The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-02-04
A Little Lump
1t Became an Important
Factor In a Mans
Life
BY EDWARD L. STANTON

0] EDWANO L. - AIN yin
blessings one can have are youth and
health. There is third that is equal
ly important though much more apt to
be ignored-that is, absence Of worry.
have had an experience in the last Of
the three, or its reverse, which is the
subject of this story.
If ever child was born into the
world In a perfectly normal condition
/ was that child. / grew to manhood
without an ache or pain, and seeing
others taking medicines and consulting
doctors would say to them: Get your
mind away from your aches and pains.
Don't worry and you win be as well as
am. AS for the doctors, they are only
good for serious matters; in small sick
nesses they are humbugs."
One morning when taking my bath
discovered a small lump on my right
side. | rubbed it and pulled at 1t, and
l didn't like 1t at ALL For three days l
| tried not to think about it, then gave
up the task and went to doctor ia
nous for. the treatment of all sorts of
"growths." l waited two hours for a
consultation, during which time / was
in an increasing state of terror.
Doctor" l said when admitted to
the consulting room of the great spe-
cialist. "a little lump has come in my
side. fear 1t BODIES something seri
ous."
The doctor directed me to remove
sufficient clothing for him to make an
examination After he had finished
he spent some time putting away the
implements he had used, but said moth
ing | inferred the worst and it was
the worst that he finally communicate
ed to me.
THAT lump" he said, lis malignant
growth which we medical men calp'-
he gave long Latin name which l
didn't remember FIVE minutes "and
my duty Is to tell you that if you have
any affairs that need to be settled you
had better go to work upon them"
sank down In chair and covered
my face with my hands. The doctor
remained silent. Presently, notwith-
standing the shock under which suf-
fered, / remembered that an anteroom
was full of patients who were waiting
to consult the great man, and pro-
ceeded to make certain inquiries.
How long have to live. doctor?"
/ asked.
81 don't know. The records of such
cases as yours have usually proved
fatal within three to four months"
''Shall / suffer much?"
mo; the disease will eat into an ar
terry, when the end will be painless"
could think of no other Information
that would need, so, rising from my
chair, staggered out Of the room, CIV
ing place to the next patient. who was
to gain comfort or despair from the
eminent specialist He sent me a bill
Of 500 for telling me that l had but
four months at most to live, but under
the circumstances the money was moth
ing to me. and since the doctor was
living at the rate of $4,000 a year it
was good deal to him.
For the first week after learning my
doom j gave myself up to meditation
upon my fate At the end of that time
made up my mind that it wouldn't
need malignant something or other to
kill me or four months In which to do
the work. | was proving upon myself
at much more rapid rate. resolved
to throw off the mental octopus that
had me in its clutches and make the
most Of the brief period that remained
to me-
had $1O0,U00 in per cent bonds,
worth $4,000. There was no relative
who needed the money, and resolved
to spend the most of it in purchasing
whatever would keep my mind off my
coming demise | would need company
some one to be with me most of the
time-and cast about for an associate.
would spend part of my tine with a
man friend and the rest with woman
friend. For the man ! chose Arthur
Atherton and for the woman Adele
Sturgis, with both of whom | was Oh
familiar terms. ! told them that pro-
posed to spend 100000 within four
months and that in consideration of
their devoting their time to me for that
period / would divide the remaining
$4,000 between them Atherton was
out Of business at the time and had no
fortune. He looked very sympathetic
when / made my proposition, but
thought he was trying to conceal
good deal of happiness. In third of a
year he would earn $4,000 besides en-
anything.
As to Adele. she said she would think
the matter over. After doing so she
told me that she would accept my prop
osition with an amendment that the
amount I would spend should be re-
duced by $4,000 and added to the
amount of her portion Furthermore.
this portion was not to be given to her.
but left to charity by will.
This did not seem to suit the require
ments of the case, but Adele was the
only girl / knew that / thought would
be able to lift me out of myself, and
assented. l began by meeting Arthur
about 8 O'Clock every morning and
spending the time with him till about
In the afternoon We played billiards
and went wherever anything interest
ing was going on. Later in the after.
noon I took Adele out in my car, ana
two or three times In the week We
would go either to the opera or the the
alter. The other evenings would spend
mostly with Arthur or with any one l
happened to find to go about with me
Besides this l gave theater parties,
dinners, suppers-in short, took in far
more ways of diverting my mind from
my trouble than 1 could catalogue
But, despite all / could do, my doom
hung heavy over me. One afternoon
when was with Adele gave way to
the gloom within me and confessed
that was not gaining much from the
money l was spending. There was a
real sympathy In her face when she re
piled:
There is another way of getting out
Of yourself which you have not tried"
What is it?" asked eagerly
Interest yourself in the welfare of
others"
Il never thought of that. Do you
suppose 1t would work in my case?"
II think 1t would help you"
We we're riding in my car, and boy
stood on the sidewalk with newspapers