, 1922-06-01
Getting Patients
for DR.. Hill
BY JANE OSBORN

lor Her ONCE alter Sne nau nnlSneu
her hospital training, it was not be-
cause that part or any part of Hillboro
offered a strikingly good field for the
initial efforts of u woman physician.
1t al because of Bob, Polly's brother.
Bob was a freshman at Hillsboro col
lege, and if 1t were possible for him to
live at home with Polly then expenses
would be kept down. And this was
necessary, for almost 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 single had been
hung in state over the front door of
the little white cottage in Hillboro,
Polly had made some purchases in the
ENTER 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 six on De-
cember evenings.
A fine snow was falling from a win
terless sky. They walked together
barely hearing their own feet fall on
the path.
Had any patients YETI" asked Bob,
who had roseate expectations for his
sister.
"Of course not, yet she said. 81
won't hav any patients for a week,
maybe months. l 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
office for tutoring. l may get some
boys from preparatory school. l sup
pose I'll have to cultivate a dainty APP
petite now, for a while?"
IT'S not as bad as that, Bob" said
the little doctor, more anxious than
she wished to show. wen have
plenty of plain food"
"How are o going to get the pa
tients?" demanded Bob bluntly.
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-
fessional."
"Well. honestly, sister, how are you
going to get any neutrality-suspicious., /
mean. Guess I'll go canvass the neigh
borhood. What commission would you
give me for every new patient l bring?
Look at me, gentlemen I'd say, aren't
/ a good healthy specimen? Well,
she's my doctor, and she always will
be-"
Bob :" protested Polly, still relieved
by her brothers foolishness from the
anxiety Of his hat hung about her
big undertaking.
"I1l tell you what Wen do. Wen
pour some water out in front of the
door some night when it is freezing.
Make 1t nice and slippery and then
Wen get some sprained ankles, any
way. Maybe n couple of broken legs.
too. How would that be?'
Fine. Bob. 1 always knew you'd
turn out a genius"
A half an hour later Polly and Bob
were seated opposite at their little
dining table before the platter of
tempting stew hat Polly had prepared
at as small n cost as possible.
SAY. Polly said Bob, maybe be-
fore 1 so on with dinner l better
shovel the snow out in front. It's
showing pretty steadily now. What
do you think?'
Certainly you'll do nothing Of the
sort. You are tired out from u hard
day at college, n you must eat and
rest a little first. Time enough If you
dc II before we go to bed
So the meal progressed and later n
merry dishwashing session in the
kitchen, where Bob gave Polly an I'm
aginary lecture on dlshwashing as
he welded the dish mop and splashed
his big hands about in the hot soap
suds.
Then came n feeble knock at the
door, then n 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 front porch
they could see no one: that was be-
cause the person who had knocked mt
the door WINS lying limp beneath the
folds OF n heavy ulster just before the
threshold.
II proved to be Bronson Todd, the
mayor OF Hlllsboro. and It was no very
easy task for Bob TO carry the pros
trate slx-foot mayor into the reception
% OF the little white cottage. With
Polly's help he spread him out on the
lounge and then he eyes opened and
looked out at first In perplexity.
Explanations did not follow. were
not even permitted by Doctor Hin, who
was at once immensely professional