The evening Republican., 1902-06-28
A CONVENIENT
VEHICLE.

The young doctor took the sick
mans tempature, scanned his tongue,
felt his pulse and lifted the eyelids
to scrutinize the optics. After a
few seconds of profound meditation
or was it hesitations--he prescrib-
ed for his patient in blindly scrawl-
ed Latin, adding in. English the di-
rection, '"To be taken twice a day
in any convenient vehicle"
BE there any show for me to
get well, docters" quavered the sick
man.
Sure there is, Mr.. Simmons. I
You'll be all right now in no time.
These pills will set you UP at once ;
Then the sapient young disciple of
Esculapius drew on his gloves and
gave a reassuring grasp to Ben Sim
mons outstretched hand.
With an encouraging smile all
round upon the staring little Sim
monses and the pallid wife, over
whose face CLEAN of hope seemed
totiicker, he departed, tearing down
the road at a breakneck speed as if
bound for a dying patient.
Hanged if l know what ails the
old chap" he mused as he galloped
along. How is a doctor going to
prescribe for an idiot who can't give
a clearer account of his feelings
than a dull, heavy misery in the
bones?"
But Ben Simmons mended from
the hour that DR.. Blesdoe took
charge Of the case. Strength and
courage and health seemed rolled
up in those wonderful pills, the fame
Of which spread thu ough the back
woods Of Missouri town.
The doctors visits soon ceased at
the Simmons cabin, for Bob Sim
mons, after long months of diseased
liver, indiscriminate patent medicine
taking and confinement within the
four walls of a bedroom where the
breezes Of heaven were never per-
mitted to enter, had come forth a
well man. To the doctor, be it con-
fessed, Bob's convalescence was as
great a wonder as to the community
at large, but he kept silence.
One evening Dr. Bledsoe was wait
ing for his mail at the little post Of
flee, seated in an inconspicuous place
behind newspaper which he had
spread out before him. Suddenly
his attention was reused by hearing
his own name spoken. The tone he
recognized as the drawing one of
Mrs. Ben Simmons.
"Yes, Ben were in q powerful bad
way when DR.. Bledsoe TUX hold Of
him. We lowed he couldn't get well.
His liver we're all out o. whack, an )
he were THAT thin it looked like it
wouldn't be long fore his hide d be
On the fence.
"iou don't say!' CALCULATED her
intcrlOcutor.
"llis narvous system were all
gone, and his blood were turned to
waier. an his mind were fected, an
he were threatened with tarriiied
fever. an
What did the doctor dew fer him?
Dew tell"
"]es' some little teenty pills. MIR.
Slivans, not big as u pea. But the
way they he'd to be tuck was the
quarest lie writ it out TO be
taken in any convenient vehicle.
We didn't hev no idea Of the
mednin ol that word, 80 we borr ed
the scIIoolmarster's dictionary, an'
sir, we foun out at vehicle meant
coach. wagon, cart, carriage.
Well sir, ef We didn't jes bun lie up
Bob IN take him twice a day. in
the ole buggy inter the country to
give him them pills. In less'n a
week he were mendIn fiue. an in
less'n 4 month lie we're plum we'll "
"Wail, ! dew. declare! It's won.
ncrful! interpulated Mr.. Slivens.
"Oh, tell you, DR.. B!cdsoe's a
slemwinder, lie IS, fer DOCTOR, Mr.
Slivcns. Them pills has cured half
The people in Simmons Landin.' If
folks didn't hev no buggy they d
wheel their sick uns out in wheel
barrers TO take the pills, an sure's
you're bawn they did mt none of 'em
die. You sec. the schoomarsJer
said the barrow were a vehicle
though in course it warn't ekal to a
up an down buggy
81 reckn the doctors fortin are
made in Simmons Landin' count of
them pills." assevcrated Mr.. Slivens.
As DR.. Bledsoc rode home th t
evening he INDUCED in loud outlaws.
inlersperscd with frequent ejacula-
tions OF "I'll be doggedr and EN-.
phasized with slaps on his horse S
neck.
Now the extensive practice viii ch
he had achieved 10 the three mouths
time he had been In Simmons
Landing was explained as was
Bob Simmons miraculoeS.
A girl down East received a let.
ter in which ncr lover announced
his unparalleled success 10 his ne "
field OF practice owing TO his fortu
nate cure ol his frat patient though
be did not state by what ''conven.
lent vehicle" it was done.
ut is said that a doctor doesn t
make his bread until he has lost
his teeth,' he wrote" "but. darl.
ing am making hue living al.
ready at my profession. More.
over have got hold Of some stock
IN zinc mine through my first pa.
i.Dt Bob Simm ma W ho vave ma a