American fiction -- 20th century; Railroad stories
That there was any connection between Simeon’s growing weakness and
the old Scotchman’s visit did not occur to him. There were difficulties
enough in the office to account for it without going outside. As the
days went by and he watched the worn face, he grew more anxious. A look
haunted the eyes--something almost crafty--they gazed at the simplest
thing as if unseen terror lurked in it; and he started at any sudden
noise as one pursued.... When John, leaning across the desk, pushed a
book to the floor, he leaped to his feet, his hand upraised to strike,
his lip drawn back from his teeth in quick rage.
That night John made a midnight journey, traveling all night and coming
back at dawn. He had been to consult Dr. Blake, the great specialist,
laying the case before him--withholding only the name of the man whose
health was in question.
The physician had listened, his head a little bent, his eyes looking out
as if seeing the man whom John described. “It’s the same story--I hear
it every day,” he said. “I call it Ameri-canitis--It does n’t make much
difference what you call it.... He must stop work--at once.”
“He won’t do it,” said John as promptly.
The physician looked at him keenly. “I suppose not--one of the symptoms.
You have influence with him--?”
John shook his head slowly. “Not enough for that. I might get him to do
other things, perhaps.”
The physician nodded.
“He would take medicine?”
John smiled at the picture.
“Perhaps.” He waited a little. “I ’m afraid he ’s losing his mind,” he
said. “That’s really what I want to know--I don’t dare let him go on.”
The physician assented. “If I could see him ten minutes, I could tell,
perhaps--more. But not in the dark, like this. You ask too much,” he
said with a smile.
John gave a quick sigh. “He will never come to you,” he said.
The physician had drawn a paper toward him and was writing on it. “I can
give certain general directions. If they don’t help, he _must_ come.”
John waited while the pen scratched on. “These baths,” said the
physician, “are good. They may help.”
John’s eyes grew dubious--a little wide with anxiety.
“These other things,” went on the physician, “are for your discretion.
He ’s probably under-nourished. Raw eggs will give him what he
needs--tax him least.”
“How many?” asked John.
“All you can get into him.”
The young man’s eyes grew larger--at the way before him....
“He does n’t half breathe, I suppose?”
“I--I don’t know,” said John.
“Watch him. Take him in hand. He must breathe deep--all the time, night
and day. Here, I will show you.” He put his hand on the young man’s
chest. “Go on--I ’ll tell you when to stop--” He held the hand in place
a few minutes, then he withdrew it with a smile. “Tell him to breathe
like that,” he said quietly. “He ’ll get well then.”
“Don’t everybody breathe that way?” asked the youth helplessly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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