The writer was acquainted with a young physician who was unceremoniously
discharged by the family of a beautiful young lady to whom he had been
called to prescribe, in a country village, his offence being the discovery
of the true source of the patient's (?) indisposition, which fact he
_dared_ to intimate to the mother. "An older and more experienced
physician" succeeded him, who reversed the diagnosis, and pronounced it "a
clear case of _dropsy_," and the young M. D. went into disrepute. During
the entire winter the old doctor made daily visits to his patient. Daily
had the old ladies of the neighborhood adjusted their "specs," smoothed
down their aprons, and, watching the doctor's return, run out to the gate
to inquire after the health of the lady, the belle of the town.
"O, she's _convalescent_," was his usual reply, with due professional
dignity; and thus the matter stood till a crisis came.
[Illustration: MARRYING A FAMILY.]
There was a ball in the village one night. About eleven o'clock a
messenger appeared in the room, who hastily summoned a certain young
gentleman, a scion of one of the "first families" in town. At the same
time the minister was called, and the young man, standing by the bed,
holding the invalid lady by the right hand, while on his left arm he
supported a beautiful babe but an hour old, was married to the
"convalescent" patient. The old doctor had run a beautiful "bill," but it
was his last in that village.