The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-07-23

e &C. cEIAAIsEIlIIll


WINE the spanish American Hsar
was being fought very pEetty al
came into my eonsultlng toQln-st q p
an oculist-SzIth very sad face and
surprised me by asking me 70 takel
out one OF her eyes. Riy tirst supposid
ton zgns that It had been injured and
she dreaded that 1t would Affect the
sight 81 the other one. but upon study-
ing her face for time saw 'indlea.
lions oe an unbalanced mind. So "
simply asked her for her reasons.
II an engaged to a soldier boy now
In Cuba,p she said, ''and he has writ
ten me that Spanish bullet took out
one OF his eyes. BE says that he wan
never permit me to sacrifice myself
for him. If hive the same disng.
urement he can't talk so"
II seemed likely that the girl had
5roodied over her lovers misfortune
and the danger of losing him till her
mind had become affected But did
not believe that her trouble was per,
manent. tried 10 persuade her to DO
something to divert her mind from nef
trouble, but finally. realizing the fulfil
ity OF reasoning with one sunerlns
from mental depression and fearlns
that she might do herself bodily IN
jury, said TO her "A
every well. If by this day week
you still feel as You do come here NJ
8 O'Clock in the afternoon and VIII
perform tile operation"
/ was so busy during the next week
that never once thought of the girll
TIN on the afternoon l had appointed
she came in promptly Mt the hour
named 1T seemed to me that the
shortest the ensiest and the safestI
way to get rid of her would be to pre-
tend to do what she asked. So told
her that IL / took out her eye she
would have to wear a bandage over ~
till the wound healed. otherwise she
would lose the sight OF her other eye
ana become totally blind would not
operate without her promise not to re-
move the bandage herself or permit
any one else except me to do so. She
gave the required promise.
1 made the same preparations as II
/ were about to perform real opera
ton, putting ON my rubber apron
making myself look like butcher
then called in an assistant, to whom
had explained what proposed to do
and, placing the girl In IN operating
chair, directed my assistant to apply
an anaesthetic. As soon as the pa
tient had lost consciousness placed
pad over tho eye in question and held
1t in position by means OF bandages
To complete the deception / showed
her IN eye in spirits. She wished. to
pay me for the operation, but told
her, that being unprofessional, would
not take pay. Moreover. | warned her
to tell no one what I had done. for If
she did would probably be eliminat-
ed from my profession. She promised
to confide only In me and went away.
The girl was to come to see me at
my request once week since wish
ed to keep track of her and. If she
recovered her mental balance. confess
to her that had not taken out her
eye. She came once, and saw that
her condition was very much Inn
proved. Then for three weeks I saw
nothing of her. One morning young
man with green patch over one eye
came into my office, and saw by his
lowering brow that he had come to
give me a piece OF his mind, ff nothing |
more.
what did you mean" he roared,
'by taking. good eye out of a wo-
mans hend?'
suspected of course. that he was
the returned soldier boy lover of the
girl had pretended to operate on, but
contented myself for the present by
asking him what he meant, whereupon
he told me that, having returned FRONT
the war In Cuba. his betrothed had
told him that she had persuaded me
to make things equal between them
by having one eye removed. And
now" he said I've come home with
out losing my eye after all. though 1t
will never beas good as the other one.
The doctors told me they would have
to take it out to save the other one,
but they didn't: they saved it. I'm
going to begin suit against You for
malpractice at once"
What did the surgeons tell You they
would have to take out your eye for
when they didn't do 1t. that you might
not lie disappointed? How do you /
know Int that the girl who loves YOU
has, come out better than she ex
pcctrd:"
'.Syhat do yOu mcan:"
''IS her mind aFected?" asked.
Certainly not
i was pleased to hear this and A
Strali=htway fold the Young man that 4
her mind had been affected and that | +
hal possibly saved her from running /
her eye hy pretending to take 1t out
he seized my hand joyfIlly nnd. not
routcntcti with this. threw both his
arms about my necis.
.sSNhere is my patfent?' asked
I'm the antercoIn.'
.'Tsring her IN here. and will give
her surprise. Don't disabuSe her-
Leave it to me-
he went out and brought in the girl.
4 L. Oh had