At Arms tvitft Morpheus.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 152, 24 December 1903, Page 11

At Arms tvitft Morpheus.

I never could quit© undorstand how Tom Hopkins came to mako that blunder, for he had boeii through a whole torm nt a medical colloge-r-befor* ho inherited his aunt's fortune — and had been considered strong in therapeutics. Wo had been making a call together that evening, and afterwards Tom ran up to my rooms for a pipe and a chat boforo going on to his own luxurious apartments. I hid stopped into lh« other room for a momont when I heard Tom sing out : — "Oh, Billy, I'm going to tako about four grains of quinine, it you don't mind — I'm feeling all blue and shivery. Guess I'm tuking cold." "All right," I called back. "Tho bottle is on the second shelf. Take it in a spoonful of that elixir of eucalyptua. It knocks tho bittor out." After I camo back wo sat by tho fire and .got our briura going. In about eight minutes Tom sank back into a gentlo collupse. I went straight to tho medicine cabinet njid looked. "You unmitigated hayseod I" I growled. "See what money will do for a man's brains!" There stood tho morphine bottle with tho stopper out juat as Tom had loft it. I routed out another young M.D. who roomed on the floor übovo, and sent him for old ' Dr. Gates, two squares away. Tom Hopkins has too much money to bo attended by rising young practitioners alone. Whon Gales came we put Tom through as expensive a course of treatment as the resources of tho profession permit. After tho most drastic remedies wo gave him citratu of cutfoino in frequent doses and strong coffee, and walked him up aud down tho floor between two of us. Old Gules pinched him and slapped his face and worked hard for the big cheque he could ccc in the distance. The young M.D. from the next floor gave Tom a most hearty, rousing kick, and then apologised to me. "Couldn't help it," he said. "I never kicked a millionaire beforo in my life. I may never havo another opportunity." "Now," said Dr. Gales, after a couple of hours, "ho'll do. But keep him awake for anothor hour. ' You can do thnt by talking to him and shaking him up occasionally. Whon his pulse- and respiration are normal, then let nim sleep. 1 11 loavo him with you now." I was left alono with Tom, whom we had laid* on a couch. He lay veiy still, and his eyes were half closed. I began my work of keeping him awako. "Woll, old man,' 5 I said, "you've hnd a narrow squeak, but wo'vo pulled you through. Whon you wore uttending lectures, Tom, didn't any of the professors ever casually remark that m-o-i-p-h-i-a never spelh) "quinia," espociully in fourgrain doses.' But I won't pile it up on you until you get on your feet. But you ought to have beon a druggist, Tom, you're splendidly qualified to ill prescriptions." Tom looked at me with a faint and foolish smile. "B'ly," he murmured, "I feel jus' like a hum'n bird flyin 1 around a jolly lot of most 'shpenaive roses. Don' bozzer mo. Goin' sleep noT." And ho went to sleep in two seconds. I shook him by the shoulder. "Now, Tom," I said severely, "this won't do. The big doctor said you must stay awuko for at least an hour.^ o|>en your eyes. You're not entirely safe ytt, you know. Wnko up." Tom Hopkius weighs ono hundred and

ninety-eight. He gave me another somnolent grin, and full into deeper slumber. I would have made him move about, but I might as well have tried to make Cleopatra's needle wulu around thu loom with me. Tom's bieathing became hteitorous, nnd that, in connection with morphia poisoning, means danger. Then 1 began to think. I could not rouse his body j I must strive to excite his mind. "Mnko him angry," wan an idea that suggested itsolf. "Good!" I thought, "but how?" There was not a joint in Tom's armour. Dear old fellow, he was good-nature itself, and a gallant gentleman, fine and truo and clean as sunlight. He camo from somewhere down South, where they still havo idenls and » code. New York had charmed, but had not spoiled him. He had that oldfashioned, chivalrous reverenco for women, that— Eureka !—therr» wns my idea! I worked tho thing up for a minute or two. in my imagination. I chuckled to myself at the thought of springing a thing like that on old Tom -Hopkins. Then 1 took him by the shoulder nnd shook him till his ears flopped. He opened his eyes lazily. I nasuinod an oxpression of scorn and contempt, and pointed my finger within two inches of his noso. "Listen to mo, Hopkins," I said, in cutting and distinct tones, "you and I have been good friends, but I want you to understand that in future my doors nro closed against any man who acts as much like a scoundrel ns you have." Tom looked tho least bit interested. "What's the matter, Billy?" ho muttered composedly, "don't your clothes fit you?" "If I wero in your place," I wont on, "which, thank Q~od, I am not, I think I would be afraid to close my eye.i. How about thut girl you left waiting for you down among those lonesome Southern pines — the girl that you've forgotten since you came into your "confounded money? Oh, I know what I'm talking about. Wliile you were a poor medical student she was good enough for you. But now, since you are a millionaire, it's different. I wonder what she thinks of t;ho performance of that peculiar class of people which sho lins been taught to worship — tho Southern gentleman? I'm sorry, Hopkins, that I wns forced to speak about those mattcm, but you've covered it up so well «nd played your part so nicely that I Mould havo sworn you wero above suoh unmanly tricks." Poor Tom. I could scarcely keep from laughing outright to see him struggling against tho effects of the opiate. Ho was distinctly angry, and I didn't blame him. Tom had a Southern temper. His eyes woro open now, and they showed a gleam or two of fire. But the drug still clouded his nfind and bound his. tongue. "C-c-confound you," he stammored, I'll smash you." Ho tried to rise from the couch. With all his size he was very weak now. I thrust him back with one arm. Ho laj vhero glaring like a lion in a trap. "That will hold you for a while, you old looney," I Baid to myself. I got up and lit my pipe, for I was needing a smoke. I walked around a bit, congratulating mysolf on my brilliant idea. I heard a snore. I looked around. Tom was asleep again. I walked over and punched' him on the jaw. Ho looked at mo as pleasant and ungrudging ax an idiot. I chewed' my pipe and gavo it to him hard. "I want you to recover yourself and fet out of my rooms as soon as you can," said insultingly. "I've told you what I think of you. If you have any honour or honesty left you will think twice beforo you attempt again to associate, with ffontk'men. Sho's a poor girl, isn't sho?" l isneored. "Something. too plain and unfashionable for us ninc.e we got our money. Bo ashamed to walk up Fifth Avonuo with her, wouldn't your Hopkins, you ore forly-ievcn times worse than a cad. Who- cares for your money? I don't. I'll bet that, girl don't. Perhaps if you didn'i have it you'd bo more of a man. Ah it is you've made a cur of your«elf, and"— l thought that quite .dramatic — "perhaps broken a faithful heart." (Old Tom. Hopkins breaking .a faithful heart!) "Let mo be rid of you as coon as poasiblo." I turned my bock on Tom nud winked at myself ill a minor. I hoard him. moving, and I turned again quickly. I didn't want a hundred and ninety-eight pounds falling on mo from tho rear. But Tom had only turned partly over, and laid ono arm across his face. Ho spoko a few words rather more distinctly than before. "I couldn't hayo — talked this — way to you, Billy, even if I'd heard — lyin' 'bout you But jub' Boon's I can s~ htand vp — I'll break your neck— don' f'get I did foel a little ashamed then. But it was to t>ave Tom. In tho morning, when I explained it, wo would have a good laugh over it together. In about twenty mmutf & Tom dropped into a soutld, easy slumber. I felt vis pulse, liMened to his respiration, and lot him sluep. Everything was normal, and Tom was nnfo. I went into the other room and tumbled into bod. • I found Tom up tuid dressed when I awoke tho next morning. Ho was ontirely himsolf again with the exception of shaky nerves ttud a. tongue liko a whito oak chip. "What an idiot I was," ho said thoughtfully. "I romemb«r thinking that quinine bottle looked queer while I was taking the dose. Havo much troublo in bringing mo 'round?" " I told him no. His memory seemed bad about tho entire affair. I concluded that ho had no recollection of my efforts to keop him awake, and decided not to enlighten liim. Some othor time, I thought, when ho was feeling bottlr, wo would havo some fun over it. When Tom was ready to go he stopped, with the door open, and shook my hand. "Much obliged, old fellow," he said quietly, "for taking so much trouble with mo — and for what you said. I'm goinf? down now to telegraph to the little girl." -^S. H. Peters, in Ainsleo's.