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BY
ELLEN M. FIREBAUGH
Author of “The Physician's Wife”
BOSTON, MASS.:
THE ROXBURGH PUBLISHING COMPANY
(Incorporated)
Copyrighted, 1912
By Ellen M. Firebaugh
All rights reserved
TO MY HUSBAND
The telephone has revolutionized the doctor'slife.
In the old days when a horse's galloping hoofswere heard people looked out of their windowsand wondered if that wasn't someone after adoctor! The steed that Franklin harnessed bearsthe message now, and comments and curiosityare stilled. In the old days thunderous knockscame often to the doctor's door at night; they arenever heard now, or so rarely as to need no mention.Neighbors have been awakened by theseimportunate raps: they sleep on undisturbed now.
The doctor's household enjoys nothing of thissweet immunity. A disturbing factor is withinit that makes the thunderous knocks of old paleinto insignificance.
When the telephone first came into the townwhere our doctor lived he had one put in hisoffice of course, for if anyone in the world needsa 'phone it is the doctor and the people who wanthim. By and by he bethought him that since hisoffice was several blocks from his residence hehad better put one in there, too, because of callsthat come in the night. So it was promptly installed.The doctor and his wife found their sleepdisturbed far oftener than before. People will not dress and go out into the night to the doctor'shouse unless it is necessary. But it is an easything to step to the 'phone and call him from hissleep to answer questions—often needless—andwhen several people do the same thing inthe same night, as frequently happens, it is nothard to see what the effect may be.
One day the doctor had an idea! He wouldconnect the two 'phones. It would be a handything for Mary to be able to talk to him aboutthe numberless little things that come up in ahousehold without the trouble of ringing centralevery time, and it would be a handy thingfor him, too. When he had to leave the officehe could just 'phone Mary and she could keepan ear on the 'phone till he got back.
About this time another telephone system wasestablished in the town—the Farmers'. Nowa doctor's clientele includes many farmers, so heput one of the new 'phones into his office. Byand by he reflected that farmers are apt to needto consult a physician at night—he must putin a Farmers' 'phone at home, too. And he did.Then he connected it with the office.
When the first 'phone went up Mary soon accustomedherself to its call—three rings. Whenher husband connected it with the office the ringswere multiplied by three. One ring meant someoneat the office calling central. Two rings meantsomeone calling the office. Three rings meantsomeone calling the