The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-12-30
No Small Doses.

had gardner when | was still yo,ln.
man, an old soldier, William Finlay Inc
q picked up somehow Il great deal of
; very graphic language, which he used freely
! upon the ordinary occasions of life. lie
came to me and said:
'lm bad all over, inside and out, want
you to give me some physic. They tell
me you've got Il medicine chest, and book
as belongs to it,
"Wcll," said |, 81 have. Wha, will
you tale?"
''Some rhubarb.'
"Ill look in the book, said, ''ard sec
how much" Now, the book has I have
it still, with the cllcst---at least my wife
has, for | carefully made her a wedding
present of bolh) at the beginning a table of
doses, quite an incxcusabc snarc, think,
to simple people. 1t is constructed on a
Hypothetical principle, eff TO an adult, IL
dram, 50 much to other ages The hypo.
thctlcal part escaped me; an adult, q dram
a dram, that's sixty grains ninety grains
II all, got a half sheet Of Il newspaper,
put it on the dining table, and mixed it up.
1t looked good deal. But sad 10 my
self, Must be all right, here's the book /;
Finlays an adult. tic was over seventy.
SO rang the bell.
you all right
81 be to take all that2"
eyes, that's just what the book says;
small doses are foolish things"
''All right" says he.
Then began to encourage him, NOW,
finlay, you're not very we'll don't try TO
10 any work to-day; 20 home, keep your
sell warm. and tell your wife to mix it up
INotp al t,,,, i,
you'll feel much better in the morning. /
should, if were you, take il ut once.
''All right" said he.
Poor man, his confidence in me had no
limits. thought no more about it until
next morning; my conscience was quite
easy; l had done n wise and kind thing :;
L had made good use Of my dear mothers
gift.
While was dressing in the morning,
looked out of the window, and there was
tinlay standing between me and the gar
den wall lie looked, SO to speak, sllad-
owy, almost ghosily; the WALL as ii were,
was visible through him; but, rs It was
daylight, wasn't afraid.
'liopc you're better this morning; glad
to think you must be, Or you would not
have come up
'Well, said he, 81 be a trlllc better"
"Ah!' | said, 'I thought SO; you took
your physic, of coursc?"
"Why, didn't you tell me TO take it :?
I'll tell you all about it. | goes home to
my wife and says, "rhcrc, you mix that
up; mind, not much water. Lord sakcn
she said. you be not gong to take ill that :;
why, i, would kill horse and IL cow. )
you foolish woman, hold our tongue :;
go and do as | bid you. Master got Il
book, and knows ~ sIghi nu.4 ;i,,n y,,n.
SO she goes and mikes up in slop basin.
and brings it back with Il spoon standing in
the middle"
AT this part of his report began to have
misgivingS. lie went on:
81 got him down--but il was tough
job--and goes to bed
| draw Il veil over what followed
reclcd about with laughter, struggling to
look sympathetic, but my misgivings III
creased Ills exact account OF what had
bcfallcn him during the night took down
just as it came out of his mouth. | shall
be happy ytocommunicatci iDsiSSin,is rc,.bis
to anybody who may like to complete The
tale.
"Wc!l," said, as soon as could steady
my voice, ''go into the kitchen and have
some nice warm breakfast, and wen see
/ "i'tte 10 w VIC ti)lC. jCNl. lluIl ul llOuT
, later / was on the way TO OXfordas fast as !
could go, and went TO my dear friend, DR..
| Wootton. In the course Of conversation |
asked him i'll kind of careless way about
rhubar3, as guide for any parochial prac-
| ticc.
| ''Wcll," he said, OTIS fine medicine,
and give good doses of It,.
Yes; what is good dose"
! Eighteen grams is qnitc enough for
! anybody"
"Eightccn grains!" said, "why, gave
man sixty yesterday, and thirty of magnc-
sia."
! lie opened his great eyes and said, 'Ts
he very old?"
eyes, over seventy"
''rhcn perhaps he won't die. Go home
rs fast as you can, and pour in porter and
port wine"