Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-09-22
Tooth for a Tooth.

1t was a beautiful morning. Not
cloud In the June sky, not Leaf
stirring on the old cottonwood tree
by the spring. The cattle after a
restless night, were lying in close or
der. and lazily chewing the cud. or
stretched out broadside on the thick
green carpet. On the edge of tho
bunch, few calves were frisking
about with tails up, and one impa-
tient youngster was butting away at
his browsing mother with vigorous
suggestion that 1t was time to rise
and furnish the morning meal.
On an adjacent hill the horse
wrangler, still draped to the heels In
the yellow slicker he had donned In
the thunder-shower of the night. sat
idly in the saddle, with a hand on
his 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 a thick smoke. which
spread throughout the branches. but
collected above them. extending in one
straight, slender, lofty column into
the blue smoked out of their leafy
home, and ON every side resounded
the mellow notes OF the meadow lark.
II was beautiful morning. but no
one In camp was happy, for every
mans clothes were wet, and Mike
Tussler had the toothache. Now. 1t
Is well known that when the big
back tooth OF big buck lrishman
takes notion to ache. 1t Is n wholly
different proposition from an ordi-
nary case of NAL de dents.
You don't know anything about
it," Mike declared: this isn't Just
| toothache. 1t aches all over. Did
you ever see one OF them fiery comets,
with long, forked tall onto bright
head? Well, this pain Is just like
that. My tooth's the red-hot head OF
the thing, and the tails are going all
through me-"
Mike lay down on his back and the
cook looked In his mouth.
did you ever see chestnut or
acorn with worm hole In It? That's
the way with your tooth. Just lit
tie bit of hole right into 1t. It's a
terrible small hole to worry about.
Nothing small about the feel OF
it," said Tussler; and he asked fol
day Off to go and get 1t ''yanked"
He could not be spared that day
but the next morning went away tc
the nearest town. IL was always O
days ride; and. as Is tho perverse
way OF aching teeth, his began to fee
much better when he came In sight Of
the village. He felt so much re-
lieyed by The time he had ridden
down the one street. with It's 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.
Il was just coming along the street, =
he said to the dentist, 'and saw
your brand on the door. SO come
In to ask you TO look In my mouth
and tell me how old be-"
odd enough to take better care OF
your teeth he announced, after
! looking them over.
Have | got to have the lasso on
that back one?" asked Tussler.
lou have got TO have II filled at
once"
"Whatll 1t cost?" asked the eau
/ tioug Irishman.
Three douars," said the dentist.
Il use only the best materials and
have but one price"
"Well,' said Mike, ut don't hurt
any now: guess ! won't let the Job
today"
That's robbery" he assured him
self, as he went away to copper the
ace for Eve and lose 1t: "tha cook
said II was an awful small hole.'
The next morning. however, his
tooth having meanwhile resumed
business. he was waiting at the door
when the dentist came down.
"You don't get up 20 early as we do
on the range. by about four hours"
said he: I've been standing here all
night want my tooth filed full"
So Mike had the work done and
paid so cents extra for Gaping the
nerve. "And the whole thing didn't