Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1917-02-05
incubation
For Love
By SADIE OLCOTT

and was preparing to make his daily
visits when his colored housemaid came
In with a shamefaced look.
What is it, SueF
MARS Doctah," she said, "can you
inoculate anybody with sickness?"
Certainly"
Sue looked in every direction except
the doctor.
Come" said the doctor, there's
something OIL your mind. Out with it,"
81 hearn tell, Mars Doctah, dat lub
Is disease"
"Well?' said the doctor, becoming
interested.
81 hearn tell, too, dat long ago dey
was lub potions and If any one took
de potion dey was in lub. | been think
in dat yo' might glib de disease that
way somehow"
You mean that you are in love and
wish me to make the man you love
love you"
ITS about dat" Sue confessed in
voice scarcely audible.
Whom are you in love with, Sue?"
Il don't like to tell dat. Can't yo'
Glib me de potion to glib to him."
mo; | should have to manage the
case myself. If you'll tell me his name
perhaps | can do something for you"
81 reckon it'c San, y
"Mr. Trotter's Sam?"
"Yes, Mars Doctah."
The doctors eyes expressed amuse.
ment, but he kept straight face, al.
though this was scarcely necessary for
Sue never once looked at him. Pres.
emily he went to medicine case, took
up bottle and poured a little of It's
contents into vial. Then, handing
1t to Sue, he said
"The next time Sam comes to see YOU
and asks for drink of water or cider
in fact, anything to drink-pour some
of this into 1t. 1t will make him sick.
Appear to be much frightened and tele.
phone for me-"
"Yes, Mars Doctah, do dat"
1t was not long before the doctor was
called upon to cure Sam Of the effects
of the dose Sue had given the man she
loved. He examined his patient care
fully and gave him something to settle
his stomach, then, pricking his arm
with a lancet, drew little blood.
Sam" he said, "I'm going to test
this blood for the disease you've got.
Come and see me tomorrow morning.
and I'll tell you what it is"
The next morning Sam was perfectly
well, but curiosity and fear drove him
into DR.. Dinsmore's office. He was ad.
mitted In his turn, and when the ply.
sician had felt his pulse and tested his
with mouth thermome-
ter he looked very solemn.
"sam," he said, you've contracted a
serious disease"
"Fo' de Lawd Mars Doctah, Is it
gwine to kill me?"
"Not unless it drives you to suicide.
In itself 1t is not fatal, but 1t some
times drives persons to do very foolish
things. 1t will on rare occasions throw
the patient into fever, hysterical
In which he will act like
lunatlc. You have little of that fe-
verishness about you now."
LA sakes, Mars Doctah! What yo'
call dat disease?"
"Amormania"
"How you know got dat?"
The doctor took down bottle from
a shelf, put drop Of rainwater on a
bit Of glass, put the glass on a micro
scope and after adjusting a focus told
Sam to look into the instrument. The
larky saw lot Of monsters swim
ming about.
NOW, SAM" said the physician, II
don't wish to scare you, but you are
looking at a drop of your own blood"
Sam collapsed, and the doctor held
him up.
"All diseases nowadays, Sam, are
caused by germs. Those creatures are
he germs Of amOrmania that have got
into your blood. When a man falls in
love with a woman they take possess
sino Of him and"-
"But l haint in lub with any wo-
man." protested Sam.
II didn't say you were, Sam; at least
you don't know 1t. The disease hasn't
developed yet. When 1t does you'll find
out that you are In love and no mis-
take. If there is no response to your
love you'll suffer from a sort of lu-
Macy"
"Fe de Lawdw
"There Is a medical theory, Sam, that
ike cures like" continued DR.. Dins.
more. 81 can take some of your blood
and inject it into the veins of the
woman you love-
But l hain't in lub."
"Yes, you are, Sam; you're in love
with good girl. AS soon as these
monsters I have shown you develop
there's only dozen now; in few
lays therell be a milllon-yOu'll have
| regular attack of amormania."
"What l do den?" cried Sam, aghast.
"Unless your passion is returned you
will act like lunatic. They all do.
Now, I'll tell you what I propose to do.
can inject some of your blood into
he body Of nice girl. This will give
her the disease and she'll love you des-
Then we shall have case
If like cures like"
"Mars Doctah, you do dat right off,"