Show L j MT Ml FIRST PATIENT i j. j f Translation on in Second Year German from the German German of l Marc arc Boyen 1 I had been in my new residence for a week A week a short time yet yetto yett t to me it was an endless succession of days nearly every everyone one of which had brought rought me the dreams and hopes of a whole life For a week the white whiter r porcelain signs used to indicate the dwelling of a practicing physician had and above next to the glass door leading to tomy tomy shone b below low o on the house door my neat neat little apartments for a we week k my little littie reception and consultation room oom room with its its' dark dark curta curtains ns and straight-back straight chairs had waited for the patients who were to come for the advice and assistance of Dr M Max x Erhardt J e 4 TrTat my mj p room d empty pY t the tIie first da day Y I had ne c cus us to toV V wonder 1 er erat at atthe the 1 e end of f it it- it as as I consolingly o y told myself that the neighborhood 1 must must first become accustomed to the fact that good medi medical al advice could b be found right here Kere in the vicinity lif if I might only discharge arge my first patient happily cured then affairs would d take on quite a different turn Then when my growing growing- fame would be announced to the neighborhood od yes soon to the whole city by t the he rush of people to my consultations as w well ll as by a neat little i drawn by a dark brown horse which a a respectable appearing coachman coachm rl should drive more especially through the principal streets sheets then yes then then then- So I had again come to the thought that was dearest to me In thought I I Iwas was again with Cousin Marie who would without a bit of doubt be the t. t nicest wife imaginable for foi a doctor I was in love with my fair fail cousin As Asa a boy I had shown her hei all the knightly service which in the house and out in inthe inthe the yard is required of the stronger strong r playmate from time to time As a j junior I student I had addressed essed my first poem to her hei and as as as' a senior I had badly injured my voice voice just just then changing to baritone by continually singing of the Girl Gill With Flaxen Hair When I hurried home after undergoing g the first firste e examination successfully I observed observed for the first time time that the le girl with fl flaxen a en hair was in love with the student just as much as he was was with h her r only rily tIley they said sid nothing to each other ab about lit it j My course couise at the University was completed Whenever Wh I J Jw w worked fk d earnestly y and then when I was was able to to fight the b battle t e of the st state te examination examina examination L ii tion ri I successfully the lovely eyes eye of Marie of which in spite of all my car cares cares s I had had to think r most lo t of often ten seemed to have the gre greatest test interest in the ultimate j jS S success success of all l my my efforts When Cousin Marie greeting me on my return n f i home ome me said quietly Doctor Erhardt Erhardt I looked deep into her lovely e eyes es and rid said still stillmore more moie Mrs Mis Erhardt I d blush mantle her che cheeks ks 1 quietly I rs saw sa a deep ep as As' As she drew back quickly into the corner cornel of the window I the days that followed I had occasional opportunity to sp speak to I Marie Made of ot of all the air air castles which the young physician in his empty empl dw dwelling lIi g found plenty of time to build only of my dream in regard to the prospective ve wife I v f of the doctor r I did not yet yet ven lre to to ipe speak there lay fay an an expression s ionn in inthe inthe the blue eyes o of my my dearest which seemed to check my words even when 2 they were were just about bout to leave my my lips i Not Tbt that I doubted that Maries Marie's love belonged to me unconditionally only it seemed as if a lack of confidence in iri L my ability as a physician lay in her gaze and this touched my pride and andL induced me to wait for the ti time e when hen my y first independent doings as a physician phys phys- ician w would uld at last call forth from her the ft fullest approbation and unlimited J r confidence in my profession 6 f Absorbed s in these thoughts of mine mine mineI I was sitting on on the afternoon o oJ ois of this J this is dark arl November N vemb r day in my mt Co consultation u ta ion room room I heard a g gentle nt e r ring ling at atthe atthe atthe r the entrance enhance and arose arose to open the door in In place of the errand boy whom I had i l' l sent out to make it a a purchase I conf confess ss that while taking takino- these few steps two to i t the er door t 1 I f J as Jas as' ila again g i over overwhelmed d by i a i flood lof of st strange anI an ange I ge Oth thoughts U THe THeller The Th f e is caller ller Ih had d c ine fo for m my n help ip sid surely j I had iad t to todo d with a patient bf of hi high h st stand stand- L 1 0 k ing it was u was a matter of sounding i f fame fame l ah 1 there h J was coming to the 4 J doctors wife agall again t 1 i I opened the door In the dusk of the late I I I Ith d 1 autumn I day day a poorly clothed th e ey y woman m stood oo before re me e from th the hagg haggard rd f face ce blackened by coal dust coal dust a 1 pair of large laige dark daik eyes gazed at me me- imploringly Doctor or said th the yom woman an her hei voice trembling Doctor IC ai are e 3 you ou merciful merciful merci merci- ful Oh please my little Marie Mane is io so sick The Th n name compensated for foi had been what een spoiled by y t the e u unpleasant p as ap appeal 11 p peal ance of oft the the woma woman W who 10 corresponded so poorly with my n newest Yest d dream dream et Where is IS sll she l Who sent y you U to me I asked s No c one ne sent me me said the e woman woma qu quickly l ly and and quietly Oh doctor toX plea please e please se 1 I h have Y b been been jep c can carrying g co coal l from t the e wagon into a house near e r 11 here heie re ever ever since morning I l live e in int inthe the e court opposite here heie My child jh has s been r sic sick since yest yesterday r and when I j just st hurri hurried d over oye to her again agai for foi a IH minute n l I I fp found rd h her r s so much worse I L hesitated somewhat somewhat the disillusion sion was as too great With her blackened hand tI- tI the tIe e woman wiped h her r. r f face Y which ic ich already showed ho eq enough str streaks a fr from m tl the tears she had shed i i iI I I should have gone to the physician for foi the poor she sobbed painfully n b f but bu t your sei servant vant doctor is a child of t the es shoemaker o al er in t the e c court Urt a and has d has told i all t the p people ople th that ty you u s seem seem m to b be sl such h a good gentleman gentleman gentleman- Oh help my y little b girl j jWell Well now W the the w Yom woman oman sh should u b be h helped p d. d Aftel After all one i is b but a a. a man a and indeed a man m who has ha learned his duty duty t tJ With a pomposity that really retHy surprised s sui e l me myself and made me e half as ashamed la e I ar arranged ng d the ins instruments needed eded by a physician al and put t them in my pocket Then I we went t along X with the woman ACI Across S the street into a la large laige ge court 1 lying xing b behind hind th the row low of hO houses ses up five e flights fligh of stairs stai- e each ch one darker and steeper than the last through g a pool poorly ly closing door into a little chamber with slanting ceiling and a v very y ys s small window y there there het i in a large scantily c f furnished d 1 but t cle kept cleanly k pt bed bcd lay laya a child J a about fO fourteen mCg months hs old dJ he her li limbs 1 1 burning with v th fever feer he her ey eyes dull and w wandering The Th woman a kneeled I d down doY by th the bed She e doesn't t k know know p me at ti all J she wai wailed ed 11 The child 1 co coughed g e painfully It was wa cr cough of tl the X worst kind I I tore toie e a sheet heet out of of my y pocketbook and wrote my first pre prescription s rip io as a real doctor To To the nearest drug diug store store I 1 I sal said d j i She Shelo looked ked a at m me in confusion cc May M ay I not ta take 1 e it to K Kings King's ll g street sheet t I ee t I. I r By By y no no means eans 1 I cried The gr greatest ha haste te is l needed de here heie ele Why lx dont don't you want to go to o the drug drugstore stor store in this street treet t j The he woman colored visibly in spite pHe of the co coal l dust I I mean mean mean-at H at H the Eagle drug store t n in il Ki Kings King's gs g's street tre t she stammered f r ps p's they y v ill lino know JW me ride there r I L carry c coal l there too and m. m ma maybe e they Hley will qt rf I IH have haye e no o money A heavy tear di dropped on the paper in he her hand J 11 Jf Oj 0 o ono 08 i band J tO w fJ 3 tr no v i ii 1 t n rf i t- t q s sL g o L Sl yu yuo dk 3 z These pe people who can can pay for for- forno no physician n and no medicine confound und them I said angrily but inaudibly I T took some money out ut and said aloud 1 There take this now quick The woman kissed the hand of the the child and then before I could could coul prevent j jit it my hand and hurried off I looked around the room for a seat A rickety chair a rough chest an anold anold anold old table several ba battered cooking utensils utensils' on the low cold stove standing in place of a hearth in the corner coiner hanging on the wall a faded black wool dress with it a childs child's dress diess and a little hat with a blue ribbon the width of a finger around it on a wall bracket near the small window a twisted myrtle a a geranium with red led blossoms a hymn book with offensive yellow edge this was all the room contained I brought the chair up to the bed and sat down next to the little sufferer The child was apparently well taken care of her little limbs were round and pretty her golden hair hah soft and curly The little one suffered intensely she was unconscious her hei blue eyes stared as if looking into the far unknown It was cold in the room I went to the stove and found only several chips of wood the scarcity of which kept me from attempting attempting attempting attempt attempt- ing to kindle a fire myself So I sat and waited for the woman and the thet 1 t medicine L My gaze kept wandering about the bare baie living room Here was a poor working hard-working woman who carried coal in the street while her child lay in 17 fever and sickness yet without a bit of doubt doubt she loved her child tenderly 1 And suddenly the idea shot through me I might not be able to save the child I was called too late Perhaps I was not at all resolute enough even on proper justification to risk the last energetic attempt to snatch the child 1 from death My heart burned I sprang to the door and listened for the t steps of the woman There she was at last My reproachful look she met with a meek I i There were so many folks folk in the drug diug store People like myself are not t allowed j to crowd forward The pain ran on for an hour Nothing would help The medicine little 1 Marie could not swallow And it did not help that with palpitating heart but butt yr t h steady hand I applied the knife to the little helpless throat of f the child to try and rescue her The fair child died died before my eyes in the lap of the mother motionless under her grief At last the woman looked up as if frightened A tear had fallen on her herIt hand yet she had not wept Are you weeping doctor she said gently It Oh do not weep 1 You ou will yet stan stand at many sick be beds s as here where our Lord does not help She looked down fixedly at the little body I I loved aher i a ii i i y her so I have done for her everything that I in my poverty could do When f I would come home from my smutty work I always found her so pretty so tf affectionate She could sit in bed or on the floor by the hour and play with tj 1 almost nothing and she would laugh for joy when I would c come come me home God has taken her from me He loves her more than I did But oh it will be beso z so lonesome for me now I pressed the womans woman's hand Speak I could not I put some money on 1 ti i Jjr I the table and went out quietly At home I laid instrument my case aside and sat sat down as if crushed Not a bit of supper could I eat I went to bed bed hope hoping hop hop- e ing to be able to sleep But the picture of the dark daik chamber in the attic the dead child the submissive and enduring woman let just as little sleep co come e to tome tome tome me as the tormenting self-reproach self with which I thought over all that I had had to do with the one who had just ceased to live My first patient I only groaned And then the words of the poor woman occurred to me again Do Do not weep doctor you will yet stand at many sick beds as here where our Lord does not help I had been called too late I had not been able to save the child Yet Yet stand at many sick sickbeds sickbeds beds eds as here I buried my face in the pillow It was a terrible night the tormenting thoughts that made me restless had nothing in common with the pleasant di dreams earns that usually found me and made me happy awake or asleep Early the next day an old university friend who was journeying through i the city came in quest of me He dragged me through the crowded streets to the musee into all kinds of restaurants He complained of my silence I Ir r feigned headache and so escaped the necessity of going at last to see a sensational sensational sensa sensa- l play in the Royal Theatre Tired and worn out outI I finally started home c alone As I came past the window of a brilliantly lighted flower store I went f in and bought a costly white camelia and some fragrant violets I went up the five flights of stairs to the dwelling of the poor woman The room in the attic was unlocked it was dimly lighted In a little coffin in the middle of r the bare room lay the child clothed in a simple gown the ribbon from the f hat on the wall had been made into two little bows around her hair was a aI I wreath of myrtle and the ger geranium blossoms were scattered over her On F the table near by was a lamp the open hymn book belonging to the woman r next to it I laid the beautiful white flowers in the little rigid hand placed l- l the bunch of violets at the br breast ast of the quiet sleeper then I looked into the open book It It is a pleasure for me to part the old song which I had learned at school but soon forgotten I You my dear ones Ii Who weep for me I I have left you something something- God your best friend r I 1 laid the book down with a sigh its words the sole solemn n q quiet et the peacefully peace peace- peacefully peacefully fully resting child grieved my heart I went home after inquiring elsewhere t in the house in regard to the hour of burial I went to bed early I was fatigued all uneasiness had left me And as if called forth by a strange power the words of a fervent prayer pressed over my lips the lips the prayer that God would bless my burdensome occupation change my conceited reliance in my own skill into submissive hope in Gods God's protection where my little knowledge and my true wishes would not avail sd hope in Gods God's comfort rt at all sick beds where as yesterday I would have to sta stand d powerless J j I wi waited t d in the c court ur of t the house ous for for the e On the follo following ing morning J j I. I JJ sIF d. d H f d t I t r. r t b w J 1 f I rf N I I tiT i i f J I 1 J U J i little little coffin A man man carried earned it in front front- of him the mother In in Her lien shabby y Bi Black l clothe clothes followed I She pressed my hand gratefully when sh she saw saw a aj me ie j join jin the little procession It was not a long way The streets were almost empty the air milder than usual in |