The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-07-08
Pulling Teeth.

IT will not be difficult for old or young
to 90 back in Imagination to the critical
period of losing the first teeth. So it will
not be hard to imagine our scvcn-ycar-old
Ncwtic making the rounds of the house
with an ominous string hanging from his
mouth, to which he gives occasional care
full Jerks Mamma said:
"Newtie, that tooth must come out, or
the second will grow distorted and your
mouth will be disfigured all your lite.'
He could not be coaXcd or hired to let
mamma give pull. So the matter rested
for several days. Mamma had forgotten
about it until seeing him with his fingers
in his mouth reminded her.
Then commenced the sport. He was
persuaded to have the string tied on, with
promises that no one should pull without
his consent.
Mamma told him he must keep at work
at it and loosen it more. Uncle Charley
suggested that he should get upon the
wood-house, tie the string to IA good strong
nail, and jump off,
:" No sirecr' was Ncwtc's emphatic an
swcr.
Aunt Fanny thought the piano-box in
the yard would do just as well. 1t was un-
der tree; he could tie his string to Il
limb, then jump. All laughed heartily,
Newtic joining in in spite of his expected
martyrdom.
Papa said he knew Of a very ctfcctual
way. He would speak from experience.
He had tried it. 1t was this:
"Sit down in front of an old-tashioncd
fireplace, where cheerful fire is crack
ling and sparkling up the chimncy-this
modern CRATE might do-tic your string TO
one Of the andirons Look intently into
the fire, and before you know it your tooth
is out"
We all wondered and did not see the
point.
"A little water is necessary" added
papa, slyly.
The mystery darkencd.
"You all look incredulOus, but | assure
you this was quite fashionable in New
England when | was boy"
Papa whispered to mamma: g When the
patient is apparently lost in thought the
water is dashed into the face, and the
tooth is very sure to be found hanging on
the andiron."
"Oh, that would be too bad" laughed
mamma.
When all had enjoyed the secret man.
ma said:
"Newtie, if I were you I'd go away by
myself and keep at work at that stubborn
tooth until I got ii out, and surprise every
body"
Newtie went out of the room jerking
the string He found his way to the kitch-
en- and told Jennie, the houscmaid, his
troubles.
Papa said l could tic it to the CRATE in
the parlor, as we haven't any andirons.
How do you think fiatiron'd do?" he
said, spying them on the wall.
Il think that'd do first-rate," laughed
Jennie. So he got one and tied his string
to it.
I'm going to see ifI can draw the iron
with my TOOTH" and he got down on his
hands and knees. Sure enough the little
peg held on and dragged the iron across
the kitchen floor.
Newtie got up on his feet now with the
iron in his hands.
Jennie" he said, "do you s'pose my
tooth would let the iron hang on it,"
Maybe; I'd try it."
Newtie let go. The iron dashed to the
floor.
"String's broke, strings broke" cried
Newtie; then, finding his mouth was filling
with blood, Why, what's the matter?"
and ran for water.
"The matter is your tooth's hanging to
the iron instead of the iron hanging to
your TOOTH" laughed Jennie, picking them
up.
Newtie grabbed them and ran to thepar-
lor shouting
| "Its flatiron instead Of an andiron;
that's all the difference, papa" Squsd
Scotch, )" IN Hearth and Home