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diff --git a/old/drmc410.txt b/old/drmc410.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d5e6921 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/drmc410.txt @@ -0,0 +1,873 @@ +Project Gutenberg's A Doctor of the Old School, Vol. 4, by Ian Maclaren +#4 in our series by Ian Maclaren +[Illustrated by Frederick C. Gordon] + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: A Doctor of the Old School, Vol. 4 + +Author: Ian Maclaren + +Release Date: November, 2005 [EBook #9318] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on September 21, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DOCTOR OF THE OLD SCHOOL, VOL. 4 *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Widger and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + A DOCTOR OF THE OLD SCHOOL + + by Ian Maclaren + + + Book IV. + + THE DOCTOR'S LAST JOURNEY + + + +PREFACE + +It is with great good will that I write this short preface to the +edition of "A Doctor of the Old School" (which has been illustrated by +Mr. Gordon after an admirable and understanding fashion) because there +are two things that I should like to say to my readers, being also my +friends. + +One, is to answer a question that has been often and fairly asked. Was +there ever any doctor so self-forgetful and so utterly Christian as +William MacLure? To which I am proud to reply, on my conscience: Not one +man, but many in Scotland and in the South country. I will dare prophecy +also across the sea. + +It has been one man's good fortune to know four country doctors, not one +of whom was without his faults--Weelum was not perfect--but who, each +one, might have sat for my hero. Three are now resting from their +labors, and the fourth, if he ever should see these lines, would never +identify himself. + +Then I desire to thank my readers, and chiefly the medical profession +for the reception given to the Doctor of Drumtochty. + +For many years I have desired to pay some tribute to a class whose +service to the community was known to every countryman, but after the +tale had gone forth my heart failed. For it might have been despised +for the little grace of letters in the style and because of the outward +roughness of the man. But neither his biographer nor his circumstances +have been able to obscure MacLure who has himself won all honest hearts, +and received afresh the recognition of his more distinguished brethren. +From all parts of the English-speaking world letters have come in +commendation of Weelum MacLure, and many were from doctors who had +received new courage. It is surely more honor than a new writer could +ever have deserved to receive the approbation of a profession whose +charity puts us all to shame. + +May I take this first opportunity to declare how deeply my heart has +been touched by the favor shown to a simple book by the American people, +and to express my hope that one day it may be given me to see you face +to face. + +IAN MACLAREN. Liverpool, Oct. 4, 1895. + + + + + + THE DOCTOR'S LAST JOURNEY. + + +IV + +THE DOCTOR'S LAST JOURNEY + +Drumtochty had a vivid recollection of the winter when Dr. MacLure was +laid up for two months with a broken leg, and the Glen was dependent on +the dubious ministrations of the Kildrummie doctor. Mrs. Macfayden +also pretended to recall a "whup" of some kind or other he had in the +fifties, but this was considered to be rather a pyrotechnic display of +Elspeth's superior memory than a serious statement of fact. MacLure +could not have ridden through the snow of forty winters without +suffering, yet no one ever heard him complain, and he never pled +illness to any messenger by night or day. + +"It took me," said Jamie Soutar to Milton afterwards, "the feck o' ten +meenuts tae howk him 'an' Jess oot ae snawy nicht when Drums turned bad +sudden, and if he didna try to excuse himself for no hearing me at aince +wi' some story aboot juist comin' in frae Glen Urtach, and no bein' in +his bed for the laist twa nichts. + +"He wes that carefu' o' himsel an' lazy that if it hedna been for the +siller, a've often thocht, Milton, he wud never hae dune a handstroke o' +wark in the Glen. + +"What scunnered me wes the wy the bairns were ta'en in wi' him. Man, +a've seen him tak a wee laddie on his knee that his ain mither cudna +quiet, an' lilt 'Sing a song o' saxpence' till the bit mannie would be +lauchin' like a gude are, an' pooin' the doctor's beard. + +[Illustration] + +"As for the weemen, he fair cuist a glamour ower them; they're daein' +naethin' noo but speak aboot this body and the ither he cured, an' hoo +he aye hed a couthy word for sick fouk. Weemen hae nae discernment, +Milton; tae hear them speak ye wud think MacLure hed been a releegious +man like yersel, although, as ye said, he wes little mair than a Gallio. + +"Bell Baxter was haverin' awa in the shop tae sic an extent aboot the wy +MacLure brocht roond Saunders when he hed the fever that a' gied oot at +the door, a' wes that disgusted, an' a'm telt when Tammas Mitchell heard +the news in the smiddy he wes juist on the greeting. + +"The smith said that he wes thinkin' o' Annie's tribble, but ony wy a' +ca' it rael bairnly. It's no like Drumtochty; ye're setting an example, +Milton, wi' yir composure. But a' mind ye took the doctor's meesure as +sune as ye cam intae the pairish." + +It is the penalty of a cynic that he must have some relief for his +secret grief, and Milton began to weary of life in Jamie's hands +during those days. + +Drumtochty was not observant in the matter of health, but they had grown +sensitive about Dr. MacLure, and remarked in the kirkyard all summer +that he was failing. + +"He wes aye spare," said Hillocks, "an' he's been sair twisted for the +laist twenty year, but a' never mind him booed till the year. An' he's +gaein' intae sma' buke (bulk), an' a' dinna like that, neeburs. + +"The Glen wudna dae weel withoot Weelum MacLure, an' he's no as young as +he wes. Man, Drumsheugh, ye micht wile him aff tae the saut water atween +the neeps and the hairst. He's been workin' forty year for a holiday, +an' it's aboot due." + +Drumsheugh was full of tact, and met MacLure quite by accident on the +road. + +"Saunders'll no need me till the shearing begins," he explained to the +doctor, "an' a'm gaein' tae Brochty for a turn o' the hot baths; they're +fine for the rheumatics. + +[Illustration] + +"Wull ye no come wi' me for auld lang syne? it's lonesome for a solitary +man, an' it wud dae ye gude." + +"Na, na, Drumsheugh," said MacLure, who understood perfectly, "a've dune +a' thae years withoot a break, an' a'm laith (unwilling) tae be takin' +holidays at the tail end. + +"A'll no be mony months wi' ye a' thegither noo, an' a'm wanting tae +spend a' the time a' hev in the Glen. Ye see yersel that a'll sune be +getting ma lang rest, an' a'll no deny that a'm wearyin' for it." + +As autumn passed into winter, the Glen noticed that the doctor's hair +had turned grey, and that his manner had lost all its roughness. A +feeling of secret gratitude filled their hearts, and they united in a +conspiracy of attention. Annie Mitchell knitted a huge comforter in red +and white, which the doctor wore in misery for one whole day, out of +respect for Annie, and then hung it in his sitting-room as a wall +ornament. Hillocks used to intercept him with hot drinks, and one +drifting day compelled him to shelter till the storm abated. Flora +Campbell brought a wonderful compound of honey and whiskey, much tasted +in Auchindarroch, for his cough, and the mother of young Burnbrae filled +his cupboard with black jam, as a healing measure. Jamie Soutar seemed +to have an endless series of jobs in the doctor's direction, and looked +in "juist tae rest himsel" in the kitchen. + +MacLure had been slowly taking in the situation, and at last he +unburdened himself one night to Jamie. + +"What ails the fouk, think ye? for they're aye lecturin' me noo tae +tak care o' the weet and tae wrap masel up, an' there's no a week but +they're sendin' bit presents tae the house, till a'm fair ashamed." + +"Oo, a'll explain that in a meenut," answered Jamie, "for a' ken the +Glen weel. Ye see they're juist try in' the Scripture plan o' heapin' +coals o' fire on yer head. + +[Illustration: "TOLD DRUMSHEUGH THAT THE DOCTOR WAS NOT ABLE TO RISE"] + +"Here ye've been negleckin' the fouk in seeckness an' lettin' them dee +afore their freends' eyes withoot a fecht, an' refusin' tae gang tae a +puir wumman in her tribble, an' frichtenin' the bairns--no, a'm no +dune--and scourgin' us wi' fees, and livin' yersel' on the fat o' the +land. + +"Ye've been carryin' on this trade ever sin yir father dee'd, and the +Glen didna notis. But ma word, they've fund ye oot at laist, an' they're +gaein' tae mak ye suffer for a' yir ill usage. Div ye understand noo?" +said Jamie, savagely. + +For a while MacLure was silent, and then he only said: + +"It's little a' did for the puir bodies; but ye hev a gude hert, Jamie, +a rael good hert." + +It was a bitter December Sabbath, and the fathers were settling the +affairs of the parish ankle deep in snow, when MacLure's old housekeeper +told Drumsheugh that the doctor was not able to rise, and wished to see +him in the afternoon. "Ay, ay," said Hillocks, shaking his head, and +that day Drumsheugh omitted four pews with the ladle, while Jamie was so +vicious on the way home that none could endure him. + +Janet had lit a fire in the unused grate, and hung a plaid by the window +to break the power of the cruel north wind, but the bare room with its +half-a-dozen bits of furniture and a worn strip of carpet, and the +outlook upon the snow drifted up to the second pane of the window and +the black firs laden with their icy burden, sent a chill to Drumsheugh's +heart. + +The doctor had weakened sadly, and could hardly lift his head, but his +face lit up at the sight of his visitor, and the big hand, which was now +quite refined in its whiteness, came out from the bed-clothes with the +old warm grip. + +[Illustration: "WITH THE OLD WARM GRIP"] + +"Come in by, man, and sit doon; it's an awfu' day tae bring ye sae far, +but a' kent ye wudna grudge the traivel. + +"A' wesna sure till last nicht, an' then a' felt it wudna be lang, an' +a' took a wearyin' this mornin' tae see ye. + +"We've been friends sin' we were laddies at the auld school in the firs, +an' a' wud like ye tae be wi' me at the end. Ye 'ill stay the nicht, +Paitrick, for auld lang syne." + +Drumsheugh was much shaken, and the sound of the Christian name, which +he had not heard since his mother's death, gave him a "grue" (shiver), +as if one had spoken from the other world. + +"It's maist awfu' tae hear ye speakin' aboot deein', Weelum; a' canna +bear it. We 'ill hae the Muirtown doctor up, an' ye 'ill be aboot again +in nae time. + +"Ye hevna ony sair tribble; ye're juist trachled wi' hard wark an' +needin' a rest. Dinna say ye're gaein' tae leave us, Weelum; we canna +dae withoot ye in Drumtochty;" and Drumsheugh looked wistfully for some +word of hope. + +"Na, na, Paitrick, naethin' can be dune, an' it's ower late tae send for +ony doctor. There's a knock that canna be mista'en, an' a' heard it last +night. A've focht deith for ither fouk mair than forty year, but ma ain +time hes come at laist. + +"A've nae tribble worth mentionin'--a bit titch o' bronchitis--an' a've +hed a graund constitution; but a'm fair worn oot, Paitrick; that's ma +complaint, an' its past curin'." + +Drumsheugh went over to the fireplace, and for a while did nothing but +break up the smouldering peats, whose smoke powerfully affected his nose +and eyes. + +[Illustration: "DRUMSHEUGH LOOKED WISTFULLY"] + +"When ye're ready, Paitrick, there's twa or three little trokes a' wud +like ye tae look aifter, an' a'll tell ye aboot them as lang's ma head's +clear. + +"A' didna keep buiks, as ye ken, for a' aye hed a guid memory, so +naebody 'ill be harried for money aifter ma deith, and ye 'ill hae nae +accoonts tae collect. + +"But the fouk are honest in Drumtochty, and they 'ill be offerin' ye +siller, an' a'll gie ye ma mind aboot it. Gin it be a puir body, tell +her tae keep it and get a bit plaidie wi' the money, and she 'ill maybe +think o' her auld doctor at a time. Gin it be a bien (well-to-do) man, +tak half of what he offers, for a Drumtochty man wud scorn to be mean in +sic circumstances; and if onybody needs a doctor an' canna pay for him, +see he's no left tae dee when a'm oot o' the road." + +"Nae fear o' that as lang as a'm livin', Weelum; that hundred's still +tae the fore, ye ken, an' a'll tak care it's weel spent. + +"Yon wes the best job we ever did thegither, an' dookin' Saunders, ye +'ill no forget that nicht, Weelum"--a gleam came into the doctor's +eyes--"tae say neathin' o' the Highlan' fling." + +The remembrance of that great victory came upon Drumsheugh, and tried +his fortitude. + +"What 'ill become o's when ye're no here tae gie a hand in time o' need? +we 'ill tak ill wi' a stranger that disna ken ane o's frae anither." + +"It's a' for the best, Paitrick, an' ye 'ill see that in a whilie. A've +kent fine that ma day wes ower, an' that ye sud hae a younger man. + +"A' did what a' cud tae keep up wi' the new medicine, but a' hed little +time for readin', an' nane for traivellin'. + +"A'm the last o' the auld schule, an' a' ken as weel as onybody thet a' +wesna sae dainty an' fine-mannered as the town doctors. Ye took me as a' +wes, an' naebody ever cuist up tae me that a' wes a plain man. Na, na; +ye've been rael kind an' conseederate a' thae years." + +"Weelum, gin ye cairry on sic nonsense ony langer," interrupted +Drumsheugh, huskily, "a'll leave the hoose; a' canna stand it." + +"It's the truth, Paitrick, but we 'ill gae on wi' our wark, far a'm +failin' fast. + +"Gie Janet ony sticks of furniture she needs tae furnish a hoose, +and sell a' thing else tae pay the wricht (undertaker) an' bedrel +(grave-digger). If the new doctor be a young laddie and no verra rich, +ye micht let him hae the buiks an' instruments; it 'ill aye be a help. + +"But a' wudna like ye tae sell Jess, for she's been a faithfu' servant, +an' a freend tae. There's a note or twa in that drawer a' savit, an' +if ye kent ony man that wud gie her a bite o' grass and a sta' in his +stable till she followed her maister--' + +"Confoond ye, Weelum," broke out Drumsheugh; "its doonricht cruel o' ye +to speak like this tae me. Whar wud Jess gang but tae Drumsheugh? she +'ill hae her run o' heck an' manger sae lang as she lives; the Glen +wudna like tae see anither man on Jess, and nae man 'ill ever touch the +auld mare." + +[Illustration] + +"Dinna mind me, Paitrick, for a" expeckit this; but ye ken we're no +verra gleg wi' oor tongues in Drumtochty, an' dinna tell a' that's in +oor hearts. + +"Weel, that's a' that a' mind, an' the rest a' leave tae yersel'. A've +neither kith nor kin tae bury me, sae you an' the neeburs 'ill need tae +lat me doon; but gin Tammas Mitchell or Saunders be stannin' near and +lookin' as if they wud like a cord, gie't tae them, Paitrick. They're +baith dour chiels, and haena muckle tae say, but Tammas hes a graund +hert, and there's waur fouk in the Glen than Saunders. + +"A'm gettin' drowsy, an' a'll no be able tae follow ye sune, a' doot; +wud ye read a bit tae me afore a' fa' ower? + +"Ye 'ill find ma mither's Bible on the drawers' heid, but ye 'ill need +tae come close tae the bed, for a'm no hearin' or seein' sae weel as a' +wes when ye cam." + +Drumsheugh put on his spectacles and searched for a comfortable +Scripture, while the light of the lamp fell on his shaking hands and the +doctor's face where the shadow was now settling. + +[Illustration] + +"Ma mither aye wantit this read tae her when she wes sober" (weak), and +Drumsheugh began, "In My Father's house are many mansions," but MacLure +stopped him. + +"It's a bonnie word, an' yir mither wes a sanct; but it's no for the +like o' me. It's ower gude; a' daurna tak it. + +"Shut the buik an' let it open itsel, an' ye 'ill get a bit a've been +readin' every nicht the laist month." + +Then Drumsheugh found the Parable wherein the Master tells us what God +thinks of a Pharisee and of a penitent sinner, till he came to the +words: "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so +much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be +merciful to me a sinner." + +"That micht hae been written for me, Paitrick, or ony ither auld sinner +that hes feenished his life, an' hes naethin' tae say for himsel'. + +"It wesna easy for me tae get tae kirk, but a' cud hae managed wi' a +stretch, an' a' used langidge a' sudna, an' a' micht hae been gentler, +and not been so short in the temper. A' see't a' noo. + +"It's ower late tae mend, but ye 'ill maybe juist say to the fouk that I +wes sorry, an' a'm houpin' that the Almichty 'ill hae mercy on me. + +"Cud ye ... pit up a bit prayer, Paitrick?" + +"A' haena the words," said Drumsheugh in great distress; "wud ye like's +tae send for the minister?" + +"It's no the time for that noo, an' a' wud rather hae yersel'--juist +what's in yir heart, Paitrick: the Almichty 'ill ken the lave (rest) +Himsel'." + +So Drumsheugh knelt and prayed with many pauses. + +"Almichty God ... dinna be hard on Weelum MacLure, for he's no been hard +wi' onybody in Drumtochty.... Be kind tae him as he's been tae us a' for +forty year.... We're a' sinners afore Thee.... Forgive him what he's +dune wrang, an' dinna cuist it up tae him.... Mind the fouk he's helpit +.... the wee-men an' bairnies.... an' gie him a welcome hame, for he's +sair needin't after a' his wark.... Amen." + +"Thank ye, Paitrick, and gude nicht tae ye. Ma ain true freend, gie's +yir hand, for a'll maybe no ken ye again. + +"Noo a'll say ma mither's prayer and hae a sleep, but ye 'ill no leave +me till a' is ower." + +Then he repeated as he had done every night of his life: + + "This night I lay me down to sleep, + I pray the Lord my soul to keep. + And if I die before I wake, + I pray the Lord my soul to take." + +He was sleeping quietly when the wind drove the snow against the window +with a sudden "swish;" and he instantly awoke, so to say, in his sleep. +Some one needed him. + +"Are ye frae Glen Urtach?" and an unheard voice seemed to have answered +him. + +"Worse is she, an' suffering awfu'; that's no lichtsome; ye did richt +tae come. + +"The front door's drifted up; gang roond tae the back, an' ye 'ill get +intae the kitchen; a'll be ready in a meenut. + +"Gie's a hand wi' the lantern when a'm saidling Jess, an' ye needna come +on till daylicht; a' ken the road." + +[Illustration] + +Then he was away in his sleep on some errand of mercy, and struggling +through the storm. "It's a coorse nicht, Jess, an' heavy traivellin'; +can ye see afore ye, lass? for a'm clean confused wi' the snaw; bide a +wee till a' find the diveesion o' the roads; it's aboot here back or +forrit. + +"Steady, lass, steady, dinna plunge; i'ts a drift we're in, but ye're no +sinkin'; ... up noo; ... there ye are on the road again. + +"Eh, it's deep the nicht, an' hard on us baith, but there's a puir +wumman micht dee if we didna warstle through; ... that's it; ye ken fine +what a'm sayin.' + +"We 'ill hae tae leave the road here, an' tak tae the muir. Sandie 'ill +no can leave the wife alane tae meet us; ... feel for yersel" lass, and +keep oot o' the holes. + +"Yon's the hoose black in the snaw. Sandie! man, ye frichtened us; a' +didna see ye ahint the dyke; hoos the wife?" + +After a while he began again: + +"Ye're fair dune, Jess, and so a' am masel'; we're baith gettin' auld, +an' dinna tak sae weel wi' the nicht wark. + +"We 'ill sune be hame noo; this is the black wood, and it's no lang +aifter that; we're ready for oor beds, Jess.... ay, ye like a clap at a +time; mony a mile we've gaed hegither. + +"Yon's the licht in the kitchen window; nae wonder ye're nickering +(neighing).... it's been a stiff journey; a'm tired, lass.... a'm tired +tae deith," and the voice died into silence. + +Drumsheugh held his friend's hand, which now and again tightened in his, +and as he watched, a change came over the face on the pillow beside him. +The lines of weariness disappeared, as if God's hand had passed over it; +and peace began to gather round the closed eyes. + +The doctor has forgotten the toil of later years, and has gone back to +his boyhood. + +[Illustration: "SHE'S CARRYIN' A LIGHT IN HER HAND"] + +"The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want," he repeated, till he came to +the last verse, and then he hesitated. + + "Goodness and mercy all my life + Shall surely follow me. + +"Follow me ... and ... and ... what's next? Mither said I wes tae haed +ready when she cam. + +"'A'll come afore ye gang tae sleep, Wullie, but ye 'ill no get yir kiss +unless ye can feenish the psalm.' + +"And ... in God's house ... for evermore my ... hoo dis it rin? a canna +mind the next word ... my, my-- + +"It's ower dark noo tae read it, an' mither 'ill sune be comin." + +Drumsheugh, in an agony, whispered into his ear, "'My dwelling-place,' +Weelum." + +"That's it, that's it a' noo; wha said it? + + "And in God's house for evermore + My dwelling-place shall be. + +"A'm ready noo, an' a'll get ma kiss when mither comes; a' wish she wud +come, for a'm tired an' wantin' tae sleep. + +"Yon's her step ... an' she's carryin' a licht in her hand; a' see it +through the door. + +"Mither! a' kent ye wudna forget yir laddie for ye promised tae come, +and a've feenished ma psalm. + + "And in God's house for evermore + My dwelling-place shall be. + +"Gie me the kiss, mither, for a've been waitin' for ye, an' a'll sune be +asleep." + +The grey morning light fell on Drumsheugh, still holding his friend's +cold hand, and staring at a hearth where the fire had died down into +white ashes; but the peace on the doctor's face was of one who rested +from his labours. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Doctor of the Old School, Vol. 4, by Ian Maclaren + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A DOCTOR OF THE OLD SCHOOL, VOL. 4 **** + +This file should be named drmc410.txt or drmc410.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, drmc411.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, drmc410a.txt + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Widger and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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