Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-03-08
bring ye back meseli in the morn.

"hicn he knew nothingt. Sne would
not meet his gaze with her eyes full
OF fast gathering tears. 4 Had che not,
by stiffness and cowardice, ;intsrfered
with his previous caresr2 at least
she 1elt very guilty over her secret
rejoicing whenever the night passed
withoue summons to some bedside !;
but IN assuming q nations bonnet
she really meant to turn over new
leaf and bravely act her part as the
doctors wife IN their new home. Be-
sides, in novel surroundings women
are often more venturesomethan men |;
SO she said, encouragingly: SIT may
be the tide at its flood, dear."
Inc night was dark and threaten
ing, and the rough bridlo paths over
the mountain seemed nearly over
grown in places, judging from the
boughsthat at times almost swept the
doctor off his horse. Gusts of wind
blew the coming rain in his face; but
his taciturn companion still stalkod
clumsily along. leading Che horse,
which gave evident signs of disap-
proyal. Afterla tedious climb of an
hour or more faint glimmer through
some opening announced their arrival
at o human habitation, even before n
furious barking of dogs greeted the
unaccustomed footballs of the horse.
Dismounting. tho half-anxious doc
tor followed the Irishman into the
lighted cabin, whose one room seemed
entirely empty. But there was nm in
mate--a woman clad in faded calico,
who, with her face hidden in limp
sunbonnet, sat rocking her thin, spare
body backward and forward before
the big fireplace. where pine knots
gave forth glaring light and o
warmth that was pleasantly apparent
after the crisp night mir.
1t needed butG glance at tho fixed,
strained muscles of tho sallow faoe to
convi2ce the doctor that lockiaw was
the cause of the silent tongue, which
had impressed tho husband Us some
thing dreadful and altogether iun-
canny, to, the exclusion of any special
concern about badly hurt and very
painful ankle, which had been en-
tirely neglected.
But few days before, the doctor
had CHANGED to road in torn scrap of
newspaper TINT chloroform was an In
valuable remedy for lockjaw, Sir
James Simpsons experiments with
chloroform having recently called the
attention of the whole world to its
capabilities and development as an
aesthetic. fortunately, he had 3
small vInl in the leather saddle-pocl-
cts which were tho inseparablc com.
panions of u doctor in the days when
druggists were found in large towns
only, and patent medicines were not
among the stock in trade of every,
crossroads store.
A moment sufficed for him to I'M
stop the vinl and saturate his own
handkerchief, the appearance of tho
cabin hardly warranting tho forth
coming of such luxury. The look
of relief on tho woman's face was Sec
ond only to that which overspread her
husbands countenance, as soon after
ward she found her tongue sufficiently
to berate him soundly for having
brought her that "spalpcen of doc
tor" instead of their old friend and
fellow-toper.
After settling his patient in the one
bed of which the cabin boasted, the
doctor slept off his fatigue, MS best he
could, by doing and dreaming in
straight backed, hard bottomed chair.
Under the circumstances, breakfast
seemed SO doubtful quantity that,
with the early dawn, he wendell his
way back down the mountain, accom-
panied to the edge of civilization by
the presumably grateful husband who,
i'll parting, gingerly counted out two
quarters and gruffiy said "Good-by,"
with no word of thanks or praise.
The young man pocketed the first
fee and grimly vowing to keep it for
luck, returned to the tavern thor
oughly disheartened ut the prospect
of similar night journeys and their i'll
proportional recompense. It was n
bnd beginning, but hearty breakfast
and O. sympathetic wife caused him to
decide that one must not quarrel with
ones bread, even though it be unbut-
tered During the day, call from
another miner further, confirmed him
in the resolve to waive his prejudices
for the time being, and after that he
really had no time TO think any more
about them.
Somebody, either the taciturn hus-
band or the shrewish wife, told Won
.drous tales of the ''spalpeen" doctor,
who without drop of medicine and
with but Whit at q queer-smelling
handkerchief had brought back the old
woman's speech. To them the bad
foot was much more ordinary affair,
although it was n lingering case which
called for many visits from the doc
tor, who made them conseientiously,
despite the small prospect of fees. Flo
gave the seJtlors fresh cause for mar
vel by invariably declining their
Mountain Dew," by which romantic
title is known that Illicit whisky which
has -evaded the prosaic touch of
revenue stamp, popularity claimed to
be injurious to the pure flavor of the
'tiuice."
In isolated or illiterate communi-
ties lame feeds on imagination, and
grows apace, SO that ere long the new
doctor sskill was the talk of the whole
mountain side. a few mourned over
the fading laurels of the convivial old
fellOw ALWAYS roodv for n ftd,o..p