The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-01-08

| had Epe's face, the sChOOlma'am WOult
have half of the Dodge farm whcnevcI
OF man Dodge got through with IL, bu
neither Of them did have what th'
other had, ana 80 there it was, yOj
see.
Wen, you've beard o. Squire Cation
Judge Cation, they call him, since b'
got to be judge OF the Supreme Court
and Chief Justice at that Well h1
had farm down there not far from
Fox River, and when he was there b.,
was plain farmer Ike the rest OF us
though up In Chicago he was high-uI
lawyer, leader Of the bar. Now it 50
happened that young doctor named
| Brainard-Danicl Brainard-had just
come 10 Chicago aud was startin' in,
and Squire Cation was hclpin' him
gave him desk room ia his office and
made him known 10 the fOlks-Kinzies
tons ana ArnOlds ana all OF these folks
about all there was IN Chicago in
those days.
Brainard had been in Paris, France,
ana Paris, Illinois you understand, and
knew all the dOctOrin' there was 20
know then. Well, come spring, Squire
Cation had Doe Brainard down TO visit
him, ana they shot ducks ana geese
ana prairie chickens and some wild tur-
kcys-and deer, too Game was Just
swaTming at that time All the while
Cation was dOln' what law business
there was 10 do, ana Brainard thought
ne ought 10 be dom some dOctOrin' 10
keep his hand In, 50 hc'askcd Cation II
there wasn't any cases he could take
up surgery eases especially he hank
cred after, seem he had more carvin'
tools than you could shake stick At.
He asked him particularly If there
wasn't anybody be could treat for
"strAbsmus.'
The squire hadn't heard of anybody
dying Of that complaint, but when the
doctor explained mat strabsmus was
French for CrOsS.cycs, he naturally
thought Of poor Abe Dodge. and the
young doctor was right up on his car.
He smClcd the battle alar off; and
most before you could say Jack Robin
son the squire ana the doctor were on
horseback and down TO the Dodge
farm, tool chest ana all
Well il 50 happened that nobody was
at home bU, Abe and Ephc, ana il
didn't take but a few words before
Abe was ready To set right down, then
and there, ana let anybody do anything
he was q mind 20 with his unfortunate
eyes. No, he wouldn't wait until the
old folks come home, ne didn't want to
ask no advice, ne wasn't afraid OF
his eyes couldn't hc made any worse
than they were, whatever you did 10
'cm. Take 'cm out and boil 'cm and
put 'cm back if You had mind to, only
go 10 work. lie knew he was OF age,
and ne guessed he was master of his
own eyes such as they were.
Well there wasn't nothing else 20 DO
but go ahead The doctor opened UP
his killing tools and tried so keep Abe
from seeing them; but Abe he just
come right over aud pccked at 'em,
handled 'cm aud called 'cm "splcndid'
and SO they were, baun' havin them
used on your flesh and blood aud bones.
Then they got some clothes ana n
basin, and one thing aud another, and
set Abe right down ia chair (No
such thing as chlOrotorm in those days.
yOu'll rCmrmbcrD Squire Cation was TO
hold an instrument that spread the
cyclids wide open, while Ephc was 90
hold Abcs head steady First touch Of
the lancet the first squirt OF blood. aud
what do YOU think? That ornory Ephc
wiltcd aud fell Hat on the floor behind
the chair.
squire said Hramard. step around
and hold his head
81 can hold my own head" says Abe.
MS steady rs you please. But Squire
Cation he stladdlrd over EphC ana held
his head between his arms. and the two
handles Of the eye sprcadcr with his
hands
1t was all over iu half minute, and
then Abe. he leaned forward and shook
the blood of his cyclashcS, and looked
straight ont of that eye Tor the first
time since he was born. And the first
words he said were.
"rhank the Lord Shes mine"
About that time Ephc he crawlcd ont
doors. sick rs dog, and Abe spoke up,
says be:
Now for the other, eye, Doctor
"Oh," says the doctor. wed better
take another day for that"
"All right says Abe. "it your hands
are tired OF Cuttin', you can make an
other job of IL. My face amt tired OF
bciu' cut, can tell YOU"
"Wcll. If you're game, | am
So. if you'll believe me. they just set
to work and operated OF the other eye,
Abe holding his own head. ms he said
he would, and the Squire holding the
sprcader. And when IL was all done
the doctor Vas FOR putin n handagC
on 20 keep things quiet till the wounds
all healed up; but Abe just begged for
one sight OF himself. aud he stood NJ
ana walked over 10 the clock and
looked in the glass, and says he:
80 that's the way | lCok. is ~
Shouldn't have known my own face
never saw il before How long must
| keep the bandage ON. Doctor
"Oh, IL the eyes amt very sore wher
you wake up in the morning YOU cai
take il off. il you'll bc careful"
Wake up. DO you suppose I car
sleep when such n blessing has fallcr
on me? I'll lay still. but IL forget II
or you, for one minute this night, IL
be so ashamed OF myself that itl
| Mnke me right NM