Rising in the world

by T. S. Arthur

As demonstrator of anatomy, Dr. Hudson soon stood high in the school of medicine in which he had been chosen to occupy that position. All who came in contact with him were as much struck with his extreme modesty, as with his wide intelligence on all subjects nearly or remotely connected with his profession. As an anatomist, he was seen to be greatly in advance of his predecessor, and to his demonstrations the class even paid a closer attention than they did to the lectures of the professor himself.

To surgery Hudson gave a large share of his attention. Before he had been six months in the school, he performed one of the most difficult operations known in medical annals. A report of this was made by a professional man who was present to one of the newspapers, from whence it was copied into the several medical journals in this country and England. The notoriety which this case gave to Dr. Hudson, brought him immediately before the public, and established his reputation as a surgeon. From that time his practice began to assume some importance; and although very young for a surgeon, he had a number of very important cases intrusted to his care.

The temptation to use the knife Hudson found, as all young surgeons do, very strong. But he set it down as a rule, never to use the knife where there were hopes of a cure without it.

"The surgeon's skill," he would say, "does not lie so much in the use of the knife as in his ability to cure without its use. The knife is only a last resort."

The number of cures that he made of cases upon which he was called to operate, without the "last resort," endeared him to many who had shrunk with terrible fear from the knife. They were, ever after, his fast friends, and spoke of him on all proper occasions in the warmest manner.

A rapid increase of practice was the natural consequence of this. His youth and modest demeanor prejudiced many against him as a physician; but none who once employed him, wished to give him up; for they felt, after seeing him a few times in the sick chamber, that he not only understood what he was about, but was governed by highly conscientious principles in the discharge of his professional duties. There was a sphere of goodness as well as intelligence about him distinctly perceived by all who came in contact with him.

From that time he began steadily to the externally, as he had been rising internally since the period when, in freedom and reason, he took charge of himself as a man.

The heartless abandonment of Mary Lee by Dunbar, involving a shameless violation of the marriage contract, was a fact well-known to Doctor Hudson, and was in his mind when, on his last meeting with the rising attorney, he intimated his wish that their friendship should cease. Notwithstanding he found the heart of Mary in the keeping of another when he applied for her hand, Hudson could never cease to feel towards her as he felt to no others. All hope of her ever becoming his wife had been abandoned; but still her image remained, and in dreams she came to him with her loving voice and gentle smile.

Moro than a year passed after the abandonment of Mary by her false lover, and in that time Hudson had not once met her, as she went into company very rarely. He heard her sometimes spoken of as much changed.

The rising reputation of Doctor Hudson extended his circle of friends, and gained for him introductions into a grade of society rather above what he had been used to. To say that he felt altogether at home here would be an error, for he met with many things new to him, and felt, for a time, a degree of restraint that took away the pleasure of social intercourse. In the society of ladies, especially young ladies, Dunbar had been free almost to rudeness; Hudson was chargeable rather with the opposite extreme. Wherever he went, however, he made the most favorable impression, for it was only necessary to be in conversation with him for a short time to recognise a mind of superior order tempered and subdued by the nicest sense of honor—honor in its truest acceptation—and humble views of himself.