The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-05-11
Chinese TQOthache,

Hap-Swap, Chinese washerman at
No 81 Michigan avenue, awoke the 9TH
er night from his bright dream, and ut
tered a cry which was heard across the
street.
He is getting along in age, and the
toothache had come skulking down up
on him in that soft, SLY way peculiar to
nothing else. He stuffed the sheet into
his mouth, pried around the tooth with
a hair-pin, and drew the clothes over his
head, and tried to.remember all the dogs
and rats he had ever eaten, but it was no
go. The polar wave had worked itself
under a double tooth, and Hap Swap was
seen dancing before the uncurtained
windows at midnight, and doubling him.
self up in the shape of O's, SIS and DIS.
All day Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday he roamed up ana down,
groaning and signing, and the shirts of
his customers hung against the battered
walls, neglected and forgotten. Such
nights as Hap Swap put in were enough
to turn his hair gray. He sat BY his red
hot stove, got into bed, got out, walked
around, yet there was no rest for him.
Yesterday morning grocer advised
him to 60 to dentists and secare re-
lief,and the Chinaman put on his hat and
followed boy to tooth puller's. He
was as brave as lion, aai he jumped
into the chair, leaned his head back, and
cried:
"Come alongee-pull 'em quick"
"I'll have that out in York minute"
replied the dentist, getting his tools to
gether.
''TIake a sting! Take sting p
cried the Chinaman as he rose up and
caught sight of the tools.
"We don't pull teeth with string in
this country" was the reply. You just
hold still for minute and you'll be all
right"
Hap-Swap fell back with groan, shut
his teeth hard, and it took five minutes
of soft talk to make him open his jaws.
The dentist then inserted lance to cut
around the tooth, but at the first dig the
patient slid over the arm of the chair to
the floor, shouting:
"Hap Swap stabbed in the mouth
ooh oosh!'
! The dentist explained to him that the
cutting would make the tooth pull easier,
but as he talked a soft and beautiful
smile stole over the Chnaman's face, ,and
he said: a
|
"Toothache a.le gone-alle gone
away!'
He skipped around the Office and bolt.
ed down stairs. but as soon as the cold
air struck it, he uttered yell and came
back on the bound, ,leaped into the chair,
and exclaimed:
"Git him out, quick!'
! The dentist went to put in the forceps,
but John grabbed them, sat up and
begged that he might stand up to have
the tooth pulled,
eff you want that tooth out you must
stop fooling and lean back" replied the
impatient doctor.
Hap-Swap opened his mouth, but be
fore the forceps could reach the tooth he
sat up again, and said:
"Tlake stling-put him right around
pull hard!'
81 can't use string. Come! lean
right back!''
Hap-Swap leant back, opened his
mouth until hat would hardly have
covered it,but snapped his jaws together
the next instant,and begged:
"Git something-tie up his eyes so he
can't see it hurt !'
The dentist blindfolded the man witt
a towel, got his mouth open, and the for
ceps at last clasped the tooth. Hap
Swap began to move around, but with :
sudden pull the tooth was brought ou
on the gallop.
"W.o.s-h-ou s-hr howled the Chi
naman, as he danced around, land as soor
as the towel was removed, he grabbed
the tooth and his hat, went down stairs
with whoop, and as he ran up the ave
nue. he held the molar up to everybody
gaze, and cried out:
"Joop! Who's afraid to have h,
tooth pulled ?''-DetroH Free Press.