The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-03-13
EeHER.
Toosh-FunIns pi.s..sd Of it. Ts.ror..


married womaH. whose tin wedding is
already a tlliss OF the past, around
whose knee eIus er dear olive branches,
and in whose caHs the silver threads are
fast outnumbe5ng the brown ones-I
have lately fallA desperately IN love.
I viii make a clan breast of it. The
name of the lat object Of my idolatry
is-Ether.
For more thar a year I have said to
myself almost dlery day, I must have
ont my upper fdsth and get a new set. -
Time and again have I appointed my
painful visit to tle dentist, and as often
has something iutervened to prevent.
Yet, as week agar week my old teeth
broke, and erunoled, and fell away, I
felt the unwisdm Of proeastination
And still, as moaals viii, I proerasti-
mated. Saith tn eountry parsons, by
the make Of Il s1siverse, every duty
delayed groes .eulk, and weight, and
painful pressure He might hsve
added Cbut lie di1nT,) 90 this is pre-emi-
nently true OF totb that ought to be
pulled.
I took a SUDDEN resolve, the other
evening, to go thk next day and have
the thing done Aept en- it over night,
and rose in the morning more bravely
determined than ever. After eating
hearty breakfast. With the innate con
sciousness that, i I carried out my
plans, it was the last meal I should
really enjoy for many days, I arranged
my room rs for a hospital, shut up the
organ and sewing machine with pre-
monition that reither music nor sewing
would haze any charms for me on my
return, and, with a " gudeman as es-
cort, set my face as a flint toward the
dentists. We are assembled at length
in solemn conclave at the dentists Office.
There is the family physician, whose
face is that of a dear friend from its as
sociation with pain relieved and sickness
ministered unto, and no less dear be
cause we sadly remember those whom
his best efforts failed to save there is
the little, resolute dentist and his sensi-
BILE, lovely wife there is the "gude-
man, and there is poor nervous me,
my courage fast oozing out at my finger
tips. in this room so forcibly reminding
one Of a torture-chamber of the inquisi-
ton, with its wieked-looking instru-
ments and glass Jars Of teeth. Thew all
see and feel that my teeth are q very
bad set to pull, and if they don't say it,
7 see it in their looks, and know they
only refrain to encourage me. For ont
of all the sixteen molars, grinders, Gus
pids, bicuspids aud whatnot that once
adorned my upper jaw, only two things
remain that can be called teeth, though
none have ever been drawn. The rest
are stumps and must be dug out.
either or chloroform ?" is the ques-
ton.
% Ether, advises the dentist, as be.
| ing the safe-thins.
"'Ether." echoes the doctor present
{ at my request, - ,s,tmin1star 1t.
| 1 sit down in the great red velvet
/ chair and look upon the beautiful world
/ without, while they prepare the bag
and sponge, and lint, and Instruments
! It is q strange telling to know you are
| going to sleep so soundly that you vii
not rouse. even under torture. 1 feel {
sense of nervous depression. It reminds
me of the last long sleep, and I feel at
I ought to bid them all good-by. It il
a comfort to hear the doctors assurance
''we will take care of you, and to fee
his finger on my pulse as I commences
inhaling the ether. He VIII see that al
is right.
How that ether tingles to the very
tips of my fl gers and toes. There is (
choking sensation, too, at first, very un
pleasant, and I can seem to hear m.
heart beating in great, loud thumps
I.But the doctors finger Is on my pulls
and he viii know if anything is amiss
| do not seem to grow at all sleepy
never was wider awake in my life
though keen my eyes persistent,
closed, and try to drop off, knowing
they all stand waiting. It occurs to m
that they viii have to wait longer thai
they dream of.
''You must remember to open you
mouth when they tell you, says tn
doctor, giving me new supply O
ether I inhaIe again, pondering how
shall know enough to open my mouth
when am wholly insensible.
But there are no signs Of that yet.
am still wide awake and know all tina
, is said and done. The doctor says th
room is gettigg warm, and some ON
opens door. Then the fire makes sue
a strange. snspping sound, wonder Il
one speaks Of It. think they are tire
: of waiting for the ether to overpowe
me, or else the lovely day is too stron
t a temptation; for soon, hardly kno
J at whose suggestion, we all so off for
sIeigh-ride. save the dentist, who mus
2 remain r. win on possible customer
you know.
What q glorious ride it is the brigl
t blue sky, the bllmy air. and the best
= sIeirhinr all combine to make 1t plea
ant. We ere all IN one great sleigl
= with such noble horses, and 9th
+, friends join us here and there, so OF
t company Is large and merry one. "
S dash through busy streets and pa
lonely farm-houses, along the margin
q ice-bound rivers, and anon our bel
e echo checrily through some evergre'
IS forest, and al the while, with song al
y Jest and merry l:-aghter, the time spec
along. But am no nearer gettil
-asleep than ever, and have about co
II cluded it was a mistaken experiment
try to put me to sleep with ether. Tn
VIII have to try clloroform yet, safe
e unsafe.
a After hours of>~pleasant riding, !
q drive at length into the familiar hon
~ street, to go to the dentists for anoth
oi attempt; but there IS some kind Of
n gathering a. the hall, SO Ven stop the
as first,
=. It Is sort of mammoth sociahl
y everybody is there. al lively and hapI