St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-11-28
MIND OVER MATTER
Bv DON MARK LEMON
Copyright, by shortstory Pub. Coz

run. co.,
crosswise into the attentive eyes OF
his mother-inlaw.
Nov, john" said that lady, re
member that pain is all in the mind,
and if you will only imagine it doesn't
hurt-why, it won't"
"O-o-oh!"
What did / say? All in the mind!'
"O-o-o-oh!"
Remember! all in"
"Oh!"
John Fisher had endured all that
flesh and blood could bear. He
brought up his hand and with one
| Jerk tore the wedge from between his
teeth and the rubber from his mouth.
"Mr. Fisher" expostulated the den
fist.
"Why, John!" exclaimed the mother
in-law. Didn't you hear me saying
that pain is all in the mind?"
John Fisher turned upon the lady.
MADAM, while l am letting this tooth
cool, Just have those two teeth OF
yours yanked out
"Why, certainly" Mrs. Meadow
brook seated herself in the dental
| chair
John Fisher stood closely by. Now
was his turn to advise, and he fairly
smiled with vindictive pleasure. But
not for long, for when the dentist had
succeeded in breaking off one and
crushing another of his patients teeth
| in a futile attempt at extraction, that
lady looked up with a beatific smile
and remarked: AFTER all, pain IL
wholly in the mind. Don't you think
SO, doctor?"
81 am satisfied OF that" said the
dentist.
John Fishers jaw fell mutely.
The dentist now dug out the spin.
tiers of the two teeth he had broken
off and proceeded to bore great cavi.
ties into four other teeth in the mouth
OF Mrs. Meadowbrook, that lady not
uttering a single complaint the while,
nor once SO much as winctng, but
throughout the operation bearing her
self as easily as If at play.
! 'T cannot give you any more time
this morning" stated the dentist.
Mrs. Meadowbrook arose and smiled
on her son-in-law Now, John, re-
member that physical pain is all in
the mind, and if you will believe that
your tooth doesn't hurt-why, as !
said before, it won't"
Again John Fisher seated himself
in the dental chair and again the sur.
geon began boring with that fine
pointed drill.
Getting pretty near the nerve re-
marked the latter, by way of informa.
| ton.
John Fisher made no reply, but, like
the parrot that couldn't talk, he
thought great deal. Bracing himself
in the chair, he sought to conceal his
sQuirmings from his argus-eyed mo-
ther-in-law, for, after the wonderful
example of the power Of mind over
matter set by that lady, he was deter
mined that his conduct should be
above the reproach of a Spartan.
All in the mind!" he thought.
Great jumping frogs! What kind of a
mind has she?"
Even the hour in the dental chair
has its ending-"This, too, shall pass
away!"-and at last John Fishers
tooth could have nothing more done
for it for the time being, and he arose,
quit the dentists Office and walked
home with his mother-in-law.
Occasionally he would glance side
ways at her out Of admiring eyes.
What mind that woman must
have!" he thought
| He took her into store and bought
her an expensive hat and sunshade
''Nothings too good for a woman like
that" was his secret reflection.
An hour later he got into dispute
with q friend who maintained that the
mind has no power whatever over
physical pain.
What" cried John Fisher. THE
mind has no power over pain! You
don't know what you're talking about.
You should have seen my mother-in-
law at the dentists this forenoon.
Great Scott, you should have seen
her! She had two teeth pulled and the
nerves killed in four others, and she
didn't take any gas, but just believed
it didn't hurt, and-why. it didn't"
Are you speaking of Mrs. Meadow
brooke" inquired the friend.
Yes, my mother-in-law."
The friend smiled. But, / say,
hasn't Mrs. Meadowbrook false
| teeth?''
False teeth"
Why, yes, aren't all of her teeth
| false?"
John Fisher suddenly slapped his
friend on the back and laughed loud
ly. "Ha! ha! I was just seeing If
you would bite!"