Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-06-24
CHAPTER I.
A Fugitive Goddess.

from inconsequence only by trinity
sprinkling of gray. l always felt that,
should ever see him in bathing
suit, would have to seek new ply
sician. l could never again think of
him as sufficiently grown up to prac-
tice an adult svocation.
Yet, when the doctor spoke, his
mentality issued out of it's small nabl-
tation of flesh and expended to COM
manding proportion.
The little doctor was, in fine, very
great doctor; and on this occasion he
was bullying me with the large au.
thority of Bonaparte.
But DOCTOR" l began protesting.
ly.
He raised a small hand which sug-
gested the claw Of delicate bird and
fixed me with quizzical eyes that had
the faculty OF biting sharply through
a mans unspo,len thoughts.
Don't assume to say but to me-"
he sternly enjoincd; and since we had
long known each other, not only as
physician and patient, but also as men
who breakfasted at the same hour
tarily needed.
"Once upon time" he continued,
"the German Kaiser presumed to
question a pilot on his imperial yacht.
nn Vol, raco1l tho resIlt 7D
mo" said I, 81 don't, but"
Again the doctor eyed me, basilisk-
fashion, across the bacon and eggs Of
our belated morning meal as he con-
tinued:
"He very improperly reminded the
emperor that upon vessel in the
high seas a pilot acknowledges 10 SUI
perior this side of eternity. In mat
ters of health take the bridge. You
obey"
But" I weakly insisted.
"You presume to think because you
house your nerves in wellmuscled
body that they are infallible." he i'm
placably continued. 1--WE seen rot
ten motors in excellent garages. I've
seen unhappy wives immured in plla-
ces. and I've seen finer figures of men
than you in asylums."
"My nerves are simply OF the high
strung type" argued.
"Those are the kind that snap" re-
torted the sage. 'If you were race
horse, 1t might be a matter Of reason
able pride to you to be bred in the
purple. Being man with no avoca-
tion except the spending of unearned
money, it means that you are peril
ously oversensitizeG."
"What unpleasant pcdantry are you
leading up ,to?" l demanded. "Out
with it,"
II mean to. You have the artistic
temperament which, without genius,
is worse than useless. You choose to
regard yourself a failure and grow
morose because you have found the
law uncongenial, and because editors
earn their salaries by returning your
manuscripts. The durability of your
nervous system depends entirely on
how you utilize the next five years."
+ go on" l encouraged him. Don't
mind me. Sentence me to death IL It
amuses you"
ut won't be death: but unless you
fortify those nerves." he calmly went
on, "there probably will be disaster.
1t may take any one of several FORMS"
"As, for instance?" inquired, with
pardonable curiosity.
ooh, arterlosclerosis, paralysis, in
sanity-somethlng of that Sort"
THANK you kindly" murmured as
I reached for the matches. "Can
have my choice of the lot?"
However," went on the big little
doctor, "if you devote the next five
years to program of diversified tray
ell, you ought to lay up an account of
nerve-strength upon which you can
draw ad lib. for forty or fifty years to
come. You should even have sur
plus against the unfortunate eXigcncy
of living on when you are old and
useless"
"But I have travelled" I argued.
'I've been to"
He interrupted me with snort and
swept my declarations aside unfin'
ished.
"You have dabbled at travel, like
a school girl nibbles at chocolates.
Get out on the hike and stay out for
a year or two. Build into your aTti'
fetal self something Of the outdoor
animal. You have a fair start-sou
were once an athlete"
He rose to go down to his motor,
and shouted after him contemptuous
and profane criticism. Nevertheless.
within the week booked passage foT
the Mediterranean.
I found once more that Europe md
the African fringe Of the landloclsed
sea have to offer to the hunger OF the
wanderlust only stereotyped table
dhote. Shortly II clogs. Within sew
eral weeks one thing only had prom.
ised to break the stagnant surface
NaAaH