South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-03-14
Getting Examined for
Life Insurance
BY James J. Montague

There has been an epidemic OF
/ blood pressure around town, and we
were getting worried. Nearly all
our friends had it. in varying de-
grees OF acuteneSs.
They still went about their bus
! mess IL is true. but they wore long
| faces. and recited their symptoms
| wherever they found anybody who
would listen.
For quite a while we thought that
| ciood pressure was catching, ike
tuUTrps. and wo avoided al Of our
acuL2intanC e VA boosted Of hav-
Ing i
| But later. in Newspaper article.
ne itarned tina: aimoss anybody. at
| OR age. was likely 70 get IL. and
'..Ht the harl r You had been work
ing the greater would be your sus-
| ceptibility.
On account of repeated and ex-
| aggerated snow storms we had been
| working very hard.
No sooner would we get the walks
all cleaned Oft than along would
come another blizzard and pile them
higher than ever.
At the end of seven weeks. dur
| ing which we must have handled 30
long tons Of snow we felt exhausted
and had pain in our side. Further
more our temples would throb at
the mere thought of another bliz-
zard.
This, we figured, must be an in
dication OF blood pressure. We
stopped shOveling snow but II didn't
do any good. We gave over work
of all descriptions and got no bet
ter
Soon we developed symptoms at
an alarming rate. We had pains
in our chest and side. a burning
sensation in our cheeks. Our col
lars began TO get too small for
US.
We were different about consult
ing a doctor. We were afraid we
could not stand the shock Of what
they would have to tell us about
ourselves.
Yet something must be done. that
! was certain.
One day a young friend came in
and offered TO sell us life insurance
on a plan which. ne said. would
be practically giving II to US.
Ripe Age For Blood Pressure.
You never can tell what will
happen" he said. Then glancing
at us searchingly he added. AT
your time Of live a man is likely 20
get blood pressure and be off like
that" And he snapped his finger
suggestively
This gesture OF his supplied US
with food for thought If we went
off like that" there ought 20 be a
little something for the wife and
children.
We Iapsed into a deep thought
from which we presently were
reused by the consciousness that
our friend was still talking
Besides" he was saying. "One
of the surest ways 10 find out about
yourself is TO get examined for life
insurance. OF course l don't know
that my company will take you
it's very particular-but II you do
pass the examination, you at least
know that you're all right
That settled it. We made out the
Implication feverishly, and he took
il away with him.
The next day a sepulchral voice
over the telephone said:
Il am Dr. Smith Of the Rock
Ribbed Life have made an ap-
pointment for you IN half an hour.
Can YOU keep it,"
II we had been told that the
hangman had made an appointment
with US we could have been little
more startled. However we man
aged to reply in a husky voice that
we would be there.
For half an hour we sat tremb-
ling on a chair in the Doctors ante
room. What would we do. what
! COULD we do II he told US that We
had blood pressure and refused
US?
In our mind there developed pic
lures of--but we cannot dwell on
such painful matters.
When we entered the Doctors Of
flee we found solemn looking man
with black whiskers who seemed
TO eve us despairiDgly.
At his request We took or our
coat. He undid the first few but
tons Of our shirt. and massaged our
chest with a telephone transmitter.
holding the receiving tubes IN his
ears.
We tried 10 make joscose com
ments TO cheer ourselves up as he
paused and listened first here and
then there.
But he held up warning hand
land we desisted.
At least a hundred times at his
request we said, Ninety nine.
that apparently being the telephone
! number OF the particular part OF ouI