The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-02-10
CHAPTER XVIII.

"Five Hundred Dollars Potato"
80 ERSUADING. bullying. and. at
ND times, by main strength. men
A were dragged from their hunks
and forced to dress. Smoke
selected the mildest cases for the bur
ial squad. Another squad was told
off to supply the wood by which the
graves were burned down into the fro
zen muck and gravel. Still another
squad had to chop tirewood and i'm
@narf f,a biaa.e--tp
who were too weak for outdoor work
were put to cleaning and scrabbing
the cabins and washing clothes One
squad brought in many loads Of spruce
boughs and every stove was used for
the brewing of spruce tea.
But, no matter what face Smoke and
Shorty put on it, the situation was
grim and serious. At least thirty fear
ful and impossible cases could not be
taken from the beds. as the two men,
with nausea and horror. learned. while
one. a woman, died in Laura Sibley's
cabin. Yet strong measures were nee
essary.
When the working gangs came in at
noon they found decently cooked din
ners awaiting them. prepared by the
weaker members of their cabins under
the tuteIage and drive of Smoke and
Shorty.
"That'll do," Smoke said at 3 in the
afternoon. KNOCK Off. Go to your
bunks. You may be feeling rotten
now, but you'll be the better for it
tomorrow. OF course it hurts to get
well. but I'm going to get you WELL"
TOO late." Amos Wentworth sneer-
ed pallidly at Smokes efforts. ''They
ought to have started in that way last
fall"
Come along with me-" Smoke an
swered. Pick up those two pals.
You're not ailng"
From cabin to cabin the three men
went. dosing every man and woman
with full pint OF spruce tea Nor
was it easy.
"You might as well learn at the start
that we mean business" Smoke stated
to the first obdurate. who lay on bis
back groaning through set teeth.
Stand by. Shorty" Smoke caught
the patient by the nose and tapped the
solar plexus section SO as to make the
mouth gasp open. Now, Shorty! Down
| she goes.'
And down she went, accompanied
with unavoidable sputterings and
stranglings.
We're covering this spruce tea route
four times day. and there are eighty
Of you to be dosed each time." Smoke
Informed Laura Sibley. so we've nc
time to fool. Will you take 1t. or must
hold your nose?" His thumb and
forefnger hovered eloquently above
| her. ITS vegetable. so you needn',
have any qualms."
"Ill-Ill take it." she quavered
Hurry upr'
That night. exhausted as by no hard
day of trail, Smoke and Shorty crawl
ed into their blankets.
| I'm fairly sick with it, Smoke con
fessed. The way they suffer is awful
But exercise is the only remedy car
think of, and it must be given thor
ongh trial. | wish we had sack Of
raw potatoes
"Sparkins. he can't wash no mort
dishes" Shorty said. ut hurts him 81
he sweats bis pain. seen him swea
it. / had to put hin back In the bunl
he was that helpless"
III only we had raw potatoes,
Smoke went On ''rhe vital, essentia
something is missing from that prepar
ed stuff The life has been evaporatet
ont of it,
An If that young fellow Jones II
ttie Brownlow cabin don't croak heror
mornin' miss my guess"
For heavens sake be cheerful.
Smoke chided.
In the morning not only was jone