The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1922-09-19
The
$4,000 Operation
BY HUBERT RAY


breathe away! Breathe away, Mr..
Fotheringay."
There was Difference even In the
voice OF the anesthetist, and In the
! way he deferentially placed the ether
cone over Mr.. Fotheringay's nose, for
1t was $4,000 operation, and Mr..
Fotheringay was many times mil
lionaire.
| Yes, that was Mr.. Fotherlngay, that
hulk lying unconscious upon the glass
topped table; that bloated bulk Of
man, to operate upon whom Professor
Openhlm had been summoned by spe-
cial train from Chicago.
The table containing the inanimate
form of Professor Openhm's patient
was wheeled into the operating thea.
ten adjoining. The benches were
packed with serious.faced students
and many medical men of the city,
who had assembled to see something
removed from the stomach of Mr..
Fothcringay
Mr.. FOtheringay had swallowed a
small, hard, round metallic object. SO
much the N-ray had revealed. There
1t lay, in Mr.. Fothernguys stomach in
terferng with the processes of d.
gesting lobster II la Newburg and
other viands such as are prepared for
men of Mr. Fotheringay's social posi-.
ton.
"How did you come to swallow
that?' the surgeon had asked Mr..
Fotheringay.
"Nlust have been biting it," Mr..
Fothcringay responded.
The white.rObed nurses were grouped
in solid phalanx about the operating
49, - '4-''-"Ht holf-a dozen of Pro.
fessor Openhims assistants were
present to assist. One had to hold
the fOrceps, another inserted sponges
in the wound that was to be inflicted
upon Mr.. FOtheringay Others were
simply there to lend prestige to Pro-
fessor Openhim and to dignity the day
for it was $4,000 operation.
Mr.. Fotheringay was well known in
the city, not only as the richest man,
but as the biggest skntlint imagln-
able. He was the sort of man who
would fOreclose on widows mort.
gage and turn starving child from
his door. Nevertheless, such was the
prestige of Mr.. Fotheringay that even
his incredible meannesses vanished into
nothingness before the stupendous fact
of his wealth.
The surgeon took his scalpel In his
hand, and low sigh of distress went
up as he made an incison in the body
of Mr. Fotheringay.
1t seemed sacrilege. Only man
with nerves so well attuned as Pro-
fessor Openhim's could have ventured
upon the act. Nevertheless, once he
had begun he continued just as IL Mr.
Fotheringay had been an ordinary pa
tient. seq
Professor Opcnhim's hand did moi
tremble in the least. Nor did the an
esthetists fingers shake as he slowly
. upon the cone over Mr.. Fotkeringay'!
nose.
The operation was drawing to M
end. Mr.. Fotheringay had borne th'
shock well. He was still unconscious
and he had not stirred from first Il
last. Only the stertorOus Dreathin;
had indicated that Mr. Fotheringay'
soul still inhabited its earthly tab
ernacle
One might have wondered what I
was doing while Mr.. Fotherirgay, look
ing like dstressingly fat turkey, wa
: being carved. But such speculation
4 are sternly discouraged among ply s
: clans and surgeons, especially Of prc
: fessor Openhim's eminence. The !ss
r stitches were drawn and the s"tu:ln
n completed. A hurrid thought struc
;, all those about the table siInultant
. ously.
Suppose a sponge or pair of fol
ceps had been left in Mr.. FothcriI
gays wound!
l. They counted the sponges and tn
s. forceps eagerly. Nothing had bee
S left behind. And in his hand the oi
Grating surgeon held the metal dis
q that had been taken out of Mr.. Foil
o ingay's body.
Mr.. Fotheringay was wheeled out q
3 the operating room through the aIe'
" thetic room into the private roon tia
e had been allotted to him. 1t was tn
It most magnificent private room In .li
e hospital. There lay Mr.. Fotherirga
in bed, looking little less fat nh
turkey-like. and by his bedside snt
nurse, waiting for the moment wiir
Mr. Fotherngay might decide 10 ope
his eyes.
Mr.. Fotheringay had not opened h
eyes. but he was speaking. did the
+. find it? Did they find it?" he nSi;e
Y. in weak whisper.
n "Ycs, yes, Mr.. Fotherlngay," n
q swered the nurse.
"NIr. Fotheringay stretched ont h
% hand "Give 1t to me-" he muttered.
u The nurse took the metal disk fro
a the bureau and placed it in Mr.. For
e eringay's hand. 1t was dime.