The Faith Doctor: A Story of New YorkEggleston, Edward
General
The Faith Doctor: A Story of New York
Eggleston, Edward
New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction
"Now, when I heard that you'd been sent for to the Maginnis child, and
that you have got relations that go among rich people, I says to myself,
she's my partner. I'll furnish the science, and I'll do the talking, and
the drumming-up business, and the collecting bills, and all that; and
you, with your stylish ways, don't you know? and your good looks, and
your family connections, and all that, will help me to get in where I
want to get in. Once in, we're sure to win. There's no reason, Miss
Callender, why we shouldn't get rich. I will give you half of my
practice already established, and I'll teach you the science and how to
manage, you know; the great thing is to know how to manage your
patients, you see. I learned that in the health-lift and the blue-glass
solarium. We'll move farther up town, say to West Thirty-fourth street.
Then you can, no doubt, write a beautiful letter--that'll qualify us to
go into what is called 'absent treatment.' We'll advertise, 'Absent
treatment a specialty,' and altogether we can make ten thousand or even
twenty thousand, maybe, a year, in a little while. Keep our own
carriage, and so on. What do you say to that?" Miss Bowyer's uplifted
nose was now turned toward Phillida in triumphant expectation. She had
not long to wait for a reply. Phillida's feelings had gathered head
enough to break through. She answered promptly:
"I do not believe in your science, and wouldn't for the world take money
from those that I am able to help with my prayers." Phillida said this
with a sudden fire that dismayed Miss Bowyer.
"But you'll look into the matter maybe, Miss Callender?"
"No; I will not. I hate the whole business." Phillida wanted to add,
"and you besides"; however, she only said: "Don't say any more, please.
I won't have anything at all to do with it." Phillida rose, but Miss
Bowyer did not take the hint.
"You're pretty high-toned, it seems to me," said the Scientist, smiling,
and speaking without irritation. "You're going to throw away the great
chance of your life. Perhaps you'll read some books that set forth the
mighty truths of Christian Science if I send them. You ought to be open
to conviction. If you could only know some of the cases I myself have
lately cured--a case of belief in rheumatism of three years' standing,
and a case of belief in mental prostration of six years' duration. If
you could only have seen the joyful results. I cured lately an obstinate
case of belief in neuralgia, and another of cancer--advanced stage. A
case of belief in consumption with goitre was lately cured in the West.
Perhaps you'll look over some numbers of the 'International Magazine of
Christian Science' if I send them to you; under the head of 'Sheaves
from the Harvest Field,' it gives many remarkable cases."
"I have no time to read anything of the sort," said Phillida, still
standing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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