The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-03-14
caaelndkd fron Ped T.ss.

N@N~~eA~-~~~S v an I'm thinking tue liquors too strong for him without bite or sup the day. 'ris but small and wake is Teddy to be the only well one of us all this bitter weather, God help usl believe we were all per ished with hunger and cold only the blissid Virgin inclined your heart toward us. Miss Pittigrew. Don't mind the tricks of the goat nor me weepin'-is's sick indade am, nor Teddy, poor lad lis sorry day for this house. so it is the blissin's of God be on you and yours foriverp'
 Mehesabeps intended reply was not uttered, for at this moment Dr. Bsscom, who was qnite stout and very short in the legs, opened the door and was borne into the room astride of the goat, which had availed itself of the first opening to reach warmer quarters. The worthy doctor sat down on the floor with look of great surprise on his benevolent countenance, saying "Ahi" as he reached solid basis.
 "Land sakes alive r said Mehetabel, as she stepped over the doctor s extended limbs to close the door.
 "Sure, the beast Il be the death of us all this day." said Mrs. Delaney.
 "Well, we'll Miss Benson said 1 was to come down in a hurry, but didn't quite expect to come down that way" said the doctor, regaining the perpendic- ular with some difficulty, and putting on his glasses which Meheta bel picked out from under the stove. "What's the mat ter here, Miss Pettigrew? Malaria, hey? :? 1 guess we can fix that. Hungry" he continued, glancing at Maggie's lethargic visage, "and what's the trouble with this little fellow2"
 Mehetabel lifted Terrence's head to let the doctor see his face more clearly, and the boy gave a shrill scream of terror "Don't let her get hold of me-she'l kill me she'll kill mel" he screamed. Dr. Bascom took the boys head on his arm, and interposed his round person between Mehetabel and Teddy's eyes. "No one shall hurt you, my boy" said the doctor. "No one wants to hurt you. What has happened te him3"
 He fell in the river this morning try ing to fish out that piece of board to make a fire with. Purty kindlin', ain t IF" said Mehetabel. "An' then he got froze down to the track, an I've been feedin' him a little milk an rum to try an thaw him out, but he don't seem to git warm, and what giv him didn't stay on his stomach"
 Here Mehetabel's wary eye noted the advance of the goat rom the corner whither it had retreated after introducing the doctor-and she continued, "Ain't there no place but here fer that pesky goatr
 "If yell be opening the bit dure be. yond, ~said Mrs. Delaney, pointing to a low door in the side of the cabin.
 Mehetabel opened the door which led to the zoological department of the estah. lishmens, and thither she led the relucs- ant goat by one horn and one ear, and drove the chickens in afterward, and but toned the door on her enemy.
 Doctor Bascom applied himself dili- gently to the pressing needs of Teddy. He gave shim a little hot brandy and water. put hot wet cloth sprinkled with cayenne across his abdomen, had hot irons at his sides, and Mehetabel rubbed his icy feet and limbs with rum which she poured into the palms of her warm hands At the end of a long half hour Teddy's blood began to flow again, but he im- mediately complained of his head, aud a violent fever set in. "Purty sick boy, Miss Pettigrew," said the doctor. Starved, ye see. Nothin' for the natural forces to work on. didn't come none too soon. You better see to things little, l guess. They want something to eat round amongst 'em, bout the first thing,I should say, and another bed. You take my cutter, it's hitched out there Tn the street, and get John to help you, and bring some things down. Got to do the best we can here. Can't move the boy, nor Mrs. Delaney, either, such day as this.'
 So Mehetabel drove the doctors cutter up to her house, and began her work with all that yigor of intention and cempre- hensiveness of purpose, and promptness of execution, which characterize her race. Other hands ,ined with hers, and pres eutly the cabin of the Delaneys was transformed into comparatively clean hospital. Miss Eunice took Maggie up to the Pettigrew house Mrs. Delaney slept after her chill and fever passed, and the baby was fed and slumbered, and the goat and fowls were cared for and the stove glowed, and tine white cloth on the table, clean curtains drawn over the two little windows, and the singing kettle gave the room an air of comfort which had long been a stranger to the Delaney cabin, whea, at four p.m., Dr. Bascom thought it safe to leave Teddy to the care of Mehetabel while he made the rounds of his neglected patients. Teddy was tossing in restless stupor, muttering broken sentences, still with the care of the distressed household on his mind now in the river-now freezing on the track nov in terror of Mehetabel, whom he no longer recognized.
 As Mehetabel sat in solitary watchful- ness over the fortunes of the Delaneys and the early twilight began to dim the scene, there was a knock at the door. Mehetabel opened it, and Father Law renee O'Toole entered, saying "The blessing of God rest on all in this house!" Father O'Toole was like Dr. Bascom, Shnxk 4 h~ l. l.l A.~l