‘My husband is very sick and I came to see if you would go down and ask Dr. Smithson to come and see him.’ I swallowed my astonishment and wrath, put on my rubber coat and went for the doctor.”
“But she had the grace to come in next day,” said Mary, “and tell me in much confusion that she was greatly embarrassed and ashamed. It had not entered her head until that morning that my husband was a physician.”
“You see,” put in the doctor, “she had not taken me seriously; in fact had not taken me at all.”
“Tell us about the old man who had you come in to see if he needed a doctor,” said Mary. The doctor smiled, “That was when I didn't count, too,” he said.
“This old fellow got sick one day and wanted to send for old Dr. Brown, but being of a thrifty turn of mind he didn't want to unless he had to. He knew me pretty well so he sent for me to come and see if he needed a doctor. If I thought he did he'd send for Brown. I chatted with him awhile and he felt better. Next day he sent word to me again that he wished I'd stop as I went by and I did. This kept up several days and he got better and better, and finally got well without any doctor, as he said.”
The visitor laughed, “You doctors could unfold many a tale—”
“If the telephone would permit,” said Mary, as the doctor answered the old summons, took his hat and left.
“John,” said Mary one day, “I wish you would disconnect the house from the office.”
“No! You're a lot of help to me,” protested the doctor.