Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-01-03
THAT CERTIFICATE.
Farmer Lynn's Acute Attack OF
Doctors Latin.

ats dretful, dretful," groaned Far
mer Lynn, as the doctor left on his
final visit; "jes' when fall plowin' s
got to be done an there amt nobody
to do it. never did see any thin SO
onlucky. It's bad enuff to be stopped
short in my career as twas, but to
think / kin never do another stroke of
work so long as l live it's jes' too bad!'
''Why, feyther, it amt as bad as
thet," said his wife, peering at him
through her spectacles. "A broken
arm amt gOin' to invalidate you like
that. S'posin' it he'd been your neck"
thought es well hev been," said the
farmer, shortly. Its no use talkin',
} mother, I've paid the doctor for his
'pinion and there it's on black an
white, jes' as he writ it out himself.
faint a broken arm, eyether. It's a
heap wuss. You kin see for yourself.
There's the doctors certifcut."
Mrs. Lynn took the piece of paper
and studied it carefully for some time.
Then she laid it down.
81 can't make head nor tail of it,
Jeptha, but mebbe you cam" she said.
"lt's tew bad that you should be so
'hicted, but you know the Lord loveth
whom He chaseth. and it's only the
wicked that go on and flourish like a
bay rum tree"
''Humph!' grumbled her husband,
''that's all very well. but who's to do
the farm work, fodder the stock, and
-Oh-oh-oh, it's jes too bad! Me laid
up like an old woman and tied into a
cheerr'
Dear. dear, it does seem unfortnit,"
Mrs. Lynn said, with her usual ready
sympathy, but, Jeptha. you must
bear it like a Christian, if it isn't a
relishin' dose. 1t do seem queer that
sech a affection should happen to a
man as active as you be. l reckon it's
q speshial Providence.
''Hev you writ to RUDE. mother?"
asked the farmer shortly, moving dis
tressfully in his arm chair.
mo. but l shouldn't be 'sprised.
feyther, if Hetty had been writin'. I'll
ask her." and she stepped to the stair
door, and called softly to some one
above.
Here l am, Auntie," responded a
cherry voice, and the next moment
light feet battered down the stairs, and
a pretty girl with cheeks as red as
June apple, and eyes like stars, stood
in the kitchen.
This was niece Hetty. who was max
ing long visit to her fathers brother,
and had come from away up in YER
mont
did you write to RUDE bout your
uncle's affiiction?" asked Mrs. Lynn.
mo, Auntie; RUDE never asked me
to write to him."
you've got to write meow, Hetty,"
said her uncle. land tell him of my
misfortin, an let hiIa know he's got to
come home and SCI to work on the
farm, whether it be to his likin' or not,
an tell him he mought as well give up
college learnin', for oncet an ALL"
IL thought he was studying to be
Doctor" said Hetty, timidly.
$50 he wuz, but I've got to be help
less cripple-oh, Lord it's hard-for
the rest of my days; he's got to work
the farm to keep us from starving.
There amt nobody but him, and he
hates farmin' like pizen. faint to his
hkin', but it is to mine, but FL never
do another stroke of work. An me not
turned sixty yet"
''Is it so bad?" asked Hetty, in a SYM
pathetic tone, will your arm have to
taken of, Uncle Jeptha?"
''Wuss than that. child. wuss than
that" sighed the farmer. Read that
there certifcut and see what the doctor
says, an he knows what he's talkin'
about"
Hetty took up the piece of paper and
studied it attentively.
al don't understand it, she said at
last, ''but it must be something dread
full. What does it mean?"
eft means that can never do another
days work again. The doctor amt