The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-06-03


commands, and in few seconds the tight
ly closed lips were parted, and with diff
Guilty little brandy and arrOwrOot were
swallowed. Towels saturated with vinegar
and water were wrapped round the little
golden head, and extempOriZing fan from
an open book, the young surgeon placed
the father at the child's head to keep up a
sharp agitation of the air, and ran himself
to throw open the window.
Directly after he was back and watch
ing the child with an earnestneess hardly
equaled by its parents, as at intervals he
spoke, after drawing out his watch and re
ferring to it from time to time
Look, he said, in short, peremptOry
tones; 1.-THE and eyes unclosing. the pupils
dilate already, there is a little more pulsa-
tiOn-that sigh was stronger"
Fresh applications were made, and then
another anxious interval ensued, during
which the dark shadow of death seemed to
fade, and in a wOnderous manner light-the
fsintest dawn of life-seemed to return
into the chlld's face.
"GOOd, so far" exclaimed Mr.. Ross,
while father and mother watched him
with an aspect almost approaching to the
veneration that must have beamed in the
face of the Shunamite woman when the
"Man of God" raised her child from the
dead. And truly this seemed almost a
miracle-the miracle of science given by
the Great Creator to those who will study
and learn His wonders.
But now Mr.. Ross was at table, hur-
riedly writing out prescription on leaf
of his pocket book.
"Take it yourself to my wife, and bring
back what she prepares"
=" To your wife" stammered the father.
"Yes, to my wife," said the young sur
geOn. There, man, I'd trust nv life to
her accuracy; so do not be afraid"
With the obedience of servant Mr..
Western hurried from the room, and in a
few minutes more the sound of hOofs was
heard upon the ground as he gallOped of
himself to fetch the medicine.
In less than half an hour Mr.. Western
was back, to And that the poor child had
shown further signs of returning anima-
ton the horribly convulsed look had left
its cOuntenance, its breathing was more
regular, and already, with tears of graft
iude, the mother was whispering her
thanks. But Mr.. Ross only shook his
head, saying that the danger had been
STAYED off for awhile, and that it was
still imminent.
Then taking the medicine from lis
bearer he tasted, nodded his head in token
of satisfaction, and with his own hands
administered a apOrtion of it.
"Now, Mr.. Western" he said, tanning
the childs head as he spoke, 1--WE have
done all we can for the present, the rest
must follow, and all depends upon good
nursing. With your lady's consent, then,
we will divide that between us but feel
it to be my duty to tell you that the child
is in very great danger, and likely to be
for some time. What we have to do now,
is to try and make up for the waste of ma
ture that has already taken place"
Then followed instructions for prepar.
ing the juice of meat, arrowrOOt-that an
ample supply of brandy should be at
hand when, just as he was in the act of
administering 4 little in the arrOwroOt
the door opened, and in walked the great
practitioner, expressing great astOnish-
ment at seeing Mr. Ross there.
You here, sir" he exclaimed. "This
seems to be a most astounding breach of
professional etiquette. Perhaps you will
step with me into the next room"
"Mr. TOmpkins," exclaimed the father
angrily, al entrusted the life of my sick
child in your hands. You neglected that
trust-whether from ignorance or careless
ness will not say"
ooh, indeed % clustered the surgeon
lOudly,"l can see through the trick
charlatans and pretenders are always
waiting to seize their opportunity and
good heavens" he calculated, as if in
hOrror-"a dessert spoonful of strong
brandy to tender child like that"
Mr.. Ross turned upon MIN fiercely, but
recollected himself directly after, and
kneeling down by his little patient, he
proceeded to pour in the diluted spirit
drop by drop, between the parted lips,
watching eagerly the effect; every tiny
drop that trickled down seeming to
brighten the eye and give new life,
even as when the effect passed off the
eye grew dim, and the life seemed slowly
sinking away.
The old surgeon made some further re-
mark, but Mr.. Western sternly ordered
him to leave the room, when Mr.. Ross
rose from his knees.
81 could not speak before that man,
sir" he said, for he has heaped too many
insults on me since have been in Elder
by but | think that now, with careful
watching and treatment, there may be
some hope for the little one; and if you
would prefer that your old attendant
should take my place l will directly leave"
As Mr.. Ross spoke, his eye lighted for
an instant upon Mrs. Westerns face, in
which CONSERVATION was painted most
plainly, but her husband took the young
doctors hand, and in a broken voice said
something respecting gratitude. and
thanks, which he could net finish, for
worn out with watching and anxiety, he
sank into chair and wept like child.
Anxious hours followed, hfe appearing
to be sustained by the prescription admin
istered at intervals of ten and fifteen min
utes, and then the flame seemed To spring
up vigorously, but only to slowly decline
and then begin TO flicker and trcmble, as
if waiting for some stronger blast of air
than usual to extinguish it forever.
And so on at every qusrter-hour the lit
tie sufferer seemed to be snatched back,
as it were, from the hands of death-all
that night and again the next day and
during that space the young surgeon never
left the child's side. The next night he
lay down for few hours, but only to be
awakened at o'clock by the anxious
father who dreaded that some change for
the worse had taken place.
But the alarm was needless, though Mr.
Ross once more took up his place at the
side of the little cot, working necessarily
at his task with the earnestness of a man
whose soul was in his profession. No
night seemed too long, no watching toe
tedious, In his anxiety to get the better OF
the great enemy with whom he was con
tending. Ii he was away for ten minutes
he was restless To ret1rn. lest any change
should take place in his absen ce, and truly
it seemed that, but for the ipcessarit care