The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-01-20
JUST LUCK
By KATHERINE NEwELL.
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%. 1890. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,
"Don't you ever get sick of living
In these mountains?'
Clyde Hanavan contemplated tho
questioner in silence for moment.
slowly removing o piece of sweet clo-
yer he was chewing before he an
swered. mo, there's lots of life in
the oil country and you meet with all
sorts of folks, mostly big-hearted II
they sometimes amt much in the way
Of morals" His clear blue gaze
swept the green foothills Of the Al
leghenies lovingly.
Clarence Benson WINGED as the lads
eyes rested on his white arms.
do you always intend to work on
oil leases? Don't you want to be
something differentT' Clarence asked
after another silence of watching anx-
iously for bite.
yep, want to be what your father
wants me to be-the best surgeon in
the country but there's darned lit
tie chance for me, the only boy with
slew of sisters to put through
school. Gee, but you're "a lucky guyI
All, well. guess there will be money
in this oil game for US after while.
but then maybe I'll be too old for med
Ical school. A fellow should be
trained real young for that work, ehf
My hands would be spoiled for sur
gery-tool dressing spreads 'em sol"
Clyde looked at his work-stained, we'll
shaped hands regretfully; then
stretching out his long. graceful limbs
he got up and. pushing back mop Of
dark red hair, looked down with
wistful smile at Clarence Benson idly
watching the float in the sparkling
water. "They say that everything
comes to those who wait, but l am
inclined to think that it's just luck
with some folks, like you and your
fishing an becoming surgeon.
Some folks would set around this lake
a whole week and don't git the catches
you get in dayl" He strobe out
toward the oil well on the hilltop.
"what do you know about that,
motheri Clarence Benson died last
the newspaper, and his lips trembied
for a moment.
Eyes, heard that down at the post
office this morning. 1t appears that
Clarence had appendicitis, but Doctor
Benson was afraid to have him oper-
ated on, SO he tried treatment. Finally
he got a surgeon from New York, bu'
1t was too late, the lad only lived
few hours after the operation. Seems
as though Doctor Benson would go
crazy. they say he'd set his heart on
that boy being such wonderful sur
geon; he was an only child, too" said
Mrs. Hanavan with thankful sigh as
she looked at her family around her.
Gosh. aren't glad Pm alivel But
I feel bad over Clarence Benson!
A few months later Doctor Benson.
broken in health and spirit over the
death OF his idolized son. came to his
home in The foothills, where he owned
some property adjoining the Hama
vans lease.
A few weeks later . wash out"
wrecked The evening train at the top
Of the Mountain Gauge, resulting in
many injured and killed. Doctor
Lynch, the nearest medical man, was
miles of, and could not reach the spot
for an hour or SO. Old doc" With
ers called for Clyde Hanavan to help
him. but the doctors eyesight was SO
bad that 1t fell 10 Clyde's skilled
fingers to bandage and ease the in
jured, to remove and care for the
dead.
Suddenly he thought of Doctor Ben
son in his loneliness and grief. Here
was man for the job. Why hadn't
anyone thought OF calling him be-
fore?
Clyde was just completing hfs first
aid" to the terribly burned engineer
and had given "hypos' to the rest Of
the injured under Doctor withers' or
ders. when Doctor Benson arrived at
the scene of the wreck.
81 uon't see that there is anything
left for me to do. You have already
done everything that can be done un-
der such God-forsaken conditions
y and little more; why call
me7 / would like 10 congratulate the
man or men. who are responsible for
such Wonderfully ehicient first aid.
since was told there was no doctor
around" he said. lifting his lantern
on the crowd, the light falling on
Clyde Hanavan and the bent form Of
Doctor Withers leaning on his arm.
"It was Clyde Hanavan. SIR He
fixed 'em all upW piped small voice
from the darkness.
II fixed 'em up, sir. but Doc With
ers taught me first aid and couldn't
have done 1t without him, sir, an al
ways loved this kind of thing, only for
the sake of helping folks not to suf-
fer though" Clydes face grew red
under the keen gaze of the big sur
geon.
ITS too bad the lad can't be made
q surgeon; he's wonderful at his first