Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-12-03
THE
DOCTORS
PATIENT
BY II. M. EGBERT

Ny servant, admitted tiny boy
" into Doctor Carriers office,
the old physician at first saw
nobody. Then looking down, he saw
the dark hair and sunny eyes of his
own maynard boy, Harold, as he had
been at six, and as he always would
be in his memory. For of Harold Car
ter at twenty he never consented to
think.
"Hellol What's your name, sonnyf''
he asked.
Harold, please, grandfather"
"What% cried the doctor, jumping
out OF his chair.
He had destined his son for his own
profession, but folly had succeeded
folly, and at last there had been
scene at the end of which the doctor
ordered his son from his presence,
never to enter 1t again. Harold had
complied-twelve years ago.
Perhaps If his wife had been living
the old mans heart would have yield
ed in the end. Indeed, 1t had softened,
and often and often he had deplored
the loss of his only child. But his pro
fessional cares absorbed all his time
and left him little for mourning He
was the bestowed doctor in the city,
and the most sought after.
Now and again, at intervals of
years, he had had news of Harold. He
knew that, after roaming in the West,
he had returned TO dwell in an obscure
part Of the same town. He had heard
that he had a position with a manu-
featuring company and was atoning
for the wildness of his early years.
But the old man was too proud to seek
him, and his son was a replica Of the
father.
Now he looked down with an emo
ton which left him speechless at the
little boy who claimed bis name and,
approaching, slipped his hand conAd-
ihgly in his.
We'll, who sept you hereY Doctor
Carter demanded.
Nobody. l coined" answered the
little fellow, climbing upon the doc
tors knee You see, always wanted
a ganfather," he co1tinued, land
mother said everybody knQwed where
Doctor Carter lived, only She wouldn't
let me come till father was sick, and
then IL ruined away. And please
come quick, because fathers mighty
SICK" he ended, With Quaint earnest
ness.
Doctor Carter looked down at the
little boy; then he removed him from
his knee.
"Come along, Harold" he said, put
ting on his hat and going into the
garage, where his high.power autof4o
bile stood waiting in readiness by
night and day Doctor Carter never
knew when he would be summoned.
"what is the matter with your ia
therY" he inquired, as he drove the
machine through the suburban streets.
1t was five In the afternoon, and he
made detour to avoid the shopping
crowds. 1t was only afterwprd that 1t
occurred to him that he took his main
direction from the child by telepathy,
though the boy guided him along the
last street and up to the cottage door.
as this your fathers housef" asked
the doctor.
Yes. g'anfather," answered the
child. But 1t was not The young
woman who hurried frantically along
the street at that moment spied the
boy and. snatching him from the auto
mobile, held him to her breast and
covered his face with kisses before
she turned to thank the gentleman
who had. as she supposed, brought
him home.
mfr. Carter and / have room on
the top floor" she said, looking at the
doctor obviously. The resemblance
to some photograph that she had seen
seemed to strike her.
Il am Doctor Carter, madam" said
the old man gravely. "And you are,
presume, my daughter-in-law."
1t was a beautiful face that looked
into his, the eyes swan with tears and
the voice was tremulous. ''Oh, sir,
do hope you don't think l sent-sent
Harold" she began.
ITO see me? No, haven't dared t.
hope that" answered the doctor. 81
have simply come to see patient"
Silently the girl opened the house
door and the doctor assembled the
stairs until he came TO the room In
which his son was lying, racked with
fever and delirious, upon bed.
'He must be moved at once" said
the doctor. II am going to take him
away to the hospital in my automo
bile"
II was all he could nerve himself tC
do to utter the words, for son. even
though lost for years, is still a SON
at least, to most of us.
Wrapped in rugs the patient was
| transferred to the automobile, which
made Its way at a slow pace into the
suburban district where the doctor
! lived.
The story that Mildred told was d
painful one. For years her husband
had been working for the company
he had started nj the bottom and was
just getting a fair salary when he was
attacked by mysterious disease
After a months absence he had lost
his position; that was two months
ago, and the disease, which no doctor
could diagnose, had made inroad,
upon his system until his life seemed
about ended.
But this isn't the way to the hos
pital !" she exclaimed, as the machine
turned into a pretty lane and stopped
before comfortablelooki house.