Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-05-02
A Good Story Of Stephens and Toombs

"A 0VVO 0tVAy Va 0SSSeSe~
A dsctor named Royston had sued Peter
Bcunstt for his bill, long overdue, for A.
tending the wife OF the latter. Abexandss
II. Stephens was on the Bennett side. anc
Robert ToOmbs, then Senator OF the Cnneo
States. was for DIR. Royston. Tue doctof
proved the number OF his visits, their value
according 70 local custom, and his own au-
thority to do medical practice. Mr. Ste
Dhens told his client that the ply ysician had
made out his case, and ~ there WAS moth
Ing wherswtfh TO rebut or OBJECT the claim,
the only thing LEFT was to pay II. "No,"
said Peter, Il hired you TO speak In my
cSse, aud now speak"
NJ. Stephens told him there was nothing
To gay; be hal looked on TO see that The
case was made out, and It was.
Peter Was obstinate, and A. last Mr.. Ste
phens told him TO make . speech himself,
II hs thoux ht ono could be made.
II will" said Peter Bsunets, "h Bobby
Toomhs wont BE- too hard on me-.
Senator Toombs promised, and f'eter b.
gan:
"Gentlemen Of the Jury You and l Is
plain farmers. and II we don't stick toysth-
er, these ere lawyers and doctors VIII gil
the advantage Of ". l amt no lawyer nor
doctor. xsd l amt no objections TO them 10
their proper place; but they amt farmers.
gentlemen ef the jury.
Now, this man Roystou was new doc.
tor, and went for him TO come and doctor
my wife's sore leg. And he cone and put
some salve truck onto it and some rags.
but never done It one bit Of good, gentle
,nen OF the Jury. don't believe he Is no
doctor, no way. There 10 doctors, ass
doctors. sure enough, bat this man don't
earn his money; and II you send for him,
% Mrs. Sarah Atkinson did. for negro
boy a. was worth $1,000, he Just kills him.
and wants pay for IT.
II dou't!- thunde rcd the doctor.
"Dtd you cure htmr' asked Peter, with
the slow accents Of judge with the black
cap on.
ceeded -
"AsI WAS sayin', gentlemen Of the jury.
We farmers, when we sell our cotton, has
got 10 give valley for the money we ask,
and doctors ain't none too good to be put
TO the same rule. And don't believe this
Sam Roy son Is . doctor, nohow.
The physician again put In his oar with,
Look at my diploma, You think amino
Doctor"
His diploma !" exclaimed the new nedg-
ed orator. with great contempt. "his d.
ploma, gentlemen; that 10 big word for
printed sheep skin. and IL didn't make no
doctor OF the sheep as first wore It, moi
does IL of the man Is now carries k. A
good newspaper has more In II, and pint
out TO ye he amt no doctor at al"
The man OF medicines was no= In fury
and screamed out:
Ask my patients II am not doctor !"
II asked my wife," retortsd Peter, land
she said as how she thought you wasn't
ASK my other patients" said doctor
Royston.
This seemed 10 be the straw that broke
the camers back, for Peter replied with
look and tone OF unutterabl sadness:
That is . hard sAyin' gentlemen OF the
Jury, and one thai requires me 70 die or te
have powers AZ I've hearn tell ceased TO b
exercised since the Apostles. Does he ex
pect me TO bring the A0Gel Gabriel dowr
To toot his horn before his time and cr]
aloud, Awake. ye dead. and tell this eour
and Jury your opinion OF Royston's prac
ticel' Am TO 90 TO the lonely churchyare
aud rap on the silent tomb, and say to uH
a. Is at last at rest from physic and doctor
bills. 'Git up here. you, and state II yo'
died y naiugai death, or was hurried vi
some by doctors He says ask his patients
and, gentlemen Of the Jury, they are al
NSfu w mere ptaLiy hohs Soeh
Go ask the worms In the graveyard, wher'
be lies. Mr.. Peake's woman, Sarah, wa
attended by him, and her funeral was ap
pinted, and he had the corpse ready
Where is that likely Bill, Is belonged &
Mr.. MITCHELL Now In glory q expressin
his opinion on Royston's doctoring. Where
Is that baby gal OF Harry Stephens She
are where the doctors cease from troubln
and the. infants are At rest.
"Gentlemen OF the jury, he has ct chick
en- enough at my house to pay for his
salve; and don't suppose he charges fol
maxim OF her worse, and even he don't pre-
tend to charge for curin' OF her, and an
humbly thankful that he never gave heI
nothing for her inwards, as he did his othel
patients. for somethin' made all die mighty
sudden-''
Here the applause made the speaker 81
down. in great confusion, and in spite OF
logical restAtement OF the case BY Senator
Toombs, the doctor lost, and Peter Bennet
won.