St. Landry democrat., 1890-09-27
A Queens Prescription.


s'Wbat Is the matter, Alice p asked Mrs.
Temple, "'Tour face Is flushed and you
seem to have no appetite"
ssThere Is nothing the matter with me,
mother" replied Alice, somewhat petu-
lantly. II don't feel we'll that's all. ="
"If YOU don't feel well you must feel
ILL.," persisted her mother, 'and l must in
sist on you seeing Dr.. Campus"
81 think Alice ought to see the Queen
of Sweden's doctor" remarked Aunt Ellen,
who was making tidy in her big ann
chair. o.,
.sWho is the Queen of sweden's doctorY
asked Alice in surprise. 'Does he live
herep' =,
"He lives In Sweden, believe" said
Aunt Ellen, with one OF her queer smiles,
"and his name is Metzger."
Alice looked at her aunt in puzzled
way for a moment, and then broke into
laugh" ,.,
lis it q story you want to tellr she
asked, interested at once.
. Aunt Ellen, sixty years old, but with
the face and figure of forty, was the NE
of the Temple household, and always had
some quaint and interesting anecdote TO
relate.
sit Is O story" she replied, ''but 1t is
true. The Queen of Sweden" she went
on, 'sis. as you must know, very rich
woman. IL any woman could be healthy
she could. She had the finest rooms in
the fine palace, the very best of food and
drink. and the best of medical attendance
when she was i'll. Strange to say, she
was frequently i'll, and the court physician
tried in vain to cure her. They tried all
their old medicines and many new ones
tempted her appetite with new dishes and
bade her take daily rides; but the Queen
of Sweden kept &c. ting worse. She was
so nervous. Her rest was broken at night
with horrid dreams, her temper became
irritable and life became burden.
81 don's know whether Alice Is that
bad" said Mrs. Temple with sigh; "but
she isn't far from It,"
Alice looked irritated at this remark and
said nothing.
"Well." continued Aunt Ellen, with an
| other smile, "the King of Sweden became
| very much alarmed and sent for Dr. Metz
ger. who had been doctoring the Empress
| of Austria. He came, had long talk with
the Queen and then gave her prescrip-
ton It was not in Latin but IN plain
Swedish, and it read, No more carriage or
horseback riding except on state occasions
II you want to go anywhere you must
| walk .
"Oh, DEAR" exclaimed Alice, 81 always
thought carriage driving and horseback
riding were very healthful. am sure
would hate 70 give them up.
$50 did the Queen of Sweden: but hav-
ing placed herself in the doctors hands,
she took the prescription like sensible
woman. But that was only beginning ;
I ~ r,,.rh rrym m
ing. The doctor laid out space in the
royal garden about hundred feet square
and ordered the Queen to prepare it for
planting vegetables"
"Dig 1t mp with spade u cried Alice
in amazement. "How could she do tha: p
"She thought she couldn't" answered
Aunt Ellen, quietly, "but Dr.. Metzger
was firm, and the queen set to work in
short skirts, bare arms and thick soled
shoes. The FIRST days digging, she said,
nearly killed her; the second not much
better, and ON the third she finished the
Job and ate large beefsteak with wonder.
full appetite. The next day the doctor told
her she must dust and put in order hel
suite of rooms-fve or six-every morn
ing, and when that was done he woulc
Rnd some ether household work for hel
to do"
"A Queen doing housework q said Mrs
Temple, incredulously. Everybody
would laugh at her."
"Nobody laughs at Queens in Europe
at least not openly" replied Aunt Ellen
smilingly; ''and presume very few peo'
pie saw her engaged in these unusual oc'
: cupations.
"The Queen did not laugh at first; II
J fact, she cried many times, but she sool
beg an to smile. Day by day her back ant
limbs grew stronger. She could wall
miles without fatigue, she slept we'll ant
had healthy appetite for healthful food.
"And Is she cured p asked Alice.
, "Not anirely. At any rate she is still
. taking DR.. Metzger's prescriptions. bu
;; she Is getting better every day"
Alice was silent for moment, and the
, , she said, thoughtfully:
( - suppose this story is aimed at me9"
SAT you and girls like you," answers
, Aunt Ellen, frankly. 'sMy dear, neve
/ took FIVE cents worth of medicine since
was i've years old, and your doctors bill
/ is always hundred dollars year.
. walk in preference to riding. ipsis
r upon keeping my own room in order, an
1 when am in the country I work in th
9 garden every day. I think I saw 20
yesterday looking on while John set ou
/ the gersniums and verbenas in the yard.
l "pl do 1t myself next time" said Alice
t remorsefully, ''and I'll begin DR.. Mstzger
Q prescription this very day by walking
;. and from the normal school,"
eff you do" said Aunt Ellen, ''you nee
mot see DR.. Campus it will be quite un
). necessary. Earn right to be health
with hard work. and happiness will com
: in its train."-Myra Percy.