Bloomington High School - Aepix Yearbook (Bloomington, IL)

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1920 The Aegis Dr. Scott appeared at the door and smiled at the two young people. W ell, children, have you fixed everything up ? he asked cheerfully. Dick agrees with me that it would be best to wait, Daddy. Yes, Dr. Scott, I see +Evelyn's point of view perfectly. You are putting me on probation so that I can prove what I'm worthn Well, l'll do my best and now l niust go. I'll keep you informed as to my whereabouts, but I'd rather you'd not try to see me. As you like about that, Richard, must you go so soon P U Have to keep earlier hours, you know, Dick said with a rather bitter smile. Goodnight, sir, goodbye, Evelyn. Oh, not goodbye, Dick, just till we meet again, Evelyn exclaimed. l'erhaps, he returned absent-mindedly, and followed the 'butler to the door. The next morning found him still unsettled as to what he should do. He rose early from habit and decided to take a walk to thresh this out in his mind. With- out noticing, he turned his footsteps toward that part of the city known as the slums. Meanwhile he was busy with his thoughts. What he could do-he didn't know. On and on he wandered lost in a reverie. At last he was startled by a smothered cry at the side of him and turning quickly he saw a young girl fall heavily to the walk. True to his physician's instincts he took out his pocket medi- cine case and bent over the girl. A crowd gathered around, alwiays ready for new excitement. 'tOh, it's the Allen girlf' one muttered. Ye'd better fetch a doctor, quick. l'm a doctor,' Madison said curtly, Get back and give the girl air l Obeying the tone of authority the people stepped back, at the same time asking rather suspiciously, as if doubting his veracity, Wl1at's the matter with her ? Madison, hearing this, replied, It's a case of malnutrition, or if you like the plain truth, the girlls starving to death. VVhere does she live P One stepped forward in answer to his question. list a stip, sor, if ye can carry the pore girl I'll show ye the way, the speaker was a stout Irish lady with a genial countenance. Noticing Madison's hesitation she went on, She ain't very heavy, doctor, jist a mite of a girl. So Dr. Madison lifted the apparently lifeless form in his arms and followed his self-appointed guide. It proved to be quite a few steps to the rickety tene- ment where the girl lived. The woman led him up four Rights of stairs into a poorly lighted room. Here we be, doctor, put her there on the couch while I tell her mother, he was commanded. lie did as he was told and then glanced around the room. It was a breeder of dirt and disease, he decided. How people could live in such a place was beyond him. How they needed someone to help them. His thoughts were interrupted by the reappearance of his guide. Her moth- er's sick too. I don't know what they'll do now that Nan's sick. Is she very had P Not very, he replied, but she must have some good food. She'll be all right in a few days with proper care. XVell, I don't see where the money's coming from for the grub, the Irish Page Eighteen

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The Aegis ' 1920 friends who haunted the more expensive restaurants. Usually at this time he was the center of a gay and riotous party. VVhat a change twenty-four hours could make in a man! Then he started in the direction of the Scott residence. Eventually he arrived and was met by an imposing personage who announced that the master was waiting for him in the library. Evelyn met him at the door. NVhy, Richard, I'm so glad to see you, she exclaimed affectedly. Isn't it lovely out? Come right in 'here-Daddy's waiting for you. She ushered him into the library where 'her father sat reading. Here's Dick, Daddy, all ready to talk to you. You go on and discuss what you want to and then l want to talk to him. 'All right, Dr. Scott replied, then, Well, Richard, have you decided what you want to do P V Not yetf' Madison replied soberly. UI haven't had much time to adjust my- self to this new state of affairs. XVell then, listen to my proposition. There's a small town in Vermont' that has only one physician in it, and he is getting old. He happens to be a friend of mine and he wrote to me and asked if there was a young doctor that I knew of who would like a partnership with him-and of course I thought of youf, Dr. Scott-could you lzonvstly give me a recommendation to that friend of yours? XVould your conscience permit you to vouch for a careless physician ? Dr. Scott paused for a moment. UNO, Richard, truthfully, I donlt believe it would. Cf course I could recommend you anyway, but it wouldn't be right-now would it PM No-I don't think so, sir. I guess the best thing for me to do would be to drop the medical profession altogether. Perhaps I would be more successful at something else. ' . That's a question you must decide for yourself. Hut I shall watch with in- terest anything you do. If you'll excuse me there is some work I must see to, so I'll leave you to Evelyn. I'll see you again before you go, and Dr. Scott tact- fully left the room. The two young people were silent for a few minutes. Then Richard said life- lcssly, VVell P I hope you won't be unreasonable about this, Dick. Of course you see it would be impossible for me to announce our engagement under such circum- stances. Oh yes! Richard agreed bitterly. You want to be quite free to have as good a time as ever regardless of me lu You misunderstand me, Dick,' Evelyn said with an air of injured innocence. That certainly wasn't my motive at all. However, if you're going' to act stub- born and horrid we just won't discuss this. lim sorry I said that, Evelyn, Richard said more amiably. I am beginning to see that it would be a great mistake to announce our engagement. I'll just drop entirely out of your life for a while. That would be bestf, Perhaps that would be best, Evelyn agreed sweetly. But aren't you going to tell me your plans PU I have none, Dick replied shortly, but I shan't starve-for a while at least. Page Sc'z'e1zte'eu

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The Aegis 1 920 woman said gloomily. They ain't got none and none of the neighbors have either. Shes got to have some, anyway. Here, take this money and get some good nourishing food for her. She needn't know who paid for it. And, by the way, is there a doctor around here ? No sor, there's not. This ain't a very good paying district, you know. But if you're thinking of settlin' here don't let me discourage you. Goodness knows we need a doctor bad enough. She lingered, following her natural bent for talk- ing, Are you thinkin' of settlin' here ? I might if I could find a place for an office, Madison replied. Right down here bout a 'block there's an empty building you might get. It's just a little shack, but it would rent cheapf' Thank you, Mrsiah-LaiMrs.l Maloney's my name, doctor, Molly Maloney as used to be. t'Yes, yes, thank you for your suggestion and now you'd better go and get the food for Miss Allen. Illl leave it to your good judgment what to buy. I'll come in tonight and see how the sick girl is.', I-Ie left the building and went to investigate the prospective office. This he found to be in a rather run down condition but habitable, and ,as Mrs. Maloney had promised-very cheap. So without pausing to think, he rented it. Only 'when he was on his way back to his room did he consider what he was undertaking. Was he a fool to attempt such a thing? VV hat were his prospects? But how these people needed medical attention and advice. Anyway it was too late to stop now. By night he had some of his belongings moved to his new residence. He found a man to do his papering and painting for him so, by industrious work, he had it looking presentable in two weeks' time. In the meantime Nan had been slowly getting 'back her strength and she, as well as the rest of the people in the neighborhood, were very much interested in the new doctor. She pestered Mrs. Maloney with questions about him until that good lady was almost crazy. One day Mrs. Maloney appeared at the door of the dingy room with an appetizing bowl of soup for Nan. It was then that Nan broached the subject that was troubling her. Mrs, Maloney, where does the money come from to pay for all these good things F she asked. Mrs. Maloney drew herself up, Can't a body do an act of neighborly kind- ness without somebody else buttin' in P she demanded. Nan laughed, But I don't see where you get the money, she persisted. The doctor gave it to me, it slipped out before she thought. y Just what I thought,' Nan groaned. VVhy did you let him? I'd rather starve than take charity, and you know it ! It was at this unpleasant moment that Madison entered. VVhat's the matter here ? he asked in surprise, uhas my patient had a set- back P Nan turned toward him, How dare you, she exclaimed, My mother and I are not looking for charity, proudly. My dear Miss Allen, don't be foolish. It's a well known fact that a person Page !Y'I'lIe'?ll'E?lI