DR. MUELENBERG'S PRESCRIPTION.
As Ralph entered the west room, Mr. Cornwallis was saying:
"You see how it stands, Doctor. We can't afford to go to Europe; and
Canada, the poor man's abroad, is no longer effective."
"Here's Norwood," said the Doctor, looking quizzically at the young man.
"There was a time when he helped us out splendidly with Miss Ruth."
"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Cornwallis, "and she has always felt so grateful
and wanted to do something to repay you, Ralph. She thinks now if she had
been here instead of in Canada when your little brother was hurt, she
might have entertained him and kept him out of Schwarmer's way."
"Bless her heart; but I am the one that ought to have kept him out of the
way of that superb idiot," said Ralph with a glow of feeling. He was
thinking that Ruth's objection to going away might be grounded in a desire
to be near himself, although he was aware that she had not been conscious
of it, so quick had it been to expand and reach out into more generous
motives.
"Now she thinks she might be able to save others by getting up picnics and
things of that sort;" said Mr. Cornwallis shaking his head, "but we fear
she is not strong enough for that yet--that it would bring on the old
terror and do no manner of good. She doesn't realize what it would be to
fight against such a custom--a custom that was inaugurated when our New
World began. It has grown to be a monstrous evil, but like many another
serpent it has become so mixed up with business interests that it will be
almost impossible to eliminate it. I have talked with more than one
manufacturer, feeling there was no other way to rid ourselves of the vile
Fourth of July abominations than by stopping their production and
importation, but they will not give in. They will employ noted scientists
to analyze their wares with the understanding that no germs of _tetanus_
are to be found. They will throw dust into the eyes of the governing
powers. They resent fiercely the least intimation that they are
responsible for the killing or maiming of three or four thousand boys per
year. They charge it to parents and teachers. One man swore at me when I
approached him on the subject and asked if I didn't know that there were
danger traps all over God's world and that a boy should not be let to
plunge into the river until he knew how to swim. You see how it stands,
Doctor--the powers of light against the powers of darkness. It's a thing
for the strong hand of government to take hold of instead of our frail
little Ruth. It will take a long pull, a strong pull and a pull all
together to accomplish anything of consequence. You remember the efforts
made last year. They began with the Decoration Day slaughter. The 'Divine
alarm' was sent all over the country and yet the list of the dead and hurt
was beyond all precedent."
"And this good old Quaker state," replied the Doctor, "consecrated by the
good old saint, William Penn, exceeds all others in Independence Day
accidents, and this town appears to be the storm center of the whole. The
gentle '_Friends_' he left to carry on his work must be asleep and the
fierce spirit of the '_Lord's Committee of Colonies_' must be awake and
armed with the explosives which he tabooed with such good effect. The
cases of _tetanus_ I had here last year nearly drove me mad. I wanted to
throw anti-toxin to the winds and turn mayor or missionary myself and take
this beastly and idiotic custom by the horns. Call it patriotism! It's bad
enough to bring children into this dirty world, but to furnish them with
instruments to introduce the worst kind of dirt--the baccili of _tetanus_
into their sweet young flesh is deviltry or insanity, at least. It's of no
consequence so far as results go whether the wads in the blank cartridge
are _boiled_ or not. It is a fiend incarnate. No instrument could be more
cunningly devised for the injection of poison into the human system. The
flat head is like the head of a serpent. The small boy gives it a starter.
It hisses and carries everything before it--pieces of flesh or clothing,
soiled or unsoiled, but usually soiled. It buries and burns them deep in
the flesh. The gash shuts up and they are left to fester there. Mien Gott!
These are the things that are invented, manufactured and sold for innocent
boys to play the deadly game of patriotism with. They are good for no
other thing--they nor the toy pistol; and the wretch who invented them
ought to be put into a house of correction and be kept there and preached
to until he learns to set his wits at better things. The people ought to
see to these matters. There are laws and laws shut up in your statute
books. They want the spirit of flame put into them and the spirit of
enforcement back of them."
"I was advised when I first came to this country, to take lessons in
American patriotism. Mien Gott! The lesson I have learned is that
missionaries are needed in all the fields around about. I should say let
Miss Ruth turn missionary--that is, if she has no longer a fear of that
dreadful work."
"Her fear of going away seems to be greater than the fear of the Fourth
itself," said Mrs. Cornwallis. "That's the perplexing thing about it.
That's why we doubt the expediency of going at all. Whether the evil we
fly to is greater than the evil we fly from, is the question. She is all
we have left and we have been so very, very careful--afraid to mention the
subject almost."
"I have been expecting this puzzle in Miss Ruth's case and I incline to
take it as a healing sign," said Dr. Muelenberg looking keenly at Ralph.
"To engage in the work of stamping out this monstrous horror would be far
better than ominous silence and the annual flight from it, for you, for
her, for the people of the town and for the world, no doubt! But it will
not do for Miss Ruth to go out alone. She must have some one with her, in
heart and hand."
"Here am I," exclaimed Ralph, rising to the occasion and making his errand
known. Mrs. Cornwallis was affected to tears when he promised to try to be
a good son. She was thinking of her beautiful boy. Mr. Cornwallis gave a
dignified consent and Dr. Muelenberg grasped his hand vigorously, saying:
"O! I suspected you, young man! I suspected you and I am glad my
suspicions have proven true. I believe it will be for the betterment of
all concerned."
And so it happened that Ruth's engagement proved to be a relief in more
ways than one. It was a relief to herself because she could talk freely to
Ralph. She could let her enthusiasm have full rein on this subject without
arousing his fears for her sanity of mind. Any nervous symptoms that she
might betray in so doing would not cause him the undue fright and
solicitude that they did her father and mother. He would know that they
meant she must be doing something for the cause so near her heart. It was
certainly a relief to her father and mother, who had begun to admit at
least to themselves (especially after Ruth's disaffection for Canada) that
the annual going away from home was taking the form of a cruel necessity.
Yes, and it continued to be a relief in spite of the little flurry into
which they were thrown a few evenings later on when Ruth and Ralph
appeared before them hand in hand with the Rev. Dr. Normander smiling
benignly in the background. They knew what it meant, although there were
no wedding garments and the wedding feast was not prepared. Ruth pleaded
that there was important work to be done. Ralph declared that he was
"following Doctor Muelenberg's prescription in not allowing her to go
forth single-handed."
It was enough. The two hands were joined then and there and before another
morning dawned the bride and bridegroom had planned their Independence Day
campaign.