THE READERS' COLUMN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 229, 6 March 1915, Page 7

THE READERS' COLUMN.

(Bv Jamo.i Worth y). SCIKNCE A-vl) IN riHATiHX. A NOYKL FOR DOCTOUS. Doc Williams," a Tale of the -Uiddli West, by Charles If. Lerrigo. (New York: Fleming 11. I'evcll Company).

Tli<! geniality, good nature, Mill, above all, tlic strong common sense of "Dm 1 Williams" was so compelling that it ivo'n for liim the esteem of the professional liffn, a most unheard (if thing f jr a quack to accomplish. Seldom has thou appeared in the pages of fiction such a loveab'e character—one of nature's gentlemen—as the "eld doctor." He is first introduced to us as the rescuer of a Chicago waif. Little Davy lias been thrown from a passing train at Latham corner by a gang of hoboes in whose care

lie was. And fortunate it is l'or Daiy that the little unconscious fellow promptly falls into the luinds of so kindly a couple as Doc. Williams and liis sister, Aunt Mercy. The kind reception lie received was a revelation to the little Tsh-

mael of the city. But lie quickly understood the, to liim, unusual treatment, and made a handsome return to the old mall,' in an unquestioned, and aggressive loyalty. 'Doc." had upon his property, and which he took over with the practice from a former quack, a small oil spring —surface, indications of valuable oil deposits below. This oil lie doled out r.s

a prescription for every ailment under Heaven. He did not proclaim it as a jure—cures lay with the Lord—but would cure if the Lord so willed. His cheery optimism and sound sense, brought to the sick room of those who sought his aid such an atmosphere of health and hope that of itself tended to cure. His doctoring, if not scientific, was at, least, harmless. The newspaper man ordered to Latham Comers for incipient tuberculosis remains in the cointry after all symptoms of the disease have gone. One day lie'calls in Doc AVilliams in the absence of the regular medico, Dr Goodman, to attend his chill Worried and inexperienced, the young mother lias been doing for the child a lot of thoughtless and harmful things.

licrc we have the old man in the sick room. "He gently moved the drooping mother from the crib and drew it out

into a good light. Then he sat down in. silence for several minutes, noticing the quiver of the little nostrils, with thenrapid intake, noticing the bluish color which spoke of air starvation, counting the rapid, shallow vibrations. . . . . the racing gallops of the tiny, flickering pulse: taking it all in calmly with the sympathetic yet unbetraying gaze of the born physician.. Very gently lit removed the covering from the little one ....

and lifted from the crib a weighty mass for inspection. "Poultice?" lie ask.'d briefly. "Yes, doctor, it is to help clear liia lungs." "Reckon it'd weigh most a pound, wouldn't it? "We hadn t thought, doctor; but perhaps it might." "Yes, and every time he heaves his little chest lie has to raise up that yev pound if poultice, ycr understand. That'll He about fifty-five pounds a minute, or tjirce thousand an hour. . . . Now, if yor

want to use this poultice, warm it '.p some more and clap it On his feet, witn a hot brick to keep it warm. Get his feet warm anyway, they got ter have something extra to help keep 'em warm. He's warm miff round his head -ami chest. And now, mother," said the old doctor as he rose from his examination,

"the good Lord, He's goin' to let ycr keep your baby, so put that load of worry away. The little ehap needs the best ye can give, and he can't get it nowavs right if your sobbin' round the hull time." Great though the old doctors faith is in his oil, he yet realises the limi. tations of his position, and is determined that Davy, whom he promptly adopts, shall be able to follow in his footsteps with the added advantage of a regular medical course. Then begins the fight in David betwee,, his scientific know-

ledge,. and the grandmotherly-cum-faith healing practices of his foster-father, as the years bring him to manhood and mature judgment, the position lie finds himself in becomes heavy to sustain, for

loyalty to the kindly 'doctor who has done so much for him has by now become a fetish, and lie will not say a word, or hardly a thought, that will tend to upset the fixed ideas of the old man. One by one these ideals come to be shattered, and it is at once pathetic and humorous to learn of the manner i n which through long years the course of oil had not failed, and, like the manna of the Israelites, had a double supply on the sixth day to last over the absence of supply on the Sabbath. Of course, there is a girl in the question—Elsie Goodman. But while Dr Goodman recognises the. simplicity and honesty of purpose in old Doc Williams, he is not prepared to allow young David, college bred, and familiar with modern medical science, such privileges, but will denounce him as a quack should he. attempt to follow in the old man's footsteps. And,this, though David was a persona grata at the doctor's house. But the strain put upon David's loyalty is relieved by Doc. Williams himself — who comes to learn that there is a better way, and he is content to let those who know it take up the work he has dona, in fact, refuses to practise after he finds as he put it, that the Lord has newer methods. And so the tale ends well. But, though the book' deals chiefly with the professional attitude of the quack and the regular practitioner, its story is well conceived, and worked out in a thoroughly natural manner. The characters are homely, and its reading provides a peasant change from the forc-ing-house novels of the war.

NOTES. Edward Clodd contributes to the January number of the Bookman a very interesting reminiscence of George Gissing, which represents this gifted writer in a mood which the public would have liked more of i n liis novels. It is a few lines written to celebrate a Whitsuntide gathering at Mr Clodd's house, and is reproduced in facsimile in the Bookman: "The lotus on a sunny reach And friends about her, frankly human, Chatting oe'r all the time can teach Of heaven and artli, of man and woman. An eddy in the silent flow Of days and years that bear us—whither We know not; but 'tis well to know We spent this sunny day together." Ahleburgh, Whitsuntide, 1895. George Gissing, Benjamin W. Richardson, E. J. Austin,, Ed. Clodd, Grant Allen, Clement Shorter, George Whale. Thi' Bookman also prints a great collection of lyrics from their twenty-one guineas prize poem competition, from which we hope to quote later. In addition to those printed in extenso thji.e are a large number that are highly commended, coming from all parts of the world. Of these the only contributor from New Zealand is Cheyne Farnic, of Christchurch, who is mentioned in the "best lyric competition" and again in t'ne "best sonnet on a famous event in England's history." 'Books supplied for review by Mr 'S. lirooker, the B.K. Bookshop, Devon street.