Pocahontas star herald., 1911-06-30
MR.. BILLTOP'S
COLD

MRS Billtops says" said Mr.. B.,
thaI When I'm sick fall down and
preak up and collapse and go to pieces
generally She doesn't say this un.
Kndiy' you know, or anything like
that' out she says that when I'm sick
I'm baby and guess it's so.
NOW for the last four days I've had
a cold bad cold lame and sore all
over and so weak that it's hard work
for me to drag around. And yet I
haven't been so dreadfully uncomfort.
able in fact ! find sitting around in
easy chairs rather pleasant than
otherwise
And Mrs. Billtops smiles and says
she guesses Pm not so dreadfully sick;
ana when tell her about all my pains
and tell her how miserable | feel
generally she says, Why that's just
a cold, Ezra; you've got hard cold,
that's all, and then she smiles some
more and goes on about her work
she never let's up on that-and | sit
back and make myself as near com
Portable as | can, thinking that, well,
perhaps that's all that is the matter
with me, but wishing that whatever
it is might soon get over It,
But the worst thing about 1t all is
that I've still got some appetite. You
wouldn't think that anybody feeling
the way I've been feeling the last four
days could eat thing, but | have
eaten fairly well, and Mrs. B. smiles
over that little too and says that
anybody that can eat can't be so very
sick, but she doesn't say that to make
fun Of me-far from it-she says that
to encourage me and make me get
well quicker.
And as a matter of fact | am be-
ginning to mend some. Coming home
last night found myself whistling as
| came along the street, which is
something | never do unless feel
well ! had just spontaneously, with
out knowing 1t, started whistling. And
that was a pleasant surprise to me,
but stopped 1t right away, knowing
that was not as we'll as ! might be;
/ had got to nurse my illness a little
yet; but hadn't gone more'n ten
rods further before | found myself
humming a tune; apparently my body
was feeling so much better that II
was bound to express itself somehow
even II | did try to choke it off; and
when got into the house and Mrs,
Billtops had taken a look at me:
Ezra she says, cheerfully, 1 think
you are feeling better tonight and
/ said:
"Y-es, | think | am feeling a lit
tie better, and before the evening was
over | found myself laughing at some
thing; and this morning | am really
feeling quite considerable better, and
| think that by a couple of days more
shall be back to normal.
(Which is my usual condition.
am very rarely ailing at all; almost in
variably | enjoy excellent good health
and keen good spirits, and | am al
WY little inclined to wonder tha
peoI e should let themselves be cas-
down as they are just because the!
are little off. What's the use o
telling the whole world you can
stand a little bit of pain and suffer
ing?
so It strikes me when I'm feeling
as | almost invariably do, fit as
fiddle and looking at everything will
the brightest possible view But d.
you know, find It makes all the dif
ference in the world about this wheth
er it's the other fellow that's sick O.
you,
Yes, sir. When I'm well wonde
why the ailing man doesn't look cheer
full, anyway; but when I'm sick fee
right away the need of sympathy