o heard that he was a man who would not
treat any one without having his money down. As I remember, my aunt paid
him five dollars on the first visit and each time after that she would
send whatever she could get. I used to borrow a mule from one of the
neighbors to ride to see him. Sometimes when my medicine gave out and I
had to go without any money, I would pray to God the whole distance that
he might soften the doctor's heart so that he would let me have my
medicine. I don't know whether my prayers were needed or not, but I do
know that the doctor always treated me kindly and finally he told me
that I could be treated whenever my medicine gave out, money or no
money. He treated me in this way until the early fall of '84 when he
told my aunt that I needed an operation and she must try and get me a
place to stay nearby so that he could see me daily. After looking around
she found on the doctor's place an old fellow-servant, that is, an old
lady who belonged to the same man my aunt did in slavery time. Her name
was Lucy George; she was near the age of my aunt, and had never been
married. They were indeed glad to meet and she readily consented to take
me to her little cabin where she lived alone. The doctor visited his
plantation two or three times a week and usually came to see me. He
operated on me twice during my stay there.

"In 1888 the subject of this sketch, W. J. Edwards, was sent to me
by his aunt, Rina Rivers, for medical treatment. He had been sick
for several months from scrofula and it had affected the bone of
his left arm (hinneras) near the elbow joint, and the heel bone (os
calcis) of his left foot. It was with much difficulty and pain that
he walked at all.

The boy was kind, courteous and polite to every one, white and
colored, and all sympathized with him in his great affliction, and
manifested their sympathy in a very substantial way, by sending him
many good things to eat. This enabled me to build up his general
health.

I had to remove the dead bone (necrosed bone) from his arm and heel
many times. He always stood the operation patiently and manifested
so great a desire to get well, I kept him near me a long time and
patiently watched his case.

After four years' treatment his heel cured up nicely, and he was
enabled to walk very well, and the following fall he picked cotton.
With prudence, care and close a