The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-05-12
AGrateful
Patient
By ALDEN CHAPMAN
,@. 1921. Western Newspaper Union. ,

1t was q lucky day for young DR..
Rodney Blair when that rarity. new
patient. presented himself for pro-
fessional treatment. The client was
powerful man Of about thirty. named
Greg Bryson, and he came from
neighbOring town.
Its rheumatism DOCTOR" he an
nOunced. "and worse than bad. am
a blacksmith with wife and FIVE lit
tie children, and since the first of the
year have been so crippled ! had to
shut up the forge. ! heard about you
from a man once hired, who says
you cured him in months time"
Thereupon bluff, honest Greg drew
an old fashioned gold watch from his
pocket and rendered it to the physi-
clan. 'tA 2@ltS -
THAT once belonged to my father"
he explained land cost good deal
of money in the old times. want you
to take it and hold it until l am able
to redeem 1t with your bill for serv-
ices in cash."
II would prefer to trust you," said
DR.. Blair. "You appear as a man who
will keep his promises and pay his
debts"
The young physician did not tell OF
the difficult struggle for a living that
had attended building up practice
in an obscure rural community. He
prescribed for Greg and sent him away
hopeful and cheered. Poor ailing Greg
deserved encouragement. His little
brood required food and clothing, he
was not for the present at least able
to earn any money, and profitable
trade he had built up through the
years was fast going to his competi-
tors. It was sad to see this formerly
sturdy giant Of strength and health
limp painfully to the wagon that
brought him to Fairview. The doctor
returned with a sigh to his office.
secretly deploring his own condition
and ardently wishing other new pa
tients might be directed to him.
Greg made several other, visits to
the doctor. He had to depend for
transportation, however, on accommo-
dating teamsters. Then the doctor
+ transmitted the weekly medicines by
mail and was pleased to receive poorly
spelled, but we'll intentioned letters
in return from his patient, reciting
most favorable progress towards bet
ter health. .a ~ a.Es K IL ~
One day about a month later the
quiet little village Of Fairview was
aroused from its accustomed torpor
by a wild invasion, which at the first
1t was difficult to analyze. A wagon
containing Il driver and the rejuvenat-
ed Greg and four other men came rat
Ting down the main street. 1t was
plain to be seen that some Of them
< were unduly stimulated. They shout
ed, cheered, halted before the local
post Office and Greg was hoisted to
his feet on seat and made speech
He was a we'll man, he was able
to reopen his blacksmith shop, and his
: rheumatism was gone! E..
"Cured, my friends" he announced
to q gasping crowd, land DR.. Blair did
1t. Yes, sir, I'm we'll man, and I've
come down here and am going all
around the county to tell what won
derful things DR.. Blair has done fol
me-"
"Hurrah! Good for him !" chorused
his friends volubly. ,.. .-. ....,...,. AL.
Then they repaired to the doctors
office, where Greg proudly left little
roll of bank notes representing his
earnings from his first weeks work
for nearly year.
"I'll soon get you paid up, DOCTOR
he announced gratefully, "and I'm 60.
ing to send you lot Of new patients
II won't ever forget what you've, done
for me- I'm a grateful man and 9
1. true friend to you, and I intend to
advertise you far and wide" Il
That was just what Greg proceeded
B to do in thoroughly effective way
4 The promised patients began to come
!, first in ones and 4twos and then In
,droves. !. DR.. Blair did not. move his
Y field of professional labor. He found
Al all dUcQudlc OuS Al8AI ~ A0Au 0AO
+ within few months had clients scat
4 tered all over the county.
Nj Times prospered for DR.. Blair to q
i, degree where he was able to purchase
an old horse and surrey to aid him In
his calls. He was quite pleased and
proud of the rig, and whenever the
I, vehicle required repairs, drove over
to Leesburg and employed faithful,
q deserving Greg to attend to the same
# "Ah! an automobile" observed DR.
Blair one day, when he came after the
renovated surrey. II have often wished
/ I had one as have such a wide terri.
tory to cover"
,s Greg did not reply, but he ciluckled
secretly. A vast idea came into his
mind. He was a handy man at tools
i and for a very small amount had
bought the auto. practically wreck,
but he now set at work to restore It
Ito it's original condition. A month
! later he drove 1t down to Fairview,
There was neat little speech to the
man he SO revered and the doctor un-