The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-09-06
CASE OF CONSCIENCE.
NH ISIS HATHAWAY looked up from
lN her embroidery. The trim, fat fig
- Of Nh I1.r.D1- - nl IL, Ahn

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ure of Mrs Croker stood in the
doorway. Mrs. Crocker was dressed for the
afternoon, her white apron had the sharp
fold of recent ironing, under her chin was
fat bow of lavender ribbon, pinned with
round gold pin. She smiled comfortable
smile.
Come in" said Miss Hathaway, pleas
Isntly.
IF you amt too busy" said Mrs. Crock
er, hesitatingly, I'D like to have you back
this envellup." She held out, as she spoke,
blue-lined envelope, newspaper eli. ing
and a shiny red penholder.
EYES, indeed" said Miss Hathaway,
~but it snt another patent medicine, Is 1t,
Mrs. Crocker2"
mot exactly" said Mrs. Crocker, sitting
down comfortably in a big rocking chair
and folding her plump hands over the
white apron. "You see, it's made by a
reg lar practicing physician, and Endorsed
by all the clergy. l guess it must be real
good stuff. Why, you just ought to read
some Of them testimonials, there's one just
as good as story: ON the Brink of the
Grave" Mrs. Crocker's tone became
more and more impressive. Its just as
sad at the beginning, but it turns out all
right. l cut it out to give to the ministers
he's real fond of reading-and this being
true, too. It's about girl cured by three
bottles of this medicine, after the doctors
had all given her up"
'What is it meant to oure?" asked Miss
Hathaway.
"Well," said Mrs. Croker, preparing to
check of her count with one hand on the
fingers of the other, CTS good to clear out
the blood, and to beautify the complexion,
and it helps your stomach, and nerve-y dis
orders, and the liver and you can use it as
q liniment, and it's frst-rate for consump-
ton" Mrs Croker went over the account
again in whisper, nodding her approval
20 every separate finger. Il tell you, Miss
Hathaway" she said, firmly, "the man that
makes a medicine that cures all those awful
things is a mighty good doctor"
Il WONDER" said Miss Hathaway-she
spoke without a ghost of smile-"how
one medicine can cure all those diseases?"
why, bless you, DEAR" said Mrs.
Croker, beaming benevoently on her,
I"'if | amt thought Of that very thing,
nights, when Hosea was reading the Chron-
icle, and 1 was a-darning his stockings;
hes awful hard on his stockings Now,
there's lots of herbs, and saps, and roots,
and barks, and juices, and all on 'em good
for something. S'pose some blows up the
lung, that's good for consumption, and they
might kind of initiate a nerve, too, we're so
kind of fearfully and wonderfully made
And some will sort of stimulate the juices
in your stomach, and l bet that would be
good for the blood. You see, the stomach,
or the nerve, or the lung, or the liver, takes
what herb they want, and the rest just goes
to disfgurate the whole system"
Mrs. Crocker paused for breath-she
was somewhat carried away by her own
Ieloquence.
But you haven't any diseases, have you"
asked Miss Hathaway.
Land, mol" said Mrs. Croker, I'm spry
fas a kitten, but that's no sign I'm always
going to be. I'm going to take this to keep
things off" she added, impressively; 81 say,
"a teaspoonful of preventative is worth pail
ful Of restorative
Next week the medicine came, also the
spoon, which was not solid; also the testi-
nonials. Mrs Croker came often to Miss
Hathaway's room. She had found her a
most sympathetic listener.
Mrs. Croker showed remarkable mis-
donary zeal after this, She testified near
and far to the merits of the medicine. Soon
nearly every other family in the village had
"a shining new plated tablespoon.
There's old man Huckins," said Mrs.
Crocker to Miss Hathaway, che sent for
some of my medicine, and now he feels just
as frisky as a young colt. There's the
ministers wife, she gives hers to her baby,
and Ann Eliza, she takes it for her rheuma-
tiz, and she says she bets it's good for
1.-THE chilblains. And Sam Jones wife is all
cured Of her headache and her lame knee.
She's a,going to testify" Mrs. CroclSer
lowered her voice to the whisper of conf
dence. Don't you think ought to testify I?
Now, my nephew, he goes to Harvard col
,lege, he's coming next week, and | kind of
think he'll take my picture to send. Miss
Hathaway, would you get new bunnit, or
would you just wear nice cap?"
But the day after the nephew did come,
Mrs. Crocker burst into Miss Hathaway
room with every sign of mental anxiety.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dearl" she sobbed, sitting
dolefully on the edge Of stiff chair, and
rubbing her eyes with her apron
"What is the matter?" asked Miss Hath
away
ooh, dear, dear, dear! What do you s'pose
Ho told me?"
"Ho?" queried Miss Hathaway
"Well, IL. Edrdge Lubbock, the girls call
him, my nephew, you know. They took
my medicine all to pieces down to Har-
vard-Oh, dear! Oh, dear!"
"Yes?" said Miss Hathaway.
"And Ho says it's all nothing but Jamai-
ky ginger, and sas fras, and cheap liquor
Just think! Poisonous liquor!" Mrs. Crock.
or sighed, plaintively. Don't it seem to
you as if I'd been failing lately? Oh, dear,
dear me, just to think of those II poor, dear,
bamboozled ministers of the Gospel"
Not long after Miss Hathaway heard a
-gurgle Of liquid and breaking of glass
out behind the house. She stepped out
and met Mrs. Crocker. Mrs Croker:
bonnet was tied firmly under her chin, anc
her cheeks were red with righteous wrath
"Ive STAYED it all up, you see," she said, il
a high, shrill voice that trembed with ex
citement. "and now Pm a-going right off
TO tell Ann Eliza, and the minister's wife
and S'phi' Jones, and old man Huckins
and all the rest. It's on my conscience
the wicked, wicked serpent we've been a
ihampering in our bosoms,"
The next day Mrs. Croker stood AGAR
at the door of the summer stting-room
Her smile was again placid, she looked coo
and calm and comfortable. In her hand