He went to bed with his trousers and his
hat on, I think, and there was a general belief that his old mare
slept between the shafts of the gig, with the bridle shoved up on
her forehead.
It has been only a few years since the oldtime general practitioner
was everywhere. Just look round and see now how the system has
changed! If your liver begins to misconduct itself the first thought
of the modern operator is to cut it out and hide it some place where
you can't find it. The oldtimer would have bombarded it with a
large brunette pill about the size and color of a damson plum.
Or he might put you on a diet of molasses seasoned to taste with
blue mass and quinine and other attractive condiments. Likewise,
in the spring of the year he frequently anointed the young of the
species with a mixture of mutton suet and asafetida. This treatment
had an effect that was distinctly depressing upon the growing boy.
It militated against his popularity. It forced him to seek his
pleasures outdoors, and a good distance outdoors at that.
Pages:
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63