Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-09-05

his patient. WELL" he said, you're
going on splendidly."
Laura Welman said: $50 1 shall be
up and walking round the house in
, few weeks time?"
"Not quite so quickly as that"
"No, indeed. You humbug! What's
the good of living stretched out like
this and cared for like a baby?"
DR.. Lord said: "What's the good OF
life, anyway? That's the real ques-
ton. Ever read about that nice medi-
aeval invention, the Little Ease? You
couldn't stand, sit or lie in it. You'd
think any one condemned to that
would die in a few weeks. Not at all
One man lived more than sixteen
years in an iron cage, was released
and lived to hearty old age"
Laura Welman said: "What's the
point of this story"
Peter Lord said: "The point is that
ones got an instinct to live. One
doesn't live because ones reason as
sents to living. People who, as we
say, would be better dead don't
want to die! People who apparently
have got everything to live for just
let themselves fade out of life because
they haven't got the energy to fight. y
go on"
There's nothing more. You're one
of the people who really want to live,
whatever you say about it! And if
your body wants to live, it's no good
your brain dishing out the other
stuff"
Mrs. Welman said with an abrupt
change of subject: "How do you like
it down here?"
Peter Lord said, smiling: ut suits
me fine"
isn't it bit irksome for a young
man like you? Don't you want to
specialize? Don't you find country
G.P. practice rather boring?"
Lord shook his sandy head. "No, I
like my job. I like people, you know,
and like ordinary everyday diseases.
l don't really want to pin down the
rare bacillus of an obscure disease. I
like measles and chicken-pox and all
the rest of it. I like seeing how diff
ferent bodies react to them. l like
seeing if I can't improve on recog-
nized treatment. The trouble with me
is I've got absolutely no ambition. I
shall stay here till I grow side
whiskers and people begin saying, of
course, we've always had DR.. Lord,
and he's a nice old man; but he is
very old-fashioned in his methods and
perhaps we'd better call in young So
who's so very up to date. +"
Him, said Mrs. Welman. "You
seem to have got it all taped out!"
Peter Lord got up. "Well," he said,
Il must be off,"
Mrs. Welman said: "My niece will
want to speak to you, l expect. BY
The way, what do you think of her?
You haven't seen her before"
DR.. Lord went suddenly scarlet. His
very eyebrows blushed. He said: II
oh! she's very good-looking, isn't
She? And-er-clever and all that, l
should think"
Mrs. Welman was diverted. She
thought to herself: "How very young
he is, really :. !" Aloud she said:
'You ought to get married"
Roddy had wandered into the gar
den. He had crossed the broad sweep
of lawn and along a paved walk and
had then entered the walled kitchen
garden. 1t was well-kept and we'll
stocked. He wondered if he and Eli
nor would live at Hunterbury one day.
He supposed that they would. He him.
self would like that. He preferred
country life. He was little doubtful
about Elinor. Perhaps she'd like liv-
ing in London better 49,.
A little difficult to know where you
were with Elinor. She didn't reveal
much of what she thought and felt
about things. He liked that about her.
He hated people who reeled off their
thoughts and feelings to you, who
took it for granted that you wanted
to know all their inner mechanism
Reserve was always more interesting
Elinor, he thought judicially, was
really quite perfect. Nothing about
her ever Jared or offended. She wa:
delightful to look at, witty to talk tt
altogether the most charming o.
companions.
He thought complacently to him
self: "I'm mighty lucky to have go
her. Can't think what she sees in ;
nLox1 lilo NAB