The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-12
EOening Story
Getting Patients.
e. JANE OSBORN.

north end of HilIboro as the location
for her office after she had finished
her hospital training. it was not be-
cause that part or any part of HiIlboro
/ offered a strikingly good field for the
I initial efforts of a woman physician.
/ 1t was because of Bob, Polly's brother.
1 Bob was a freshman at Hillboro Col
/ lege and If it were possible for him to
/ live at home with Polly then expenses
would be kept down. And this was
| necessary, for about all of the little
( few thousand dollars left by their
parents had been used up on POlly'S
medical education and Bob's prepara-
/ ton for college. Polly was determined
to succeed and to do that promptly,
for she had Bob as well as herself to
support.
1t was the afternoon of the morn
ing after Polly's shingle had been
| hung in state over the front door of
the little white cottage in Hillboro.
Polly had made some purchases in the
center of town. had met Bob. who was
needed to help her carry home her
bundles, and they were returning in
the cleaning that is deep at on De-
cember evenings.
A fine snow was falling from a
MINDLESS sky They walked together
barely hearing their own feet fall on
the path.
chad any patients yet?'' asked Bob
who had roseate expectations for his
! sister.
"Of course not. YETI she said 'I
won't have any patients for a week,
maybe, and not enough to make it pay
for months. 1 only hung out my
single this morning"
Il don't see as there is any nourish-
ment in shingles" commented Bob.
But I've got an application in at the
boys from preparatory school. sup
pose Ill have to cultivate a dainty
appetite now, for a while?"
Its not as bad as that, Bob" said
T7av, -1,,
wished to show. wen have plenty of
plain food"
How are you going to get the pal
tient2'' deDaanded Bob bluntIy.
Couldn't you put an advertisement in
the paper or something? People have
got to learn about you some way"
Bob. don't you know that doctors
never do that? 1t wouldn't be pro-
t'Wen. honestly, sister, how are you
going to get any customers patients,
mean Guess I'll go canvass the
neighborhood. What commission
would you give me for every new pa
tent I bring? Look at me. gentle
men, I'd say. aren't 1 a good healthy
specimen? Well, she's my doctor and
she always will be-"
"Bobr'- protested Polly, still re-
lieved by her brothers foolishness
from the anxiety of his that hung
about her big undertaking.
I'll tell you what We'll do. Wen
pour some water out in front of the
door some night when it is freezing.
Make it nice and slippery and then
we'll get some sprained ankles, any
way. Maybe a couple of broken legs,
too. How would that be?''
-. Fine. ! Bob. always knew you'd 4
turn out a genius"
A half hour later Polly and Bob
were seated opposite at their little
dining table before the platter or
q fr1rr -fa hot DnI1 4
pared at as small a cost as possible.
Say, Polly said Bob, maybe be-
fore go on with dinner I had better
shovel the snow out in front. It's
do you think"
Certainly you'll do nothing of the |
sort. You are tired out from a hard
day at college and you must eat and
rest little first Time enough if you
do it before we go to bed
So the meal progressed and later
a merry dishwaShing session in the !
kitchen. when Bob gave Polly an inn
aginary lecture on dishwashing as hSl
welded the dish mop and splash ed
his big hands about in the hot soap |
suds.
Then came feeble knock at the |
door, then a knock that was more |
vigorous. Bob quickly dried his hands !
on the kitchen towel slipped into his
coat and hurried to the door
Flash on the porch light before |
you open the door," said Polly, and |
they both went toward the front hall. !
When they first looked out on the |
porch they could see no one; that was !
because the person who had knocked !
at the door was lying limp beneath
the folds of a heavy ulster just before
the threshold.
1t proved to be Bronson Todd. the I
mayor of Hillboro, and it was no very |
easy task for Bob to carry the pros |
trate siX-foot mayor into the recep- |
-
With Pollys help he spread him out
on the lounge and then the eyes open |
ed and looked out at first in per
pleNity.
Explanations did not follow, were |
not even permitted by DR.. Hill, who |
was at once immensely professional |
and not at all ratified even if it was |
her very first case. until after the pa |
tient had been examined There was |
rather badly sprained ankle and a
bruised knee. The mayor had fallen |
on the sidewalk in front Of the house |
and only lost consciousness after he
had managed to drag himself up the |
front steps and to knock at the door. |
DR.. Polly Hill made the mayor of
Hillboro as comfortable as possible !
and after he had rested for a little |
while brought him cup of tempting |
broth-a by-product of the inexpens- |
i've stew of dinner time-which the |
patient drank with relish.
Il was going to suggest" began the |
young doctor. a little less braVely than !
might be. that it would be better for
you to rest here. possibly all night.
The slightest effort might cause pain
to the strained tendons. and my
brother could lie on a cot. in the next
room so that If you wanted anything. /
In the meantime. hadn't we better |
telephone to Mrs. Todd2 She may be |
anxious.
"Oh, there's no Mrs. Bronson Todd
said the patient with a. smile that
Saarw1efT fr0 Polly = a
to be pleased to think that he was a /
bachelor. He was just the good look |
ing sort of well-built young man who |
ought to be ashamed not to be married |
hN thirtN.- and he must be fhirtv- Win |