Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 105, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 May 1910 — CANCELING THE DEBT. [ARTICLE]

CANCELING THE DEBT.

For some things there can be no adequate payment in money. Dr. Marcus Whitman, the missionary physician of the Pacific coast, knew that very well, says his biographer, the Hev. Myron Eels. Once on the WalaWalla river a poor sick Immigrant, weak from eating “blue mass,” was taken to see the doctor. The story Is best told in his own words. Mother Whitman came and raised the wagon cover and said, “What .is the matter with you, my brother?” “I am sick, and I don’t want to be pestered much, either.” “But, but, my young friend, my husband is a doctor and can probably cure your ailment. I’ll go and call him.” So off she clattered, and pretty soon Doc came, and they packed me in the cabin, and soon he had me on my feet again. I eat up a whole band of cattle for him, as I had to winter with him. I told him I’d like to work for him, to kinder pay part of my bill. Well, Doc set me to making rails, but I only made two hundred before spring, and I got to worrying’ cause I had only fifty dollars and a saddle horse, and I reckoned I owed the doctor four or five hundred dolars for my life. Now, maybe I wasn’t knocked out when I went and told the doctor I wanted to go on to Webfoot, and asked him how we stood; and doctor p’inted to a cayuse pony and says, “Money I have not, but you can take that horse and call It even. If you will.”