12
THE STUDENTS JOURNAL.
A NEW THING UNDER THE SUN.
In the year 18—the habit of chewing gum was very much in vogue. It was not by any means restricted to school girls and "chappies"; but was prevalent among a class of people who really ought to have known better—and, because they ought to have known better, we shall say nothing about them.
It this same year Dr. John Henderson returned from Europe, He had gone there to study medicine after having first graduated from one of the leading medical schools in America. Prior to his course in the American college he had been a prominent man at Harvard; and of course in his early days he had laid a good foundation for his education in the city schools of his native place.
The Hendersons had been a family of physicians. Away back when the colonies were established, an ancestor of their's had been on board the Mayflower in the capacity of ship's surgeon. Since that time there had always been a medical man in the family; and, as for Doctor John, an only son, there had never been the slightest doubt as to what profession he was to follow. His father the village practicianer, and his uncle, a leading optician, had settled that for him. Now he had come home at the age of thirty and settled to work with his father. Of a cheerful, sunny disposition, he was soon a favorite and his knowledge of the "latest thing" in the medical world won him deserved praise as a physician.
But there was one place where he was never called. Just on the edge of the village there was a square brick house set far back from the road in a grove of trees. It was an angular, self-assertive looking building with a square brick chimney rising from each square corner. Two rows of windows, set with mathematical precision, just exactly so far apart, demonstrated the fact that the building was two stories in height. Inside every thing was arranged with regard to economy of space. The hall ran straight through the middle of the building and was flanked on either side by a row of doors, all just exactly alike, and each of them opened into a room that was just like every other room in the house.
Outside, the grounds sloped to the road which ran along the front. The grounds and the building gave a curious impression of incongruity. The truth was, the building had been erected for a hotel but had been abandoned as unprofitable and had passed into the possession of a person gifted with a sense of the artistic. This owner, realizing the hopelessness of trying to make the house look graceful, had given much attention to the grounds, instead. The result was all that could be desired, and it may be that the contrast between the beautiful grounds and the ugly house had a certain unique attraction which was not as unpleasant as it seemed. The place was known all over town as "the old Jones property" and for some years previous to the time of our story, had been used as a young ladies' seminary.
This was where Dr. John Henderson had never been. With his father it was different. The older man was always called in case of any sickness and was on most friendly terms with the head of the establishment. This lady, a Miss Mehitable Smith, had a strict eye to business and declared she wasn't "going to have any good looking young man-doctor coming there and turning her girls' heads with nonsense." Now this was most unfair to Dr. John, for he had not the least desire to "turn the head" of anyone, but it must be confessed that he was rather pleased one morning after his father had left town for a few days to receive a message—by telephone—for "Doctor Henderson" to come to the seminary. He knew very well that he was not the Doctor Henderson meant and was quite prepared for the look of disapproval with which Miss Mehitable greeted him.
"I sent for Doctor Henderson" she said.
"Yes?" said John—"Well I am Doctor Henderson."
It was your father I wanted," she replied. "My father is out of town, and may be gone for several days," said Doctor John, "and I thought as it might be something serious I would venture to offer my services instead."
"Well, as you're here and your father isn't, I suppose you'll have to do. Maybe you can tell me what I want to know. The fact is, something is the matter with the girls. I think they need some kind of a tonic. They over-sleep and do not hear the rising and study bells. I would not be surprised at that, but they do not respond to the bells for meals and for recreation hour, any better. And it seems to be a general thing too."
John sat a moment. "I would like to see them," he said.
Miss Smith touched a bell and said a few words to a servant.
Three minutes later forty girls filed into the room and ranged themselves along the wall. As she entered, each girl, unobserved by Miss Smith, removed a wad of gum from her mouth