Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-10-05
KELLEY NOT FIRST.
A CURE FOR DRUNKENNESS re.
PORTED FROM THE LONG AGO.

fAe Rsnaskabls E1ecs q the sIndiaa
poessrs- sinpIs Rsnedies-Hsw shs
sMsdicIue- Cured Joe Roblassu with
eat Asking the "Doctor."
It was about the medicated whisky
cure which we proposed to speak. To
DR.. Kelley. who, living down at
Dwight. Is almost neighbor, credit is
generally given for being the first per-
son who employed the pharmacopeia
for the purpose Of killing drunkard's
appetite. But DR.. Kceley 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
Belprc, O.
The doctor did not tell the secret
Of his medicament, but three or four
boys who lived near the farmhouse
where he boarded had an inkliug. be-
cause the boys had the contract for
catching the toads for which the doctor
paid them 10 cents dozen.
While the Doctors abode hms been
spoken Of as farmhouse it was moro
than that, for. being near stockyard,
where trains clay over" IL was also a
boarding house, or tavern, whittier the
drovers came for entertainment
Among the stockmen whose duties
brought them frequently to the yards,
aud therefore to the farmhouse board
ing place, was man named Joe Robin
son, who had drunk whisky all the way
from 80. Louis to Baltimore, with spe-
cial reference to Piedmont and the
country along the IL mile grade OF the
Baltimore and Ohio. Robinson was a
a igorous aud vigilant drinker. one
woo lowed no guilty dramshop to es-
cape. He was such shining light that
nj least II temperance societies were
working upon him at once, for 1t was
known that the credit for his reforma-
ton would mean much. But he resisted
all their entreating efforts.
This hXines things up to one May
evening. Robinson had arrived at
Belpre with seven cars Of hogs and o
large. commodious and farreaching jag.
He took the hogs into the stockyards
and the Jag to the city Of Parkersburg.
W. Va, Just across the river, for he
wanted 10 trim and ornament IL little
before retiring. Now IL so occurred that
IL was a damp night. and Harry Stone
and Hughey Drain, the boys who had
the contract for supplying hoptoads to
the salvc making Indian doctor. set out
on their own hook and without consul.
tation with their employer to get flour
bag full Of toads. They were eminently
successful, and ut 8 O'Clock they ap-
peared at the boarding house with 0
peck Of kicking. piping. shrieking spoil.
For good measure they had un this oc-
casion added three belated garter snakes.
two lizards and boot owl The family
was not happy.
Mrs. Bruce directed the boys to carry
their burden. Of the character Of which
she had no idea, up to the doctors
room. he being out. The boys did So
or ut least they thought they did-but
they turned the wrong corner ut the
head Of tho stairs and deposited the
sack in the room to be occupied by Joe
Robinson.
Mr.. Robinson came home from Par
kersburg about midnight, The evening
had been u most successful one. He had
found ~ new saloons He entered the
room In the boarding house with the
presumption that no was either the car
Of Russia or Napoleon Bonaparte, but
was not quite sure which. in his doubt
be collided with the paper flour bag
full Of hoptoads and things. There were
O few words Of wicked derivation, and
then, turning up the light. Mr.. Robin
son looked to sec what he had found.
Who're you. feller?" he inquired,
addressing the bag. Won't answer.
hey? Too p'lite to talk to drover,
huhl LII! Take that!'' And he aimed
an unsteady kick ut the doctors ingre-
dients Then things happened.
An active garter snake left the bag
In midaif, and. alighting on a picture
frame, twisted and squirmed before Mr..
Robinson's view. Then the toads began
raining around him. and when he felt
most surprised and interested the owl
came forth and few at the lamp. The
sack fell to the floor and lizard shot
into heightened view and the rest Of the
hoptoads leaped out into comparative
liberty. Mr. Robinson clambered In
fright upon the bed and found himself
in the presence Of half dozen Of the
batrachian invaders which had been
flung upon the counterpart by the force
Of that very vigorous and masterful
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, 95a varied kinds Of
hopping visitors. and with wailing
CRY SIR. Robinson crashed through the
vortex and made for the door and bolted
for the night outside.
The next morning a very pale and I'M
strung man appeared ut the farm board
ing house and answered to the name OF
Joe Robinson. He went up TO his apart
ment and looked about for SOME signs
Of the visitation Of the night before. but
the toads and things, more frightened
than he. had escaped by the same door
through which he had gone, while the
careful hired girl had gathered up the
-four bag and burned il. Mr.. Robinson
sat down and thought for moment,
and then he said, addressing himself to
the picture frame from which the snake
had dangled. that this was the last
time. He had had enough. More would
be too much.
And for the remaining "a years OF his
travels that way he was the soberest
drover known to history.
This, we believe. is really the first
time that Doctors medicines were in
their perfected or incipient form sue
cessfully used to cure drunkenness.