The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-10-17

told Dr. Smith" said he, mot to fool
around that there leg, l said you may
mean well. Doctor, but you don't under
stand legs DIR. Brown does, and the
way he's fixed up this leg is great com
fort to me. But Dr. Smith, he just swore
a spell, and then he ripped off the mud
and put the splints on again. 1t ain
my fault, SO far as | can see.
DR.. Brown did not pay much attention
to these remarks, but busted himself in
removing the splints and replastering the
leg with clay This done, he lectured
Mr.. Moore on the necessity Of instantly
ordering DR.. Smith out of the house in
case he should again enter it, and, once
more elated at having baffied a regular
practitioner, departed, leaving Mr. Moore
in very depressed frame of mind. Two
hours later, Dr. Smith called, and when
Mr.. Moore began to explain that Dir.
Brown had meddled with the leg in
spite of his earnest protest, cut him short
by declaring that he did not believe a
word of it, but that Mr.. Moore had not
''spunk' enough to say that his soul was
his own. Once more the splints were
replaced, once more Mr. Moore was warn
ed of the folly OF listening to quacks, and
once more Dr. Smith went down to the
Montezuma and drank up the balance of
the leg.
At o'clock in the afternoon he went
stealthily to Mr.. Moore's house, and, as
he expected, caught his rival in the very
act of removing the splints. The discus
sion that followed was a lively one. DR..
Smith told DR.. Brown that he was mis-
cradle quack, and Dr.. Brown retaliated
by saying that Dr. Smith was a ridiculous
old idiot To each of these propositions
Mr.. Moore remarked: "Certingly, that's
very true and other words to the same
effect. Finally Dr.. Smith announced
that in order to prevent any further in,
tererence on the part o quacks he should
proceed to amputate the leg. DR.. Brown
said that amputation was what he might
have expected that an ignorant butcher
would undertake, but that he did not be-
lieve that Mr. Moore would consent to
the operation. On being appealed to,
that preposterous person aveded com
mitting himself on the question. "Hev
it your own way, gentlemen, he remark
ed suit yourselves. and you'll suit me.
Whereupon DR. Smith went home for
his surgical instruments, leaving, for the
moment, his adversary in the possession
OF the field
There was yet one way to thwart DR..
Smith. If DIR. Brown could amputate
the leg before DR.. Smith returned with
his instruments, the latter would be
hopelessly beaten. / did not take him
long to find a hatchet razor, and q
small saw in the house. and with them
Dr.. Brown was about to begin the opera
ton, when young Mr. Moore fortunately
arrived and threw Dr. Brown out Of the
window. When DR.. Smith came he was
soon appeascd, and consented to abstain
from amputating the leg. Old Mr.. Moore's
trDD hi os. ypopa YoDyv ayApI in tho
protection of his son, he is no longer a
prey to rival doctors, and there is at last
fair prospect that his leg will be repair
ed. There is no doubt that the old man
does lack decision of character, and, had
it not been for his sons timely return,
this defect would have cost him one, and
perhaps both, of his legs; for there is a
strong probability that, had DR.. Brown
amputated one leg, Dr.. Smith would have
amputated the other sooner than permit
his rival to triumph over him.