The age-herald., 1900-12-23
SKETCHES FROM
 EVERYDAY LIFE

pictures they manufacture up north.'
 There was no snow on the ground, Ss nor any stray flakes to gently drift against the window pane. It was not even raining, and consequently no one wore rub- bers or carried umbrellas. The wind did not howl around the corners, nor cut any other capers-in fact, there was no wind to howl. It was just cold enough for a fire, and outside the day was fine and glo- rious. It was-s Christmas day In the south, and the old sun, who was in lovo with the south, just smiled and smiled all day long until his time up and he dis appeared in the west in one final crimson blush
 Inside the office three men sat by the fire slipping an occasional hot Scotch. Neil ther the lawyer, the doctor nor the news paper man had any home, and Christmas being dull day, they had settled down in the doctors office to smoke the doctors cigars and drink the doctors Scotch, tenn porarily leaving the world to take care of itself. Under the warmth of the hot Scotch and the fire the newspaper man began to relax and his back to fit closer and closer the angles of the chair. The lawyer, who, strange to say, sentimental fellow, began to talk of Christmas at home, but this subject was promptly squelched by the others = 1t was too solemn a matter to speak of, and then it was disoourteous to the doctor, who had done everything in his power to make them feel at home, even taking an uncomfortable chair that the others might occupy the only two rockers the office afforded.
 Hang Christmas anyway" remarked the newspaper man. Tt Is certainly the dullest day in the year I never knew any, thing to happen on Christmas, yet we are get 1 whether anything happens or not"
 Those are my sentiments exactly" mumbed the lawyer, with cigar in his mouth. T always feel that I ought to be jolly and happy on Christmas but I never am 1 always have the blues; I've l generally spent all my money and there Is nothing to do but sit down and think how missfable you are. If 1t wasn't for a l hot Scotch something don't know what l should do. I feel more like crying than 1 anything else, only have forgotten how" l q haven't always found Christmas so l dull," said the doctor who up to this time | had been slowly slipping his Scotch and filling his lungs with smoke. Two years | ago I had little experience on Christmas | which did not seem particularly dull to me. l It is true I was one of the actors in the scene, and 1t might prove dull to relate it,' l Mot bit, old man." exclaimed the law yer. You couldn't be any duller than you | are sitting there smoking and drinking and | saying notnlng, so smoke up!
 Well" said the doctor, tits just about Christmas visit paid when I fortunate | ly happened to have a pistol with me. During the afternoon a man about forty five years old came to my office to get me to go and see his son, who was sick. It was late, and I had just left the office, l but my brother, who happened to be there | brought the man across the street to l shop where I was buying some tobacco. | The man told me about his son, and I | promised to come and see him. Ain't you | coming right away? he asked. As the boy was not seriously ill., I told him I would come in about twenty minutes, as soon as | I got through selecting my tobacco. He | gave me his address and left. 1 think he wanted me to drive him home in my buggy, | as he lived some distance away, and was | disappointed that I did not. He lived in tough part of the city, and there being a | good many drunken men around, I slipped a pistol in my pocket before leaving. On account of the incessant firing of peppers which always accompanies Christmas in the south, I decided not to drive in a bug gy but to go on the car 1 soon arrived at the address be had given me, and found him waiting. He took me upstairs to the boys room. His son a country youth, and had never been sick before, so his fa-
 ther told me-in fact they had both re- | corner of the county. examiped the boy. and found that he had the grippe. I took l out my prescription blanks and began to
 write prescription for him Have you | ever taken calomel? I asked. No, he | ainit,' replied his father in an angry tone 1 saw he was irrtated about somethins. | but did not for the moment grasp the trou- ble I tore up the prescription l was writ
 ing and began another. Do you mean to
 say that I've got to go back to town after
 that medicineT the father asked in a still
 angrier tone. Certainly replied, realiz-
 ing then that, being from the country, he
 expected me to bring medicine with me in 1 saddle bag, the country doctors do.
 explained to him that none of the city | physicians ever carried medicine with | them but he was not notified. How much
 do l owe your he exclaimed. named the
 amount, he jammed his hand down in his l pocket, pulled out his money and paid me.
 Now he said git out! l got
 "As went down the stairs heard him | say He's damned fraud, and I'll tell him
 sov I paid no further attention to him,
 but walked up to the corner, where I wait
 ed for the car. The car was some time
 coming, and while waiting for it had ann
 pie time to look around It was beautiful
 moonlight night a full moon lit up the
 scene, and in addition there was a bril- | liant electric Night at the corner where l stood. 1 could see everything distinctly,
 and had it not been for so much light
 probably would not have noticed two men
 who were stealthily approaching, keeping
 close to the shadow of the houses. When
 they got near I recognized the father of
 my patient and another man, both of whom
 were fine physical specimens. When they
 got within twenty feet of me the former
 exclaimed, Now, you internal impostor, I
 intend to do you up' He also said a good
 many other things which it would not do
 to repeat. They continued to advance.
 but just before they reached me I
 put my hand to my hip pocket
 and pulled out 3S Smith & Wes-
 son and leveled it at him. I never saw
 a man wilt so completely. For Gods sake.
 don't shoot him. doctor, exclaimed his
 companion. I then proceeded to make a
 few remarks on my own account, and the