The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1879-10-16
For the Marietta journal
A DOCTORS MIDNIGar CALL.

! at my own uuOl, blteI H@lu uN9
toll. With what feeling of relaxa-
ton did | divest my feet of heavy
boots, act them smoking at the fire,
and then regale them in easy slip
pers. Now" said |, "the labors
of the day are over. A storm is
brewing out of doors. | hope 40
body will come tonight If they do,
| wont go. Let them go aitor Bo-
gardus. | won't immediate myself
for any body. 1t is unreasonable.
With that pulled down my ledg
er and made note of the days WIS.,
its, one half of which was to poor
houses and negro huts, As to this
class, they loved me like brother,
and their confidence in me was UNI
bounded. They sent for me if their
bones ached or their corns hurt
them, and | went though | had oc>
casion to scold them sometimes. Be-
fore retiring for the night | opeuod
the outer door, as was my custom,
to see the state of the weather. 1t
was tremendous night. The moon
shone palely, but the wind blew a
hurricane. 1t rained, it hailed, it
showed, it blowed. | thought again
of the poor, the houseless, and uh-
protected, and with silent prayer
for them, closed tho door, and went
to bed. | had just recovered from
the shivering sensation of cold sheets,
and become conscious of grateful
warmth, and sound sleep soon begun
to steal over me when there came
following, impatienlly repeated,
enough to awaken tho dead, "Bless
me !" | groaned out, crawling out of
the bed, lifting the sash, "what do
you want ?" doctor, want you to
come straight away to Suggs. His
child's dead" "Then why do you
como ~ "He's pisened. They gin
him laudnum fur paregoricky."-
'How much have they given him ?
'Dono. A good deal. Think he
won't get over it when did they
give it to him 2 This afternoon.
Why didn't you come sooner p
How do you think | am to go two
miles on such night 2 Have you
brought a wagon p mo- Then
wont go. Tell them to-'and hav-
ing prescribed hastily out of the
window, | closed the sash, and went
back to bed. But the bowling wind
and rafting sleot against the panes
had not that soothing effect which
they have to one who lies snug and
warm and irresponsible in his couch.
what, said |, IF that child should
die through my neglect Will it
absoIve me from criminality because
the parents are poor? | will go,
must With that leaped out
again, kindIed match, and went
down into my office. Not wishing
to disturb my old horse who was
eating his oats and housed for the
night. took my stick and set out
to walk. The snow water went
through my shoes like seive, my
neck and BOSOM were instantly
covered with sleet Nevertheless |
had some humorous thoughts while
breasting the storm, and composed a
latin distich by the way, had just
got the last foot Of the pentameter
correct, when my foot struck against
something which looked like a black
log. On scrutiny, by the light Of
the moon | found it to be my old
patient, Tom Mo, apparently
sound asleep, with his beloved rum'
Jug by his side. In vain | shook
him, to make him aware of his sit
uation, and see if the spirit left had
his body.
shook the rum jug, but there
was no spirit there, not a drop
Tommy said |, wake up No
answer. | then kicked him, but he
bore it as if he had been used to
kicks. He is dead, said l., and
passed on to the next house. There
while opening the gate, | was fierce
ly attacked by stout bull dog, and
while keeping him off and fighting
my way up to the house, the master
came out in his night shirt with gun.
Don't you know me- l said, as
he examined the printing 1T is the
Doctor Souls alive responded
he; Il thought it was q thief. I'm
glad you spoke when you did. In a
minute more | should have popped
you over, Doc. Sorry to do that
My son Johns got the fever>aig. -
Here, Bull, Bull, Bull
Tom Nc said |, is lying out
in the lane, DRINK or dead, | don't
know which dead drunk, at any
rate. He must be looked after
wait till | put on my breaches
/ What a wonderful night Won't
you come in and get warm 2 No,
get On your breeche8 and make
haste 'Guy when | frat heerd
you, | thought it was Lawrence
coming to break house. He's a
desput Teller. So gets up and
looks out Of the window, and then |
went into the corner to fnd my, and
if / didn't Come, come do you
want to get the rheumatic? No, /
don't. Hold on, Doc ; be down in
one minute
We returned to CONCEALED Nc.
My coadjutor took up the jug, shook
Il and said. Not a drop He then