The Washington herald., 1921-05-15
An O. Henry Story
LET ME FEEL YOUR PULSE.


lthere are no aeropianes handy. So
am going to merrily and hastily
jog the foot-pathway to yon station
\ and catch the first unlimited-soft-
coal express back to town"
We'll" said the doctor. perhaps
you are right. This seems hardly
the suitable place for you. But
what you need is rest-absolute rest
and exercise"
That night 1 went to a hotel in
the city and said to the clerk:
What need Is absolute rest and
exercise. Can you give me a room
with one Of those tall folding beds
in IL and a relay of bellboys to
work IL up and down while I vest?"
The clerk rubbed a speck off one
of his finger nails and glanced side
wise at a tall man in a white hat
sitting in the lobby. That man
came over and asked me politely II
had seen the shrubbery at the
west entrance. I had not, 50 he
showed It to me and then looked
me over.
It thought you had 'em." he said.
not unkindly. but I guess you're
fail right You'd better go see .
doctor, old man"
A week afterward my doctor
tested my blood pressure again
without the preliminary stimulant.
He looked to pe q little less like
Napoleon. And his socks were Of
shade Of tan that did not appeal
to me.
what you need he decided, -is
sea air and companionship.'
Would a mermaid" began;
but he slipped on his professional
manner.
II myself" he said. will take you
to the Hotel Bonair OF the coast Of
Long Island and see that you get
In good shape 1t is a quiet. COM
Portable resort where you will soon
recuperate."
The Hotel Bonair proved to be q
soo-room fashionable hostelry on an
island on the main shore. Every
body who did not dress for dinner
was showed into a side dining room
and given only a terrapin and cham
payne table d'hote. The bay was q
great stamping ground for wealthy
yachtsmen. The CorsAiP anchored
|
Mr.. Morgan standing on deck eating
a cheese sandwich and gazing long
ingly at the hotel. Still, II was a
very inexpensive place. Nobody
| could AFFORD to pay their prices.
When you went away you simply
left your baggage, stole a skin, and
beat 1t for the mainland in the
night.
When 1 had been there one day I
got . pad Of monogrammed tele-
graph blanks at the clerks desk
and began to wire to all my friends
for getaway money. Ny doctor and
played one game of croquet on
the golf links and went to sleep on
the lawn.
When We got back to town a
thought seemed to occur to him sud
denly. by the way he asked.
how do you feel?"
Relieved of very much" / replied.
Now a consulting physician is Diff
ferent. He isn't exactly sure wheth-
er he Is to be paid or not, and this
uncertainty insures you either the
most careful or the most careless
attention. Ny doctor took me to see
a consulting physician. He made a
poor guess and gave me careful at
teution. I liked him immensely. He
put me through some coordination
exercises.
Have you . pain in the back of
your headr' he asked I told him /
had not.
Shut your eyes" he ordered, put
your feet close together, and jump
backward as far as you can"
L always was a good backward
Jumper with my eyes shut. SO 4
obeyed. My head struck the edge
of the bathroom door, which had
been left open and was only three
feet away. The doctor was very
sorry. He had overlooked the fact
that the door was open. He closed it.
Now touch your nose with your
right forefinger," he said,
Where is itr' asked.
On your face" said he.
explained.
"oh. excuse me- said he. n. re-
opened the bathroom door. and I
took my finger out of the crack Of
1t. After had performed the mar
Vellous digftonasal feat I said:
Il do not wish to deceive vou as
to symptoms. Doctor; I really have
! something like a pain in the back
OF my head" He ignored the
symptom and examined INV hsart
carefully with a latest-popular-a air
penny-in-the-slot ear-trumpet I
felt like a ballad.
Now" he said. "gallop like h
horse for about fve minutes around
the room"
l gave the best imitation I could
or q disqualified Percheron being
led out Of Madison Square Garden.
Then, without dropping In a penny.
ne listened to my chest again.
No giandors In our family, Doc
I said.
The consulting physician held mn
his forennger within three inches or
my nose. Look at my finger" he
commanded.
Did you ever try Pears" he
gan; but he went on with his test
rapidly.
Now look across the bay. At INV
nnger. Across the bay. Across the
the bay. At my finger. Across the
bayF This for about three minutes.
He explained that this was q test
Of the action Of the brain. It SEEM
ed easy to me. I never once m,s-
took his finger for the bay. I'll bet
that II he had used the phrases:
Gaze. as 1t were, unpreoccupied,
outward-or rather laterally-in
the direction of the horizon, un-
derlaid. so to speak, with the ad-
jacent fiuid inlet" and Now, re-
turning-or rather. in a manner.
Withdrawing your attention he.