West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1894-02-15
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and the other student said: or course hs
Is dead. He thinks he is alive, but ho
died day before yesterday, fell dcad on
the street, and his folks said he had been
nuisance AMI they wouldn't claim the
corpse, and we bought 1t at tho morguc.'
Then drew tho iciclc across him again.
and | said; Il don't know about this.
doctor. l find that blood. follows tho
scalpel as | cut through the cuticle.
Hand me the blood sponge, please Pa
began TO wiggle around. and we looked
mt him. and my chum raised his eyeiid
and looked solemn. and Pa slid. Hold
on. gentlemen. Don't cut into mo any
moro, and can explain this matter.
This 10 all q mistake. was only drunk.
1--WE went In n corner and whispered.
md Pa kept talking NIL the time. He
said IL we would postpone the hog kill
ing he could send and get witnesses Co
prove that he was not dead, but that he
was respectable citizen and had a fam
iy. After we had n consultation 1
went 20 PA and told him that what no
said about being alive might possibly bs
true. though wo had our doubts. We
had found such cases before I'm our prac-
tice east, where mon seemed TO Ire alive.
but IL was only temporary. Before ws
had got them cut up they were dead
enough for nll practical purposes. Then
laid the icicle across Pas abdomen
and went ON 60 tell him that If he wns
alive IL would be better for him to play
that he was dead. 'causc he was such
nuisance 10 his family that thcy did not
want him, and was telling him that I
had heard that in his lifetime ne was
very cruel to his boy, bright little fel-
low who was at the hcad of his class I'm
Sunday school and pet wherever hs
was known, when Pa interrupted ms
and said: Doctor, please take that carv-
ing knife of my stomach. for IL malros
me nervous.
"'As for that boy OF mine, no il the
condemndest little whelp in town, and
he isn't no pct anywhere. Now, you let
MP on this dissecting business, and win
make IL all right with you.' We held
another consultation, and then I told
Pa that we did not feel that it was do
ing justice TO society to give mp the body
OF notorious drnnkard after we had
paid $50 for tho corpse. IL there was
any hopes that he would reform and trv
and lead different life. 10 would be dif-
ferent. and said to the boys. Gentle
men. we must do our duty. Doc, You
dismember that leg, and will attend to
the stomach and the upper part OF tho
body. He will be dead before we arc
Iono with him. We must remember
that society has some claims on us and
not let our better natures be worked
upon by the post mortem promises OF n
dead drunkard. Then took my iciclo
and began fumbling around the abdo-
men portion Of Pas remains, and my
chum took 81 rough piece OF icc and be-
gan 20 saw his leg off. while the other
boy took hold Of the leg and said he
would catch 1t when it dropped Off.
"Well. PA kicked like steer. He said
he wanted 10 make one moro appeal to
ns and we acted sort of impatient, hut
we lot up TO hear what no had TO say.
lie said IL we wonld turn him loose no
would give as $l0nor than we paid for
his body and that he would never drink
another drop as long as he lived. Then
we whispered some more and then told
him we thought favorably OF his last
proposition, but he must swear with his
hand ON the leg OF corpse we were
then dissecting that no would never
drink again, and then he must be blind
folded and be conducted several blocks
away from tho dissccting room before
wc could turn linn loose. He said that
was all right. and 30 we blindfolded
him and made him take bloody oath
with his hand on piece OF ice that we
told him was piece OF another corpse,
and then we took him ont Of the house
aid walked him around the block four
times aud loft him on corner after he
had promised 10 send tho money 10 an
address that gave him.
1--WE told him TO stand still five min
utes after we left him, then remove the
blindfold aud 80 home. We watched
him from behind board fence, aud no
took off the handkerchief, looked at tho
namo ON street lamp and found he
was not far from home. He started of
saying: That's pretty narrow escape,
old man. No more whisky for yon.' /
did not 500 him again until this morn
ing. and when ! asked him where no
was last night ho sbuddered and said.
None Of your darn business. But I
never drink any moro. yOu remember
that Ma WAS tcllcd and She told me
was worth my weight In gold. Well,
good day. That cheese is musty." And
the boy went aud caught O.. a passing
sleigh