Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-26
PULLING DOCS TOOTH
AN EXPERIENCE WITH REAL HUMOF
AND PATHOS IN 1T.
A Frontiersman Who Had His Teeth Made
Beautiful by q Ouack Dentist Had a
Sad Time Later-Riding Thirty-six Milei
For q Pair of Army Pinchers.

For q Pair Of Army Pinchers.
Why he was called Doc Reister h,
couldn't tell, and it is question if any
one else could give the reason for the title
The only possible suggestion for the naInt
was that he might have taken his degree
in swearing He was considered one ol
the best cooks following any of the COW
boy outfits along the western trails. IL
us he was one Of the most interesting char
acters we had ever met. The thing, Oh
rather the things. that struck you first il
looking at Doc were his teeth. They wer,
beautifully white and marvelously regular
We were gathered around his campfir,
one August night, and as we wrapped our
selves in our blankets VIC wondered wheth
er the Flat Top mountains, where we vert
to hunt for deer in few days, would bt
any colder than Reister's camp. Doc TOLD
us how his teeth became so even. The tall
was as follows: He had been ranging cat
tie in the Indian Territory and acting a.
cook to cowboy outfit Of 25. One night,
Just as he was calling all hands to grub, 3
stranger appeared with box under Iii.
arm and announced that he was travel
ing dentist. Two dollars per head was the
nominal charge for all repairs.
in tho whole outfit sat on the ground,
and that there gent with his files and nip
pers and scrapers got in some pretty good
ticks. When my turn come, he used thai
file on my jaw in way that made my in
sides creep. He carried one Of them hand
lookin glasses round with him, and aftel
he had done his job he let us take a look
at 1t. My teeth had been pretty crooked
on the edges, but when that gent was
through with me they were as even as the
prairie pears to be. He got his 50 from
most every man in camp, and then he left
pretty fast-and it was lucky for him be
did, for the next mornin there was about
go swellcd jaws in that outfit from that
awful file, and every mothers son of 'em
had gun ready to shoot that there den
fist tho next time he passed that way.
"Do you know, from that day TO this
and that was bout six years agony teeth
have done the dancin every fall?''
Doc put his hands to his cheeks and
swore oloqucntly for five minutes. "I'll fix
you!' he suddenly exclaimed, and solicit
ing my aid ne proceeded to his tent and
brought forth strange looking black bot
tie from under his cot. Then he began to
search for cancels hair brush which Il
man who had hunted in the White river
country had left there year before. AT
last he found it, and while his back was
turned took the black bottle to the light
of the candle and read tho li3el, which
was "Kendals SPAWN Cure"
Doc stretched himself out on the cot, and
l soaked the gums around the jumping
molars until the hot stuff brought tears tt
the sufferers eyes, but never word Of
complaint escaped his lips
Next morning we found Doc up bright
and early and driving in the relay stage
horses His remark was: THAT ID cure
for man and beast lasted about three
hours, and she's jumpin worse n ever. But
I'll fix her today" Directly after break
fast he told us where to find food for oIlI
midday meal He then jumped on mare
bareback, and we supposed he was going
only short distance, but he did not put
In an appearance until just before dusk
Then, dismounting he triumphantly
waved pair of old army pinchers before
our astonishcd eyes and said, eve rode 30
miles to get these burned things, and
guess they'll do the bizness." He had
borrowed them from u "neighbor," who
lived far back in tho mountains, and
whose father had been q surgeon in the
army.
at isn't often have company" said
Doc, "and when a man pulls my tooth ]
want him to have some sense. You mon
have eastern ways, and God knows when
another man will stop over with me, Sc
one of you please yank out this cusscd
jumper" We both declined the honor and
tried to persuade him the tooth might be
saved, and after supper we gave him some
laudanum from our little medicine chosi
to put him to sleep.
1t was about O'Clock that night when
was awakened by the growing Of Major.
Docs dog, and at the entrance of our I
tent stood Doc, u candle in one hand and
the pinchers in the other.
II can't stand it any longer he whis-
pered, for he was afraid of awakening my
companion "For God s sake get tie nip
pers on this - tooth and yank her out
no, don't get out OF your blankets. III
stretch myself here 'longsdo you" And
with that Doc lay fat on the ground in
the most humble attitude
Evidently it was a desperate case. |
threw a Navajo blanket around my shout
derS, sat on Docs chest, and by the aid OF
the candle discovered, from the inflamed
condition of his check and gums, that he
had tried to perform the operation himself.
"Tve tried for two hours to get the cussed
thing out, but it was no co." he said.
l ran tho prongs down between the gum,
fastened a hold, and, half asleep, half des-
perate, gave pull that sent me flying
backward, accompanied by pinchers and
tooth. 1t is a grewsome thing to carry in
ones pocket, but 1 have that tooth yet,
and with little scientific treatment it
might be in Docs mouth instead
Old Major, the mongrcl cur, seemed to
experience the delight of his master and
jumped all around me. My sleeping com
panion only turned over in his blankets
and murmured something drowsily as I
showed Doc the result Of my amateur
operation. Gratitude is a feeble word
when used to express the look on that
frontiersman's face. He said: 81 amt
got much to offer, but you can stay round
this hero camp of mine as long as you
like, an won't grudge you one bite of
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