Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-02-25
Gales aud Sketfhes.
IN SPITE OF HIM.
By HARRIET PRESCOTT SPOFFORD.
Continued from yesterday

Continued from yesterday.)
DIR. Tredickar had scarcely the energy
left to set about curing himself he really
did not care. He took one little dose and
another, and would not have taken them
if his aged spinster had not set them by
his plate. As he looked about his dull and
desolate home. he thought that this was
the time when man needed wife to
cheer him, and cursed himself for not
thinking of it twenty years ago.
DR.. Fellows came to see him. and told
him he must do so and SO and he did and
grew moro listless and melancholy. Then
DR.. Harvey came, and said he must do
this and that; and he did, and he felt so
much worse that he went himself to see
DIR. Field.
And then all three had a consultation,
and one said it was the spleen, and one
said it was the kidneys, and he himself
was sure it was the liver. And as they
could do nothing that had not already been
done, they sent him off to the Springs to
see what the old earth could do.
But the Virginia Springs did DR.. Ire
dickar no good-hot. or cold, or sulphur
and the canadian Springs did him no
good, and the Maine Springs did him no
good, and the Vermont and Arkansas
Springs were equally worthless in his
case and at last he was on his way to the
Saratoga Springs, hopeless, listless,
wretcned. failing generally and ailing par
ticularly, from mere force of habit trying
to get we'll, and yet not caring whether
he did or not, with no object and no aim
simply actuated. as it were. by the instinct
of self-preservaion.
He was within two hundred miles of
Waukesha, when he encountered Allen in
the cars-an old ciassmate whom he had
not met for years--and of course they
each had world to say, and the first topic
was health.
Going to Waukesha?" asked Allen.
Yes" was the reply.
well" consolingly. It'll do you no
good | tried it. tried them all. Twas
in precisely your condition. And look at
me to-day-sound as drum. Now let
me tell you-you can't cure yourself!
You've gone through the Faculty. You've
nearly gone through the Springs. There's
nothing left but old wOmen's notions
Suppose you try themp Now let me tell
you, Tredicar, there's person in the next
town. sort of doctor-quack, OF course
she's cured great many people-she-
shield lust as lief tell you-she cured
me ~
Nonsense. Allen
mo nonsense about it, Bald fact She
cured me; she's cured thousands made
a comfortable fortune doing it, She has
some wonderful nostrums, and, for all
know, healing gift"
Natural bone setter. Pshaw How
can men be such toOlsp'' cried our impa-
tent doctor.
Now look here. Tredickar. Science
can't help you, that you've proved, Why
not give quackerv chance 1t can't
make yon any worse than yon are"
mo, it can't make me any worse than
am sand the doctor, gloOmily.
Then you get off at Jarviston and 90
to Mrs. Taylor's and see what she can do.
If she can't help you, she'll say so. If
she can. you don't care where the cure
comes from, as long as it is cure. Rather
die the old-tashioned way,a good allopath-
ic death, than live by the aid of an old
woman's nostrum, would YOU ?''
And the end was that DR. Tredickar got
off at Jarviston, and sought Mrs. Taylor's
presence.
1t was comfortable, matronly pres
ence, he found, but he wasted no second
glance or thought upon it. while he de-
tailed his symptoms, and dwelt on them,
just rs he had so often been impatient with
his patients tor doing. And when he
paused. she said in a low voice:
Il think can help YOU. if YOU will inn
picitlv obey my instructions for the next
three months. will not undertake it
without your PROMISE
The doctor thought moment, and felt
rs if he was really willing to promise
anything And he did
"In the first place, them said his new
adviser. Il want you to make particular
point of your nourishment. You are not
to go without eating because you have no
appetite, remember. On rising in the
morning, drink glass of cool water, not
iced. Have good breakfast; you know
best what distresses you least No coffee,
or tea, but shells, if you like. No stimu-
liant. no quinine, or quassia, no iron, no
strychnia, during the day; no chlorals. no
bromdes during the night. At II o'clock
in the forenoon, wish you to have raw
egg beaten up with milk, on one day, on
the next day, alternate it with full cup
of strong beef tea or veal tea; on the
third day, with plain milk. At l O'Clock
you will dine plainly but satisfactorily. At
three O'Clock take another glass of milk.
or beef tea, or egg, whichever you did
not take in sthe morning, a plain. but
hearty supper at six, and between supper
and bedtime another glass of milk. If
you wake in the night. have some milk
standing by you to drink; but you won't
wake. None of your food should be hot.
You will take no other medicine than
some which shall give you. Can you
remember all this?
Il think 500
please repeat it "
He was humiliated, but he did so.
Now. to-day, want you to walk"
walk it's all can do to drag one
foot after the other. now'
Il want you to walk quarter of
mile and back" she said, not needing his
interruption, land do that every day
for week. The next week make it a
half mile; the next week whole mile.
Keep up that for three weeks and then