Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-04-02


Il do think it is too ridiculous Of you
to be sen".ng for poor Uncle Zalman
every ache and pain that you have;
and so hard as he has to work, too!'
| a groan was the only reply.
"Now, don't lie there, and groan in
that senseless sort of way" said Han
nah, undoing the layers of the black
and-green shepherd-plaid shawl. "Be
cause you know it won't do a bit Of
good. l don't want to be cross with
you, but"
"8.ess me, Hammer Digby, is that
you?" said a voice behind her. and
here entered on the scene a stout,
short old lady, with adouble chin over
tapping her brown cap-rbbOns, and a
candle in her hand---none other than
Mrs. Kcsley herself. "Why where's
the dOctor?'
"lIc couldn't comc,' said Hannah,
cIisply. "Ie sent me-
"Wcll never" said Mrs. Kesley.
"Who is-that?" said Hannah, with
quick inclination of her head toward
the prone figure tossing to and fro on
the lounge.
"lts my husbands nephew from
York state" said Mrs. Kesley--"Law-
renee Neville. Larry we've always
called him, for short. Stopped here on
his way to Concord, and was taken sick.
ooh, what shall l do?" involuntarily
exclaimed poor Hannah, clasping her
hands. "And | have been scolding
him like all Billingsgate"
"Eh:' said Mrs. Kesley, upon whom
the classic allusion was lost ITS
fever, | calculate, Or p'raps measles
| don't remember that Larry ever had
the measles as child
"What will he think?" said Hannah,
dc3pairingly.
LA he don't sense a word you say
said the old lady. lies as crazy as Il
cricket"
Hannah went up to the side of the
lounge.
"IIold the candle, Mrs. Kesley," said
she, as she laid her light, cool hand on
the feyered brow, and felt the bound
ing pulse.
"Why, you don't know nothin Of
doctorin', do you?' said Mrs. Kesley,
in amazement.
Don't l, though" said Hannah,
who had, in very truth, CLEANED many
Il pathological experience among her
uncle's poor patients. This is nothing
more than heavy cold, Mrs. Kcsley,
accompanied with slight sympathetic
fever"
Lar said the old lady, again
"Let his feet be soaked in hot mus
tard-water, and kept warm by water
jugs" said Hannah, authoritatively.
Give him nine drops Of the contents
Of this vial, once in two hours. Use
every effort to throw HIM into a pro-
fuse perspiration."
Folks used to steam themselves
over a tea kettle when l was a GAL
sail Mrs. Kesley.
"Ah," said Hannah. that was the
old system"
LA" again repeated Mrs. Kesley,
"But," calmly added Hannah. 1--WE
have improved upon all that now.
Youth be sure and not forget the mint
drops, Mrs. Kesley? The pulse is fre-
quent, but not a!armingly so. think
should recommend cold-water
handages arounl the throat aud on the
forehead. And be sure he is kept very
warm, How strangely he looks at me,
You are quite sure, Mrs Kesley, that
he is delirious:'
Gas crazy as a--croton-bug" repeat
ed Mrs kesley, rather at loss for
a comparison, and remembering a pc
culiar variety of an insect which she
had known as n New York housekeep- |
er thirty years ago.
"Now he is shutting his eyes again."
said Hannah, passing her hand with
light, magnetic touches over his brow.
"Poor fellow
"P'raps," suggested Mrs. Kesley,
'H'd better get the big sheers and cut
This hair? It's plaguey thick! And
if his head has got to be kept cold"
"Oh, no, l wouldn't do that said
Hannah. "It's such soft, curly hair
Let it remain"
And she applied herself to measur-
ing out sundry camphor- smelling pow
ders from pocket-case.
81 will call early in the morning.
said she, when the powders were all
measured out.
La" said Mrs. Kesley.
Hannah Digby drove home, silently
and meditatively, old Blackie picking
his slow way along the dreary road,
while the wind shrieked and the pines
rustled mysteriously on either side of
the highway.
"Now have got myself into a pretty
scrape' said she, addressing old
Blackio's ears. "Shall I tell Uncle
Zalman, or shan't /? Will he scold,
or won't he? After all, the man has
only got touch of influenza. If con-
gestion sets in Oh, pshaw, it won't.
If there is any danger of pneumonia
But the man breathes as regularly as
pair of bellows. No-1'll risk it,
I've begun the case, and Ill carry it