Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-01-28
A Little Lump
II Became an Important
Factor In a Mans
Life
BY EDWARD L. STANTON
BY EDWARD L. STANTON


l believe that the two most desirable
blessings one can have are youth and
health. There Is third that Is equal
ly important, though much more apt to
be lgnored-that is, absence OF Worry
have had an experience in the last OF
the three, or It's reverse, which is the
subject Of this story.
If ever q child was born into the
world In a perfectly normal condition
was that child. l grew to manhood
without an ache or pain, and seeing
others taking medicines and consulting
doctors l would say to them: "Get your
mind away from your aches and pains
Don't worry and you will 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
| didn't like 1t at all. For three days
tried not to think about 1t, then gave
up the task and went to doctor IA
nous for the treatment Of oil sorts OF
"growths." ! waited two hours for @
consultation, during which time l was
In an increasing state Of terror.
Doctor" / said when admitted to
the consulting room Of the great spe
cialist, "a little lump has come In my
side. fear it BODIES something seri
GUS"
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 1t was
the worst that he finally communicat
ed to me.
THAT lump" he said, "is q malignant
growth which We medical men CALI
he gave a long Latin name which
didn't remember five minutes-"and
my duty is to tell you that II you have
any affairs that need to be settled you
had better so 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 | SUI
fered, I remembered that an anteroon
was full of patients who were waiting
to consult the great man, and l pro
ceeded to make certain inquiries.
How long have l to live, doctorr
l asked.
81 don't know. The records of such
cases as yours have usually proved
fatal within three to four months"
Shall l 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. I 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 bill
Of 500 for telling me that / 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 ut Me rate Of $4,000 a year II
was good deal to him.
For the first week after learning m!
doom / gave myself up to meditation
upon my fate. At the end Of that time
l made up my mind that 1t wouldn'
need a malignant something or other K
kill me or four months In which to d.
the work. l was preying upon mysel
at much more rapid rate. I resolved
to throw of the mental octopus tha
had ME In its clutches and make th'
most of the brief period that remained
to me.
1 had S1OOOO0 In 6 per cent bonds
worth S15OO00. There was no relative
who needed the money, and l resolved
to spend the. most Of 1t in purchasing
whatever would keep my mind of m!
coming demise. would need compan!
some one to be with me most Of th'
time-and cast about for an associate
l would spend part Of my time with
man friend and the rest with woman
friend. For the man I chose Arthu
Atherton and for the woman Adel'
Sturgis, with both Of whom l was OF
familiar terms. I told them that ! pro
posed to spend 100000 within fou
months and that In consideration o
their devoting their time to me for tha
period would divide the remaining
$4,000 between them. Atherton wa
out of business at the time and had NJ
fortune. He looked very sympathetic
when | made my proposition, but
thought he was trying to conceal
good deal of happiness. In third Of
year he would earn $4,000 besides en-
joying luxuries that wouldn't cost hin
anything.
As to Adele, she said she would thinl
the matter over. After doing so sh
told me that she would accept my prop
OsitiOn with an amendment that tn
amount / would spend should be re
duced by $4,000 and added to tn
amount Of her portion. Furthermore
this portion was not to be given to he,
but left to charity by will.
This did not seem to suit the require
ments Of the case, but Adele was tn
only girl I knew that thought woul'
be able to lift me out Of myself, and
assented. began by meeting Arthu
about 0 o'clock every morning ant
spending the time with him till about
in the afternoon. We played billiard
and went wherever anything interest
Ing was going on. Later In the after
noon took Adele out In my car, and
two or three times in the week W,
would 90 either to the opera or the the
ater. The other evenings would spen(
mostly with Arthur or with any one
happened to find to 90 about with me
Besides this I gave theater parties
dinners, suppers-in short, took IN Ia
more ways Of diverting my mind from
my trouble than l could catalogue.
But, despite all could do, my doom
hung heavy over me. One Afternoon
when I was with Adele gave way Il
the gloom within me and confessed
that was not gaining much from tn
money l was spending. There was
real sympathy in her face when she re
piled:
There Is another way Of getting on
If yourself which you have not tried"
what Is itf' I asked eagerly.