Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1921-01-20
JUST LUCK
BY KATHERINE NEWELL.
SeSeeeeespSe9eeRee

Don't you ever get sick of living
In these mountains?"
Clyde llanavau contemplated tina
qucstioner in silence for a moment,
slowly removing IL piece of sweet clio.
Yer he was chewing before he an
swercd. mo. there's lots Of life in
the oil country and you meet with all
sorts of folks, mostly big-hearted If
of MORALS" His clear blue gaze
swept the green foothills Of the AL
%leghenics lovingly.
Clarence BENSON WINGED as the lads
eyes rested on his white arms.
ado you always intend to work on
oil leasesp Don't you want to be
something difierent?" Clarence asked
after another silence of watching anX-
iously FOR II bite.
"Yep, | want to be what your father
wants me to be-thc best surgeon in
the country; but there's darned lit
tie chance for me, the only boy, with
u slew of sisters to put through
school. Gee, but you're Il lucky guy!
All, well, | guess there will he money
in this oil game for US after II while,
but then maybe I'll he too old for med
ical school. A fellow should be
trained real young for that work, eh?
My hands would be spoiled for sur
gery--tool dressing spreads 'em SOL"
clyde looked at his work-staincd, we'll
shaped hands regrctfnlIy; then
stretching out his long, graceful limbs
he got up and, pushing back & mop OF
dark red hair, looked down with Il
wlstful smile at Clarence Benson idly
watching the float in the sparkling
water. ''Tley say that everything
comes to those who wait, but | am
inclined TO think that it's just lnck
with some folks, like you and your
fishing an becoming Il surgeon. . . +.
Some folks would set around his lake
Il whole week and don't cit the catches
yon get in a day!' He STROBE out
toward the oil well on the hilltop.
"What DO you know about that,
mother! Clarence Benson died last
night! !" Clyde Iianavan put down
the newspaper, aud his lips trcmbled
for a mo:ncnt.
'Ycs, | heard that down at the post
Office this morning. Ii appears that
Clarence had appendicitis, but Doctor
Benson was afraid to have him oprr-
ntcd on, SO he tried treatment. Finally
lie got ii surgeon from New York, hn
1t was too late. the lad only lived a
few hours after the operation. Seems
rs though Hector Henson would 90
crazy. they say he'd sci his heart on
that boy being such n wonderful sur
geon; he was an only child, too" said
Mrs. l%Ianayan with n thankful si@h as
she looked at her family around her.
"G"sh. aren't | glad I'm alivcl But
| feel bad over Clarence Benson!
A few months later Doctor Benson,
broken in health and spirit over the
death of his idolizcd sm, came tn his
home in the foothills, where he owned
some property adjoining the Hama
vans lease.
4 few weeks later q "waSh ont"
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 off. and could not reach the spot
for an hour or so. Old doc" With
ers called for Clyde Iiaunvan To help
him, but the DOCTORS eyCSight was so
bad that it fell to Ciyde's skilled
fingers to handage and ease the in
,jurcd, TO remove and care FOR the
dead.
Suddenly he thought of Doctor Ben
son in his loneliness and grief. Here
was ii man for the job. Why hadn't
anyone thought Of calling him be-
fOrc2
Clyde was just completing his "frst
aid" to the terribly burned engineer
and had given "hypos' to the rest Of
the injured under Doctor Witllers' or
ders, when Doctor BENSON arrived at
the scene Of the wreck.
81 don't see that there Is anything
left for me TO do. You have already
done everything that can be done I'M
der such God-forsaken conditions
-. . and n little more; why call
me? ] would like to congratulate the
or men who are responsible for
such wonderfully efficient first aid,
since l was told there was no doctor
around" he said, lifting his lantern
the crowd, the light falling on
Clyde Hanavan and the bent form OF
Withers leaning on his arm.
ut was Clyde %lianavan, sir. He
fixed 'em al upW pIpcd a small voice
from the darkness.
81 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" Clyde's face grew red
under the keen gaze of the big sur
yeOn.
It's sOO nIu iHe iuu NuHL We Iidue
, surgeon; he's wonderful at his first
lld' work, Doctor Benson" Doctor
looked affectionately at his
pupil.
at would be too bad to let the
world lose such an able surgeon, too,
whatever my feelings are in this mat
Ter. Clyde, would you be too proud
o take my sons placer" Doctor Ben
,on lowered his voice SO that only
Clyde could hear.
mo, sir; that Is If you think that
could fiji II to your satisfaction--in
surgery, | mean" he answered with q
'adinnt face.
81 am not afraid Of that and the
n thor pf Cl,rnpCn no he lonlpI info