Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-03-28
Mnmuruus department,
GOOD STORY OF STEPHENS ANDTOOMBS.

A doctor named Royston had sued Peter
Bennett for his bill, long overdue, for attend.
ing the wife of the latter. Alexander II
Stephens was on the Bennett side, and Robert
Toombs, then Senator of the United States
was for DR.. Royston. The doctor proved the
number of his visits, their value according
to local custom, and his own authority to do
medical practice. Mr.. Stephens told his eli
ent that the physician had made out his case
and as there was nothing wherewith to rebut
or Offset the claim. the only thing left to dc
was to pay it. NO." said Peter, II hired
you to speak in my case, and now speak"
Mr.. Stephens told him there was nothing
to say; be had looked on to see that it was
made out, and it was.
Peter was obstinate, and at last Mr.. Ste
phens told him to make speech himself, il
he thought one could be made.
II will" said Peter Bennett, eff Bobby
Toombs won't be too hard on me-"
Senator Toombs promised, and Peter began;
"Gentlsmen of the jury-You and lis pis::a
farmers, and if we don't stick together, these
ERE lawyers and doctors will git the advan.
tage of US. amt no lawyer nor doctor, and
amt no objections to them in their proper
place; but they amt farmers, gentlemen OF
the jury.
"Now, this man Royston was new doctor,
and I went for him to come and to doctor my
wife's sore leg. And he come an put some
salve truck onto it and some rags, but never
done it one bit of good, gentlemen ofthejury
I don't believe he is no doctor, no way
There is doctors, as is doctors, sure enough
but this man don't earn his money; and il
you send for him, as Mrs. Sarah Atkinson did
for negro boy as was worth $1,000, he just
kills him and wants pay for it."
II DON'T" thundersd the doctor.
"Did you cure him ?" asked Peter, with the
slow accents of a judge with the black cap on
The doctor was silent, and Peter proceed
ed:-
Gas I was sayin', gentlemen of the jury, we
farmers, when we sell our cotton, has got to
give vally for the money we ask, and doctors
amt none too good to be put to the same rule
And I don't believe this Sam Royston is nc
doctor, nohow."
The physician again put in his oar with
"Look at my diploma, if you think 1 am nc
Doctor"
"His diplomat p exclaimed the new-hedged
orator, with great contempt. "His diploma
gentlemen; that is big word for printed sheep
skin, and it didn't make no doctor of the
sheep as first wore it, nor does it of the man
as now carries it. A good newspaper has
more in it, and I pint out to ye that he amt
no doctor at all"
The man of medicine was now in fury
and screamed out "Ask my patients if am
not doctorV
II asked my wife," retorted Peter, can she
said as how she thought you wasn't"
"Ask my other patients" said Doctor Roys
ton.
This seemed to be the straw that broke the
camel's back, for Peter replied with look and
tone of unutterable sadness:
THAT is hard sayin', gentlemen Of the
Jury, and one that requires me to die or to
have powers as I've hearn tell ceased to be ex'
ercised since the Apostles. Does he expect
me to bring the Angel Gabriel down to toet
his horn before his time and cry aloud, Awake
We dead, and tell this court and jury your
opinion of Royston's practice2 Am | to 60 to
the lonely churchyard and rap on the silent
tomb, and say to um as is at last at rest from
physic and doctor.bills, "Git up here, you,
and state if you died natural death, or was
hurried up some by doctors? He says ask
his patients and, gentlemen of the jury, they
arc au doad = Where ia Mrs. Beazly's man,
Sam? Go ask the worms in the graveyard
where he lies Mr.. Peake's woman, Sarah, was
attended by him, and her funeral was ap'
p'inted, and he had the corpse ready. Where
is that likely Bill as belonged to Mr.. Mitchell
Now in glory a'expressin' his opinion on
Royston's doctorin. Where is that baby gal
of Harry Stephens? She are where doctors
cease from troublin' and the infants are at
rest.
Gentlemen of the jury, he has ct chicken
enough at my house to pay for his salve, and
| furnished the rags, and I don't suppose he
charges for maxim of her worse, and even he
don't pretend to charge for curin' of her, and
1 am humbly thankful that he never gave
her notbin' for her inwards, as he did his other
patients, for somethin' made all die mighty
sudden"
Here the applause made the speaker sit
down in great confusion, and in spite of a
logical restatement of the case by Senator
Toombs, the doctor lost and Peter Bennett
won.-Neu York World.