The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-08-16
KELLEY NOT FIRST.
A CURE FOR DRUNKENNESS RE-
PORTED FROM THE LONG AGO.

out Asking the doctor"
1t was about the medicated whisky |
cure which we proposed to speak To
DIR. Kelley, who, living down at
Dwight, is almost a neighbor, credit is
generally given for being the first per-
son who employed the pharmacopoia
for the 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 long
haired, specialized old tourist who called
himself ''the Indian DOCTOR" and who
operated down in the neighborhood of
Belpre, 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 inkling, be-
cause the boys had the contract for
catching the toads for which the doctor
paid them 10 cents dozen.
While the Doctors abode has been
spoken of as a farmhouse it was more
than that, for, being near a stockyard
where trains clay over" it was also
boarding house, or tavern, whittier the
drovers came for entertainment.
| Among the stockmen whose duties
brought them frequently to the yards,
and therefore to the farmhouse board
| ing place, was man named Joe Robin
son, who had drunk whisky all the way
from St Louis to Baltimore, with spe-
clal reference to Piedmont and the
country along the II mile grade of the
Baltimore and Ohio Robinson was a
firm, vigorous and vigilant drinker, one
who allowed no guilty dramshop to es-
cape He was such a shining light that
at least - temperance societies were
working upon him at once, for it was
known that the credit for his reforma-
ton would mean much. But he resisted
all their entreating efforts.
Ihis brings things up to one May
evening. Robinson had arrived at
Belpre with seven cars of hogs and a
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 TO trim and ornament 1t little
before retiring. Now it so occurred that
it was damp night, and Harry Stone
and Hughey Drain, the boys who had
the contract for supplying hoptoads &c
the salve making Indian doctor, set out
Oh their own hook and without consul
} tation with their employer to get foul
bag full of toads. They were eminently
successful, and at 8 O'Clock they ap
peared at the boarding house with
: 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 famll,
, was not happy.
Mrs. Bruce directed the boys to carr.
their burden, OF the character OF whlcl
t she had 10 idea, up to the doctor
D room, he being out. The boys did So
\ or at least they thought they did-bu
= they turned the wrong corner at til
2 head of the stairs and deposited TN
II sack in the room to be occupied by 10
!. Robinson.
! Mr.. Robinson came home from Pan
kersburg about midnight. The evenin
d had been ii most successful one. de ma
d found 10 new saloons. He entered tn
e room in the boarding house with tn
"a presumption that he was either the CA
z of Russia or Napoleon Bonaparte, br
1t was not quite sure which. in his dout
n he collided with the paper flour ba
full of hoptoads and things There wei
a few words of wicked derivation, an
then, turning up the light Mr.. Rooii
er son looked to see what he had found.
50 "Who're you, feller?" he inquired
!. addressing the bag. won't answe
IS hey? Too p'lite to talk to drove
N huhp 'Lri! Take thatp' And he aimt
$. an unsteady kick at the doctors mgr
IS dents. Then things happened.
r An active garter snake left the oi
TO in midair, and, alighting on pictu
s, frame, twisted and squirmed before M
or Robinson's view. Then the toads peg'
re raining around him, and when he re
be most surprised and interested the oN
"a came forth and flew at the lamp II
r. sack fell to the floor and lizard sh
ne into heightened view and the rest OF .
to hoptoads leaped out into comparati
e. liberty. Mr.. Robinson clambered
re fright upon the bed and found hims'
nv in the presence of half dozen OF
Il botrachian invaders which had be
n. flung upon the counterpane by the fol
Ike of that very vigorous and MASTER
kick. He crept behind the bureau an
lol a garter snake dropped therefre
and made for the shelter OF the clos
of Tn the middle of the floor there we
,se he believed, about 5000 varied KINGS
ow bopping visitors, and with waiii
oh ,rv MIR. Robinson crashed through
ot vortex and made for the door and DOH
as for the night outside.
W. The next morning very pale ana
led strung man appeared at the farm boa
NJ. inc house and answered to the name
vn Joe Robinson. He went up to ms apa
hin ment and looked about for some sii
20 If the visitation of the night before
70 the toads and things, more friSh'ei
,ur than he had escaped by the same d
Gle through which he had gone while
ant careful hired girl had gathered up
rv az bao and burned it. Mr.. RoDln