“IS IT anything serious?”

Mrs. Nordlaw looked at her physician with apprehension as he studied his thermometer and felt her pulse.

“That remains to be seen,”
replied the physician solemnly and with a wise glance. “What
have been your symptoms?”

“Why, I’ve had flushes and chills, nervousness, fluttering here”
—she indicated her heart—“and strange alternations of depression
and”—

“Yes—yes! I understand.”

“I’m naturally strong, am I not, doctor? You’ve said so more
than once.”

“Naturally. Yes. But even the strong, you know, are sometimes”—

“But, really, *is* there anything to fear? I am terribly nervous, as you see!”

“Your condition may be temporary—your indisposition slight. Your appetite is”—

“Oh, always the same. Good. I ate a very hearty dinner last night, and it wasn’t until after breakfast this morning that I felt

AN ERROR IN DIAGNOSIS

By J. A. WALDRON

so strange I thought I should go
back to bed and call you.”

“Do you eat much candy?”
and he indicated a partly emptied
box on the bed.

“I love it! I eat it whenever I crave sweets. And that happens to be often.”

“So? But too much is not good for you. How about exercise
—your activities? You go about a good deal—and perhaps dance
much?”

“Why, I’m on the go all the time! As for dancing, really, I
can’t refrain from it. I adore it!”

“Well, tell me of your activities, say, for the past two or three
days.”

“Let’s see. This is Sunday, is it not?”

“Yes. Don’t you hear the church bells? I was about to start
for church when you called me. Do you go to church very often?”

“Always at Easter. And now and then. My late husband was
not a church-goer, you know.” There was a suspicion of a tear.
“But you must not think me a barbarian, doctor!”

“No. You are full of life and must have social excitement.
Quite right.”