Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-08-24
How MIKE
GOT EVEN

broadside on the thick green carpet.
On the edge Of the bunch few calves
were lrisking about with tails up, and
one impatient youngster was butting
away at his drowsy mother with
vigorous suggestion that it was time to
rise and furnish forth the morning
meal.
On an adjacent hill the horse wrang-
Ter, still draped to the heels in the yell
low slicker be had donned in the thun-
der shower Of the night, sat idly in the
saddle with hand on the horses hips,
looking away over the pea green range
of early summer to where the mountain
tops glowed in the rising sun.
The cooks fire OF damp wood, kindled
directly under the tree, sent up thick
smoke which spread throughout the
branches, but collected above them, ex-
tending one straight, slender, lofty
column into the blue. Some blackbirds
were scolding about being smoked out
of their leafy home, and on every side
resounded the mellow notes Of the
meadow lark.
1t was a beautiful morning, but no
one in camp was happy, for every mans
clothes were wet, and Mike Tussler had
the toothache. Now, it is well known
that when the big black tooth Of a big
Irishman takes a notion to ache it is q
wholly different proposition from an
ordinary case of nal de dents.
"You don't know anything about it,
Mike declared. "This isn't just tooth
ache. 1t aches all over. Did you ever
see one of them fiery comets with long,
forked tail on to bright head' Well,
this pain is just like that. My tooth's
the redhot head of the thing, and the
tails are going all through me-"
Mike lay down on his back, and the
cook looked into his mouth.
"Did you ever see chestnut or acorn
with n worm hole in it? That's the
way with your tooth. Just little bit
Of hole right into it. It's terrible
small hole to worry about"
Nothing small about the feel OF iii, y
said Tussler, and he asked for day of
to go and get it 'yanked.'
He could not be spared that day, but
the next morning went away to the
nearest town. 1t was always days
ride, and as Is the perverse way of ach-
ing teeth, his began to feel much better
when he came in sight Of the village.
He felt so much relieved by the time
he had ridden down the one street,
with its square front, one-story wooden
buildings. that when he was finally
seated in the dentists chair he didn't
want to have the tooth pulled.
II was just coming along the street,
he said to the dentist, "and saw your
brand on the door. So I come in to
ask you to look in my mouth and tel
me how old be-"
"Old enough 10 take better care Of
your teeth" he announced, after look
ing them over.
"Have I got to have the lasso on that
back one p asked Tussler.
"You have got to have it filled al
once"
"What'll it COST" asked the cautious
Irishman.
"Three dollars" said the dentist. 81
use only the best materials and have
but one price"
"Well," said Mike, at don't hurt any
now. I guess I won't let the job to
day."
"That's robbery, he assured himself
as he went away to copper the ace to-
five and lose it. "The cook said it was
an awful small hole"
The next morning, however. his tooth
having meantime resumed business, he
was awaiting at the door when the den
fist came down.
"You don't get up so early as We dc
on the ranch by about four no Yrs" said
he. II been standing here all night. l
want me tooth filed full"
So Mike had the work done aud PAID
so cents extra for Gaping the nerve
sand the whole thing didn't ia Re him
an hour" he reported when he i'eturn-
ed to camp. "1've been robbed.
Mike clings toan opinion with proper
tenaoity and the conviction thi Vt the
dentist had "beat him out of goo d 81
laid q debt and duty upon him which
he had no idea of Sinking.