The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-18
What a RaganuGn
Did on Christ
mas Morning
By F. A. Mitchell

DR.. Tourniquet, the famous surgeon.
was sitting before his desk on Christ
mas morning looking over his ac-
counts, though his principal work was
making up bis bank account When
the door was opened a little ragged
boy entered.
How did you get in hereT asked
the doctor.
"The door was open and l walked
into the house. Then 1 opened the |
next came to-"
well, what do you want?"
me mudder is next door to dyin'. |
Me ladder sent me for a doctor.
seen the sign and came in"
The doctor pushed aside the pile of
checks before him and, swinging
around in his chair, said:
"Your father didn't tell you to come
to me?'
"No, sir He said to go to any doc
tor could find that would come. I've
been to three before yous. They axed
me if I had any money to pay. and
when l said no they showed me out
The doctor continued to gaze at the
boy meditatively, then took up phone
transmitter and ordered his car brought
to the door. Telling the boy to "come
along" he got into the car and directed
} his chauffeur to drive to the address
the child gave. He found wretched
home, wretched on account of poverty,
J on account of the woman being Ill, but
especially wretched to the doctor,
! whose patients usually lived in luxuri-
> Gus homes. He pictured houses he had
; visited the day before and the prepa-
rations for Christmas he had seen.
The woman was in q state Of col
' lapse, but little treatment brought re-
lief, and she was told that her trouble
would disappear and was not likely to
!. return, though the doctor left some
|. medicine for her to take. This done,
he took up his cases and was going out
when the boy stepped up to him and,
= holding out handful Of coppers and
? nickels, said:
Here's yer pay, doctor-me savin's
let Christmas 90 till next time"
Again the prosperous man looked at
the ragged boy. What was the doctor
thinking Of? Was he picturing chill
dren Of his clients who were loaded
down with gifts on that Christmas
morning, denied nothing, while this
Door boy was handing him his savings
for that anniversary which children
love best? Did he take in his minds
eye the pile Of checks he had left or
his rosewood desk in his office? Did Il
occur to him that he was going bach
- to his home to finish getting ready
those checks to send to the bank in thu
q morning, to dine sumptuously, leaving
this family without morsel Of Christ
mas comfort?
Diving into his pocket, the docto
81 brought out roll Of bills and withou
4 counting them said to the invalid, he
Il husband and their boy:
"Why 1t is that l am given 90 nue.
and you so little is one Of the grea
mysteries Of the world. Take this,
l handing the boy the roll, land bu
whatever you need for your mothel
your father and yourself. Remembe
this is Christmas morning. It's late
+ provide, but do the best you can"
\ "Oh, DOCTOR" exclaimed the sick w
l man, chow good you areP'
"Good! Don't call me good. 70
don't know me. I'm selfish and meal
live on the top wave Of prosperit
visit only those who are prospero,
a myself. I'm not called On BY Il
moor. I am considered too high a
mighty. Had not some one LETT n
front door ajar your boy would n
have effected an entrance to my I
splendent presence. Had he rung Il
bell my butler would have turned hi
away"
1--WE u,ust all take care Of ourselvs
DOCTOR" said the man. III We Dol
nobody will take care Of u.s."
"Some Of US who have more th'
\ ws need are in duty bound to Ia
care of those who are suffering.
take care of no one"
"But you are kind and generous wi
your children, doctor"
"What credit Is that7 I once shot
bears cub. The mother bear show
as much grief at the death Of her
spring as / ever saw In any woms
IA and / have seen hundreds of pareI
at the deathbeds Of their children
. "But you have begun to be good
- the poor this Christmas day a
will
The doctor turned away and w
ont without hearing what he would
in future. He knew he would do no
ing. He believed 1t was his duty
do that which he and the world G
sidered practicable. Suppose from q
moment he should devote MS u
to those who could pay nothing
his services. Where would he be
next Christmas? His children W
growing up in luxury. There must
a sudden cutting down Of the ran
expenses. They must move OUT
their palatial residence. II ne told
world why he made these changes
xvould consider him demented. III