The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-21
KELLEY NOT FIRST.
"A CURE FOR DRUNKENNESS RE-
PORTED FROM THE LONG AGO.

Oe|ors simple Remcdics-How tho
"Medicine" Cured Joe Robinson with
out Asking the doctor"
IL was about tho indicated whisky
cure which wc proposed to speak. To
Dr. keeley, who, living down at
Dwight. is almost neighbor, credit Is
generally given for being the first per-
son who employed the pharmacopoia
for tho purpose of killing drunkard's
appetite. But DR.. Kelley is by no
means entitled to this credit. The first
physician whose medicine ever cured a
drinking man of his thirst was q long
haired, specialized old tourist who called
himself 1.-The Indian DOCTOR" and who
operated down in the neighborhood of
Belpre, o.
Tho doctor did not tell tho secret
or his medicament, but three or four
boys who lived near tho farmhouse
where he boarded had IN inkling, be-
cause the boys had the contract for
catching tho toads for which the doctor
paid them 10 cents dozen.
While tho Doctors abode has been
than that, for, being near stockyard,
where trains clay over" it was also q
boarding house, or tavern, whittier the
drovers came for entertainment.
Among tho stockmen whose duties
brought them frequently to the yards,
and therefore to the farmhouse board
ing place, was n man named Joe Robin
son, who had drunk whisky all the way
from ST. Louis to Baltimore, with spe-
cial reference to Piedmont and the
country along tho II mile grade Of tho
Baltimore and Ohio. Robinson was Il
firm, vigorous and vigilant drinlier, one
who allowed no guilty dramshop to es-
cape. He was such shining light that
Mt least 10 temperance societies were
working upon him at once, for it was
known that the credit for his reforma-
tion would mean much. But he resisted
all their entreating efforts
This brings things up to one May
evening. Robinson had arrived at
Belpre with seven cars of hogs and n
large, commOdious and farreaching Jag
He took tho hogs into tho stockyards
and tho jag to tho city of Parkcrsburg,
w. Va, just across the river, for he
wanted to trim and ornament it little
before retiring. Now it so occurred that
1T was damp night, and Harry Stone
and Hughey Drain, the boys who had
the contract for supplying hoptoads to
the salve making Indian doctor, set out
OH their own hook and without consul
tation with their employer to get a flour
bag full of toads. They were eminently
cf.11 Of <N1a Al
peared at tho boarding house with a
peck of kicking. piping, shrieking spoil.
For good measure they had on this oc-
casion added three belated garter snakes,
two lizards and boot owl. The family
was not happy.
Mrs. Bruce directed tho boys to carry
their burden, OF the character of which
she had no idea, up to tho doctor s
room, he being out. Tho boys did So
or at least they thought they did-but
they turned the wrong corner at the
head of tho stairs and deposited the
sack i'll tho room to be occupied by Joe
Robinson.
Mr.. Robinson came homo from Par
kcrsburg about midnight The evening
had been a most successful one. He had
found l2 new saloons Ho entered the
room i'll tho boarding house with the
presumption that nc was either the car
Of Russia or Napoleon Bonaparte, but
was not quite sure which. IN his doubt
he collidcd with tho paper flour bag
full Of hoptoads and things There were
few words of wicked derivation, and
then, turning up tho light, Mr.. Robin
son looked to SEQ what no had found.
Whore you, fcller?" he inquired,
addressing tho bag. Won't answer,
hey? Too p'lito to talk to drovcr,
huh? 'Lri! Take thatl' And he aimed
an unsteady kick at the doctors insro-
dicnts. Then things happened
An active garter snake left tho bag
iii midair, and, alighting OH IL picture
frame, twisted and squirmcd before Mr..
Robinson's view. Then the toads began
raining around him, and when no felt
most surprised and interested tho owl
came forth and flew at the lamp. The
sack fell to tho floor and lizard shot
into heightened view and the rest of tho
hoptoads leaped out into comparative
liberty. Mr.. Robinson clambered in
fright upon tho bed and found himself
III the presence of half dozen of tho
batrachian invaders which had been
flung upon tho counterpane by the force
of that very vigorous and mastcrful
kick. He crept behind the bureau and
10! garter snake dropped therefrom
and made for the shelter of the closet
In the middle of the floor there were,
he believed, about S, 952 varied kinds of
hopping visitors, and with Il wailing
cry Mr.. Robinson crashed through tho
vortex and made for the door and bo!tcd
for the night outside.
Tho next morning Il very palo and I'M
Strt al 1