The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-08-31
Doctor
BernertOn
Unwiliingly He Left His
Wife to See a Patient.
By ELINOR MARSH

my DEAR" said DR.. Joe Bemertor
as he threw off bis coat and hat. toss
ing his heavy driving gloves into the
latter, TN be hanged If / go out again
tonight If I'm called by multimillion'
airev'
"Oh, Joe, I'm so glad! You look aw.
fully tired, and just think how long II
is since we've had a quiet evening to.
getherv'
fright you are, Pol. I'll get on my
velveteen jacket, put on my easy shoes,
sit down before these blazing logs with
you beside me, and Wen have a real
old fashioned evening-like our court
ing days, ell, sweetheart?"
He tweaked her ear and gave her a
kiss.
wont Il be nice? You can sit in
the big chair right before the flame,
while sit In my little working rocker
Beside you and darn the stockings"
"Oh, no; don't darn stockings! You
didn't darn stockings in those days"
AS soon as dinner was over the doc
tor pulled the big chair up to the fire.
place and drew his wife down on his
knee. She had weighed 100 pounds
when they courted. Now she weighed
$50. Bemerton had had several obsti-
nate cases during the day and was
tired. 1t wasn't five minutes before he
remarked that he had strained a mus
Gle in his left leg when getting out Of
his auto, slipping on bit of ice. He
thought that they'd better sit side by
side. So Mrs. Bemerton got off his
knee and with an effort succeeded in
squeezing I'm beside him. If she had
gained fifty pounds he had gained
more, so that instead of the aggregate
bulk of 215 pounds between the two
arms of the chair, as in their counting
days, there were now $50 However.
they managed to wedge Themselves in.
and Mrs. Bemerton leaned back ON her
husbands arm
"Just as nice as ever 1t was" he said
CALAMITY.
They sat chatting for awhile, but the
topics they talked about as lovers did
not seem to rise up with the sponta-
neity of former days. There were long
gaps in the conversation. The doctor
yawned.
I'VE don't need to talk all the WHILE"
she said drowsily. Remember what
a clatter we used to keep up?"
II wonder how we did it,
did It! We didn't do it. 1t did it.
self"
There was lull, during which the
doctors eyes closed, and he was be-
ginning TO draw the heavy. breath of
slumber when his wife started in anew.
do you know. joe" she said, that
abominable steak this morning-all
bone and gristle?"
Eyes, dear, but my arm is cramped.
II you'll rise bit I'll move It,"
He moved the arm and was sinking
again to a snoOze when the telephone
bell rang.
'T'll co." said Mrs Bemerton, start
ing up. a.-
mo; you wouldn't understand" And
the doctor went to the telephone.
Eyes, I'm Dr. Bemerton."
Reply.
I'm pretty tired"
Reply.
us he?''
Reply.
Suffering much?"
Reply.
well, suppose I'll have to CO."
Mrs. Bemerton, who was listening,
sighed. The doctor came back into the
room the picture of woe.
snow, Joe, you said you wouldn't
20 out again tonight for millionaire.
You're tired out. In another moment
you'd have been asleep. Why didn't
you refuse?'
How could L? If you were'suffer-
ing and called for a physician to re-
Iieve you and he declined to go, what
would you think of him?"
well suppose it can't be helped.
Will you ride?"
mo; it's not far I'll walk
She helped the poor man on with mis-
overcoat. He gave her parting kiss
and as he went cut said:
IF I'm going to be delayed I'll tele-
DuOHt yOu. anu you tC hOe W Sis up'
but 60 to bed like dear, good little
woman. and III come in without dis
turbing you and sleep In my own
room. Ta-ta. sweetheart
Mrs. Bemerton's regret was that her
llege lord must go out after a hard
days work into a cold night to incur
more responsibility. She was a prac-
tical woman and had discovered very
soon that the return to counting days
would not be a success.
As soon as the front door closed be-
hind him DIR. Bemerton FASTENED his
steps. A few blocks away was his
club. and thither he went. Leaving
his overcoat at the coat room, he went
into the cafe and there found Drs
Nichols and ellison, who hailed his en-
trance with shouts of satisfaction 5
what did you mean," exclaimed
Bemerton to Nichols, with mock sever
ity. "by telling me that the patient
was suffering and must come at once
to relieve himT'
II mean this" replied Nichols-"that
ellison Is suffering for some one to
split bottle of ginger ale with him.
AS for me. I'm suffering for something
of the same kind"