Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-05-28

think that babies are sickg They never
do unless the poor little things are far
gone with scarlet fever. cerebro-spinal
meningitis, or something dreadfully fatal
Let the child be teething, or have collie,
or wind on its little stomach, or anything
of that kind, and doctors never seem TO
feel interested in the patients case. They
say that the little things will "outgrow
it," or something OF that sort Now, that
is absurd.
/ put it to you, Mr.. Reader, as a man
of feeling. Suppose you had pain in
your person and were really suffering a
great deal, and doctor should come and
grin at you, chuck you under the chin,
pinch your legs, and say that you would
come out all right" or "outgrow it," or
something of that kind Would you like
that? Of course you would not. 1t would
not be natural.
Now / don't know why it should, but
our baby suffered great deal from alb
dominal trouble. Mother thinks he in
herits it; she says that all her children
were that way. think this a very salts.
factory explanation. Why shouldn't a
child inherit things of that kind just the
same as hair, teeth and things of that
sort? 1t looks reasonable 10 mother and
me- But somehow Pheegie don't seem to
think So
But, upon my word, l have written so
much that have but little space left to
tell you about little matter in our own
baby's tender experience which illustrates
how little doctors care for other peoples
children. Mother says she thinks they
get hardened. But one would think they
wouldn't l have been after the doctor
good deal for our own baby, but he
never seems to come with alacrity.
Mother generally tells me when TO go.
She thinks that one cannot show too
much care for child-it is such grave
responsibility. | think so, too. But
somehow Pheegie don't always seem to
think so. / wonder if she really does love
our own baby9 spoke to mother about
it the other night, and she said she hoped
so, for it was an awful thing TO throw
ones own child into the teeth of Provi-
dence; and / thought so, too.
But now | certainly must tell you what
happened the other night.
Our own baby was sick, and mother
wanted me to go for the doctor. PheegIe
didn't think there was any use in going
for him, but mother thought there was.
I1OWctGI, UuotuCI FIly UP
that the child was Iphigenia's. She said
that her solicitude sprang entirely and
only from love for the little one, but If
that affection was irksome to us we had
only to find her humble cot in some re-
tired spot, where she would pass her wild
owed days praying for her children and
their child, and thanking God that its
death did not lay at her door. Pheegie
-, - ~ .a,l GOOD
graciousm But | went out for the
doctor.
1t was not good night to 60. 1t was
one of those freely kind of nights when
the rain becomes ice on the pavement. 1t
was real hard work to go for the doctor.
II was impossible 10 run. i tried to walk
fast, but | slid and slipped and slipped
and slid. And then / would manage TO
catch hold Of fence, and my legs would
slide from under me, and would find my
face in precisely the contrary direction
from that in which i wanted to go. 1
tried the middle of the street, but it was
very little better, and when | tried TO get
back to the pavement l thought might
as well give up going. But, then! there
was our own baby perhaps at the point OF
death, and | fastened, slipped up, and
again.
1t must have taken me good halfhour
to reach the doctors house, and it only
half mile away from mine. However,
got there at last and rang the bell. /
rang several times.
Finally somebody opened window,
and masculine voice wanted TO know
who the mischief was, and a feminine
voice wanted to know if | was Horace"
/ was amazed and bewildered. The tone
of the masculine voice was not familiar
to my ear, and / could hardly account for
the feminine voice, as the doctor is
widower. But nevertheless asked if the
doctor was at home. At that the mascu-
line voice suggested that had better ring
the doctors door-bell and find out. II
certainly was very stupid Of me to make
the mistake. but was somewhat confused
after my difficult walk, and then was
nervous as thought OF our own baby at
home.
However, apologized and explained,
but while was doing 1t the parties at the
window slammed IL down. did not feel
called upon to make any further explana.
ton, but sprang up the doctors steps and
pulled his bell.
They seemed to be sleeping pretty
soundly in that block, for l had TO ring
four times before reused the doctor. He
opened second-story window at last,
and, after suggesting that If was trying
to pull off his bell-pull had better say so,
he asked who was The doctor is getting
old and peculiar; and then | don't sup
pose 1t is pleasant to- be called upon 10
answer bell at two o'clock In the morn.
ing. But, then, amt he paid for it?
However, overlooked the reference TO
the bell.pull, and said that / was +" me-"
"sMel' who the mischiefs mes' said
the doctor.
I supposed that he knew my voice; but
he alleged that he did not, and so | said
that "me" was Smith.
"Smith! what Smith :" says the doctor.
Now that was absurd / know that
the name of Smith is reasonable common I;
but the doctor needn't try to make out
that he has nobody but Smiths ON his
list Of patients.
However, I answered that | was It.
Adolphus Smith" And how like a fool
feltl Only think of having TO holler
out at. Adolphus Smith, at two O'Clock
in the morning. felt certain that some
body was listening at every window in
the block.
But the doctor, satisfied with whom /