! ha'
) been quite fayorite with the doctor
and he had occasionally been help &
c me. Besides. he was an intimate frien'
: of my father
"Bily," he said to me. Il hope you'll
, succeed In the profession. but you won
unless you have luck"
"Why, doctor, I'm surprised. Every
body knows, that you have worked
yourself up to your present high posi-
ton by your own unaided efforts"
Everybody knows just nothing about
II. Sit down there. and III tell you d
story You're a man now. and 1t wont
iniure you. On the contrary. 1t may
teach you not to be too self reliant and
have due respect for luck. And who
knows how far luck means providence.
when | was where you are now
was obliged TO start in small town
While | was studying | was ambitious
for what | have now. but as soon as
struck that town my heart sank with
in me. And l hadn't been there a
month before / was glad to attend a
horse with the blind staggers to get a
] few dollars. | managed to exc out
enough to pay for room In garnet
and one or two cheap meals day.
Surgery! Why. there never was but
| ana cttroiaal oasa In fha TOWN
Zone day my old friend George Phil
| lips came through the town and looked
me up. We had been at the medical
school together and had lot to talk
| over. George invited me to do the
talking In q restaurant. and we spent
whole evening there eating and
drlnking-after 10 O'Clock mostly
drinking. | was an abstemlous young
man and couldn't stand the liquor |
took In on that one occasion. George.
who was more used to it. took me to
my room and left me while he ran to
catch a midnight train.
II tried to get off my clothes. but
cohidn't. / remember taking off my
coat and trying TO hang 1t on a bed
post when 1t came round to me. for
everything in the room was circling.
While ! was yalnly trying to find the
shoestring OF my boot ! heard a yio-
lent ring at the doorbell below, and
presently my landlady came up in a
wrapper and said something which
startled though 1t didn't sober me.
John Overaker. the only rich man in
the town. had been taken violently Ill
and was wanted Immediately.
Here was terrible situation. My
first chance had come and | was hope
lessly drunk | caught at my coat
when it came round. managed to get 1t
on. accidentally jammed my hand
against my hat. got it on and stag
gered downstairs. | succeeded In get
ting to the 0vertakers. rang the bell
and was admitted by the only member
of his family. his daughter Ethel.
"Oh. DOCTOR she said wildly.
didn't hear what she said. ! learned
IL afterward. L fear II is apoplexy.
Mother died of apoplexy. and | know
1t by the snoring Father was brought |
home BY two friends, who pnt him in !
his room and left him. | sent for our /
regular physician. but he is out of
town. so | sent for yon.
while she was giving me this in
formation held on to the wall with |
one hand and looked nj her without
speaking. When she had finished she
led me upstairs. ] knew enough to
get her out of the room. and 10 do so
looked at her and put my hand on the
door She understood and left me.
Overtaker was snoring heavily. ! sat
down In chnr TO try 10 steady my
self, and-fell asleep When ! awoke
the patient was still snoring re-
member leaving the room and by a
careful hanging on to the banister get
ting downstairs. was met by Miss
0veraker
"'Oh. doctor, is there any hopeT
II nodded my head affirmatively and
pressed her hand without speaking.
She understood by this bow deeply |
felt and my sympathy for her.
lyon will call very early In the
again | nodded afffrmatiyely ana
went out into the street.
"rhe next morning | was in bed
yroanlng over bad headache, a worse
and the knowledge that 1
had ruined my career Mt the start
wondered II Overaker was dead There
was one comfort-nothlng can be done
n case of apoplexy. | had prem
sed to call early, so | got mp and by
great effort dressed myself. | was
going downstairs when I saw in the
nall below my patient. he saw me
coming and smiled at me. When
cached him be grasped my hand
warmly.
Thanks. my boy he said. 'You
!idn't say word. did you? My daugh-
er is as innocent as a baby If she
new her father was drunk last night
he would die Of modification Give
ne man who can keep his tongue in
is head. My own doctor would have
otched the whole business. Here's
heck for your fee {
Now. If I had been sober | should =
ertainly have ruined my career by .
filing the truth. AS ii was, | became
ohm Overaker's physician. married his
aughter and. backed by my father-ln-
NV. came here to 20 into surgery.
'on't think. my boy. that this story Is