The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-30
CIV JEFFREY ROCHE.).

in a moment Nerves a llttle SeliSitAsc
yet! But the pain here, In this bosom.
sir-that amt going to pass away.
ITO continue: the day came, and SO
did She. had stuffed how J. should ap-
proach the subject dearest in the world
to me. Some men have no dehcacy.
they go to work by dropping hints, pay
ing compliments, perhaps giving her pres
cnts, striving in every undermined way
to influence her feelings, and at last TAX
ing advantage Of some time when she is
off her guard. to win her consent l
don't think such conduct honorable or
business-likc. If I wanted to sell you a
set Of teeth, would 1 go about it by tell
ing YOU the set was not worthy of your
purchase. that you had already q perfect
set.&or could procure a better set from
some other dental emporium-wni:h You
and know would be a, silly falsenood and
an insult to your judgment? OF course,
not.
las T have said, had studied before
hand how I should press my suit, dell
cately, eloquently as knew how. but
frankly and openly, as had always dolle
jr such cases, am proud to say.
..But who can foresee even an hour
alead? When Miss Baker came at the
:.npojnted hour, IDS P. NJ, her beautiful
face was muf1led in a handkerchief, what
was visible of it being drawn with an
e,,:sh I FASTENED to greet her and ask
the question of which my instincts loo
truly anticipated the answer. she mao
the tootllache. A brief examination con-
f1rred the terrible announcement It was
the little rift within the lutte. the flaw
IN the diamond, the speck on; the ripe
fruit And yet, SO strange is the heal
OF man, I almost rejoiced to know that
even that peerless set was subject 10
mortal decay. 1t would be nence1ortil
my melancholy pleasure to be It's ana
lie- champion against the insidlous enemy
TO guard with the lance, or. more prop
erly, the forceps of Science, the pearlS
portals of her beauty.
ITO my unbounded surprise, she re-
fused all my offers to save the stricken
touth--it was the second molar in the
left lower Jaw. a. noble specimen. barely
touched by the frost Of disease. told
her how easy would be the work, how
almost painless the process, how fatal
tic mistake of removing it She was in
flexible, deaf to all my prayers, almost
ciiIdishly unnerved by the pain which
she was enduring and had already en-
du,ed.
"I hate it, she said. Tor it has hurt
I. G, and i wish II drawn at once. do you
understand? at once: Take it out and
and-burn it! never want to see or feel
it again
This Of course, was irrational and
even ridiculous: but when she finally de-
clarcd that if did not obey her orders
che would so to somebody who would, |
simply had to comply. With what feel
ings you may imagine.
"She would rot take ether or gas. She
said she was afraid, and that was enough.
/ then explained to her the method of
deadening suffering by the use of spcalne
locally applied. She seemed pleased with
the idea, and prepared for the painful
duty with such feelings as an artist
might experience if ordered TO destroy
the picture which had cost the labor and
enthusiasm of years to paint. For loved
Miss Bakers teeth. every one of them,
perhaps even more than did herself.
''Sl1e sat in the chair where you now
sit while I arranged, with trembling
hands, for the cruel sacrifice.
eat last all was ready. Again and
again assuring her that she would feel
no pain, I applied the cocaine. adjured
her to be composed and confident, and
with desperate resolve picked up the
forceps.
'.But when the moment came I simply
otuid not do it gazed at the doomed
molar, and never before had I seen a
tooth which seemed to plead in such
dumb eloquence for it's life. could not
so on.
tFlinging away the cruel weapon, I fell
on my knees beside the chair. and in an
uncomfortable burst Of passion pleaded
for the tooth and for myself. I told the
Whole story Of my love- spoke of the