The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-01-06
His Inst | esson In
Medical Practice
By THOMAS R DEAN


one of them came TO the house, felt |
some ones pulse. asked about sundry |
symptoms and. taking out a square bit |
of paper, wrote certain hieroglyphics /
on it that an apothecary understood.
What BERTHE. as she called him, was<
going through to acquire medical ed |
ucation she had no idea. That he ate
peanuts off the breast of cadaver he |
was at work on in the dissecting room. |
that he used the top of a skull, invert- |
ed, for tobacco box; that he frequent |
iy took hand. foot or some other
member of the human body to his room
to cut to pieces. she had not even a
suspicion. She supposed that a med
ical school was like other schools
books, books. nothing but books, and
nice, clean books at that-while gen.
teel professors lectured on how to cure
a stomach ache and when to give the
baby paregoric.
Bert. aware of her innocence. was
very careful not to disturb her notions
Of the medical profession by enlighten-
ing her. By an unfortunate contre-
temps he suddenly burst upon her IN
his true frightfulness. She had been
visiting a friend in neighboring city
and was returning by rail. She had
been in the car but a few minutes
when she saw the back of head that
looked familiar. 1t was turned aside
toward a man who sat beside it's own
er and displayed the profile of Mr.. Bert
Sawyer Facing the two sat figure
done up in a big shawl.
Horrible TO relate. the face of the
figure was that of skull.
Mr.. Sawyer and his friend Billy Pc
terson had learned where the skeleton
Of a human being could be bought
cheap. They had gone for it. purchased
it and were taking it home. There We're
but few persons in the car. and the
conductor had good naturally permit
ted them to seat it opposite them
selves,
Just AS Miss Tisdale got into the
car. / cognized her lover and caught
sight f the grinning face with no. nose
and I.pty eye sockets the conductor
came through the train and. passing
the 70 medicos. punched their tickets.
Fare, governor" said Mr.. Sawyer,
addressing the skeleton. Produce your
ticket or you'll be put Off
The skeleton continued to grin, the
conductor smiled, and the men in the
car seemed TO think it all very funny.
There were two women besides Elsie.
one sitting in the next seat and one
-,
seemed to consider Mr.. Sawyer's action
a bit funny. As for Elsie. she was
paralyZed with horror
"Oh. he's all right said the other
medico. Hes no deadhead" and. slip
| ping his own ticket in the band of his
| hat. he put the hat on the skeletons
| head.
| This caused n burst of laughter from
| the men in the car and a scowl from
| the women.
Smoke, GOVERNOR said Bert. thrust
ing a cigar between the skeletons
| toothless and gumless jawbones-
Another laugh from the men and a
/ murmur of Indignation from the wom-
| en- The train rounding a .urve, the
skeleton lost its balance and fell
! against the arm of the seat.
est up. governor said Bert. Don't
| be rolling around that way. The pas
sengers viii think you've been drink
| ing.
Il smell his breath said Billy-"gin
| and lemon peel"
| The conductor was sitting at the end
| of the car, and one of the women
| called to him and told him that if he
| didn't stop that indecent behavior on
the part of those young men she
would report him for negligence OF
| duty. At this the conductor went to
the two needles and told them they
had better roll their bony companion
in his shawl and stop the fun. To this
they acceded, and that ended the per
| Torrance. Soon after the train rolled
| into the station the medics and the
| governor" went out through the front
end of the car. while Elsie left it al
the rear She held her handk erchiei
to her eyes to conceal her tears and te
avoid being recognized by Bert, whom
she intended never to meet again as
her fiance.
The next mornings mail brought
him q note from her containing the
| few words.
Our engagement is broken"
Sawyer looked at it sidewise an(
endwise. then shook it as if it We're Z
toy puzzle. He could not understand
it. Anyway something was wrong
and he went right over. to the house t.
End out about it. Mrs Tisdale cam'
down with a suppressed smile and tolt
him the cause of the break. Elsie haC
| come home the day before heartbro
,len She had supposed she was goin;
10 marry a gentleman and found tina
instead she was to marry a ghoui-
Bert was crushed
You'd better drop the whole al
fair. said Mrs Tisdale. land let Elsi
get over II by degrees.
Shea never yet over it" groanet
tarrnr F4f mo &.