Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-03-08
DENTISTRY ON A RANCH.


posts for us from the top OF the range
for a pasture fence. Among the crew
we're the two Danny boys-splendid
fellows-who were In constant misery
with their teeth. While placer min
ing they had incautiously inhaled the
fumes of the quicksilver in the retort-
ing, and as a consequence, their teeth
we're gradually crumbling away.
"To go back a bit, 1 should say that
sometimes strangers, in passing
through the country, left the main
road near Yampa and struck out on
our well worn trail, expecting TO- find
some short cut to the southwest; but
when they reached our ranch they
found further progress checked by the
rugged mountains. In this way we
often had guests we least expected.
However, there is always room for
great many on a ranch, and every one
is well received.
"One afternoon, at about sundown,
there drifted 70 most slngular-look-
ing old chap. His face was covered
with whiskers, aud his matted, grizzly
hair was of about the same shade as
the burrO he rode. His appearance
struck us as being savage enough and
certainly very dirty. But, as custom
ary, we bade him stay over night, and
also gave him a most pressing invita-
tion to wash up before supper was
announced, Itlooked as though water
had been an unknown quantity to him
for some time, because after dabbling
a while his face so improved that he
rose several pegs IN my estimation.
When supper was finished 1 had a
talk with The old man, and after a
time drew out the fact that besides
being a graduate of one of our Ameri-
can colleges, he also was a graduate Of
Heidelberg. and was a dentist by pro-
fesslon. This was a streak Of luckl
He was dubbed Doctor on the spot,
and the Danny boys were called ln to
confer with him. They did so, and to
such good purpose that arrangements
were made with him to furnish each
of them an entire set OF teeth. The
next day the Danny boys suspended
their pole cutting and remained at
the ranch, so that the Doctor could
commence operations. From his pack
the Doctor took case of fprceps and
other tools, which he displayed with
great pride.
"Ee fixed the boys up on the out
side of the cabin, and by twists of his
most dexterous wrist the air soou
seemed to be full of flying teeth. He
never stopped until those boys had
parted company with every tooth and
fragment Of tooth they possessed
Then, into their mouths he crammed
the best specimen of adobe mud he
could End, mited to the right consls
tency with water, and took the i'm
pressiou he needed.
"Adobe? Adobe is the bout anc
sincw Of the country, we use it fol
daubing our cabin-dlling holes be
tween the logs, you know-it is the
mortar for chimneys and the cement
for nreplaces. There was not muct
choice of material out there, but al
lleast it served the Doctors end
though must say that it is not az
welcome in the mouth as terrapin
and never before Knew it put TO Sc
novel use.
''After his exertions the Doctor
rested for the balance of the day. Tht
next morning he surprised us by an
nouncing that he had been daily ex
pecting an important letter with {
check, and felt certain that the lette
must now be at YamPa. He woulC
saddle his burro and ride up to The
postoflice, seven miles away, would
return very soon-shortly after moor
anyway.
1--WE saw nothing Of him that day
but never for moment harbored this
up against him, because in many wayl
1T was possible to be delayed. W.
thought we would see him come am
bling slowly down the trail in th'
morning. We had his pack aud, o
course, be would return. we jollleC
the Danny brothers about it, though
and worked them up to a state o
mind. The next morning they werI
up early and took turns Ia anxiousll
scanning the trail, butno Doctor coulC
they see.
GO Elf tha' blame old kush doa' kun
ba'k, I'll kill Inn gummed one in
consistently.
nueI.Isn,s ArnIoa save.