The Portland daily press., 1872-05-15
A West Virginia Doctor.

The major presented me to Doctor Did,
wick, red-headed, suffering, eccentric in
dividual, who was going up toward Yeokem's
on professional tour, and would ride with
us. This was fortunate, as the road we
contemplated travelling was very obscure and
difficnlt, and the country not an agreeable
one to get lost in.
The doctor also counseled us to provide
against all contingencies on to-morrow's
journey; so we ordered our hostess TO have
prepared ham, sack of biscuit, and some
bottles OF cold tea-this last, by the way,
most excellent beverage for wayfaring people.
After supper, hearing mighty and contin-
uous humping in the direction Of the kitch-
en-, L thought it advisable to look in and give
some special directions about the biscuit,
which should be well beaten and thoroughly
baked to prevent their getting mouldy.
Opening door, l stepped out ON the back
porch, and to my astonishment caught the
doctor pelting and pounding at batch of
dough. The dough looked rather dark, to be
sure, and the doctor slightly embarrassed
but, not to be ceremonious, / said:
Really, doctor, this is very consderate in
you to make the biscuit for us yourself" q
What b-b-b-biscuit ?" he suffered, sur
prised and offended 'Go to the c-c-c-cook-
Tn making blue pills for my patients to-mor-
row." -
Ii SAO hdhAC VI 6ESCuldpluS, now MANY
do you want at time? ?' 1tt
oh said he "a p-p-p-peck, more or less.
Practic in these mountains is different from
your city practice. 1 make my rounds only
once month, and it takes a weeks riding to
go through, so that have to provision for a
whole district to last until come again.
In the morning we were on the road be-
times, all in fine spirits except Cockney, who
was little sore from yesterdays ride, but
did his best not to mind it.
Inc country was wild and rugged enough,
but more populous than we had imagined.
Inc doctor called at every house, and at his
familiar halloo all the inmates, from the hob
Ding centenarian to the toddlng yearling.
locked out to greet him. He inquired after
their welfare, physical and moral in a most
kind and fatherly manner, naming such as
had been ailing at his last visit. Having an
dited all their complaints, he would leave one
or two teacupfuls of pills and ride on. Some
times he took the trouble to dismount and
enter the cabin Of some bedridden patient: at
others he would simply inquire concerning
family living far back in the woods, and leave
measure OF pills to be sent over next Sun-
day. Occasionally he had the luck to meet a
customer on the road, and delivered his
monthly allowance ON the spot. The doctor
was evidently honored and beloved by the
whole country, and consulted on all questions
en"o "AooC, III law, agriculture, or politics.
he was sturdy Democrat, and dispensed
gratuitous opinions on this subject as freely
as he did his blue pills. He suffered sarcas-
tically against medical quacks, and thought
the laws were not sufficiently severe against
them. Some years ago so-called herb doc
tor came poaching upon his domain, and
was great grief of mind to him. The fellow
was civil and would not quarrel, but secretly
undermining the regular practitioner, was
getting all his patients, and running the health
of the district.
The interloper had two weaknesses-he
was fond of backgammon, and hated snakes
Didiwick cared no more for snakes than he
did for fishing worms, so he took all opportu-
mites to bedevil his rival with practical jokes
in which serpents played leading part.
One day he challenged the herb doctor to a
game of backgammon. Pleased with the un-
usual civility, he accepted, and seated himself
at the table where the ebox lay closed before
him. The tavern loungers, aware that some
thing was up, gathered round to witness the
game. Isfs
''Set the board, DOCTOR" said Didiwick,
"while go to order two juleps."
The doctor opened the board, and a six-foot
black snake leaped out into his face. He
fed, and returned no more.
"And so got rid of the cussed humbug be-
fore he killed off my whole district. ."-Porte
Crayon, in Harper's Magazine for Nay