Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-05-25
A Case Of Misplaced
Confidence
By ETHEL MARSH

not, think, that we are their interiors.
but that nature constantly threatens to
break down our intentions.
When girl begins to make her
preparations for profession she has
before her four years Of college and
another four years of study in prepara-
ton for the field in which she is about
to work. To man the care of wife
and family is natural consequence,
and his success in his profession goes
hand in hand with his being husband
and father. A woman under the same
circumstances feels that marriage is
tantamount-in most cases-to giving
up all that she has so long been MAX
ing preparations for.
When l was about to prepare myself
for the medical profession fully con-
sidered thisquestion and concluded that
1 must decide between making medi-
cine my life profession and possible
marriage. / decided in favor of the
profession and made a solemn resolu-
ton that I would never marry How
l failed to carry out this resolve 1 am
about to relate. l confess l am not
well pleased at the cause of my fail
ure Had l met member of my own
profession-an eminent surgeon, for in
stance-and formed professional as
well as matrimonial partnership
with him should not possibly regret
my surrender to the little god. In
stead of this, was induced to break
my resolution by trickery.
/ had barely commenced to practice
my profession when | was called upon
to visit young man who was the old
est son Of well to do parents. Indeed,
the family was very loving one he
being the idol. was called in by his
sister, next younger than he, who gave
me his symptoms, which were, as
she described them, threatened melan-
cholia
"Bertie," she said, sis so attractive to
the girls that they have spoiled him.
l think that if he had been born poor
instead of rich and homely instead of
handsome ahe would have chosen pro-
it is, he has no object in life and is
sinking into state of mental hamilton.
It's such a pity, for he is the loyeliest
boy in the world"
This description of Albert Emerson
was not calculated to interest me in
his case, for it indicated that he was
just the kind of man l would despise
w ayJrh ,o+h
about him that supported his sisters
description of him. did not wonder
that silly girls We're disposed to make
fools of themselves about him. When
4 he looked at me out of his confidence
inviting eyes and smiled his confiding
smile, was seized with an irresistible
desire to serve him.
If anything was needed to convince
me that he was one of those lovable
men who win by frankness it was
when his sister left me alone with him.
Really, DOCTOR" he said, II can't
permit you to waste your time and
good intentions on so worthless a per-
son as myself. | must tell you Sc
cret. l am not ill at all. I'm in love.
Nothing will cure me except response
from the woman who has engrossed
my whole being. Your drugs will not
be of any avail with me, but evidently
you can serve me. My mind, admit,
is ailing. If you know of any medi-
cine that will steady me mentally pre-
scribe it and, above all, do not fail to
visit me regularly. Do you believe in
the effect Of one mind over another to
the subject minds benefit or the re-
verse;"
81 certainly do"
swell, from the moment / first saw
you I felt the effect of your mentality
1t may be that this love / bear is
symptom. If so your mentality may
cure my body, and that may drive
away this craving for the woman who
has absorbed me. l beg of you, don't
desert me. Come and see me often"
l was at this time much interested
in the cure of disease by mental or
spiritual influence and was caught by
the way the young man put his case.
1t would interest me to prove that his
diagnosis of his case was correct.
would give him the benefit of my men,
tai power over him.
This intention was facilitated by his
family. Instead of being received by
them as a physician l was treated as
friend. | did not attempt to exert
any influence over the patient. l sim
ply permitted whatever influence l pos
sessed to act upon him. He seemed to
grow better gradually. One day his
sister asked me to ride with him and
her. / accepted. Then / rode out with
him alone.
had been visiting Albert Emerson
thus semiprofessionally for several
months when one day he made con-
fession to me. l was the woman he
loved and had loved long before had
visited him. But this confession was
not made until my wings had been so
far clipped that l could not fly away.