The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-10-29
A Parable Of
the Times

One upon a time, there was an old
man who had 48 sons. This old gen
tleman was taken sick and his sons
came in to see him and decided they
would employ a doctor. Accordingly,
they engaged what the majority OF
them decided was a good physician.
When the doctor came, he sat quietly
down beside the couch upon which
the sick man lay, looked at him ten
derby and alphabetically, but did
not take his blood pressure, his tenn
perature, or feel his pulse, or even
look at his tongue. The only thing
he did for the old man was to bleed
him. When his SONS came in to see
him, as time went by the old gentle
man grew worse and worse, but the
doctor would inform them that he
was recovering rapidly and would
soon be out of danger; that if he was
left alone there was no doubt about
his ultimate recovery, and indeed,
he informed them, his total recovery
was 'just around the corner" and
that he would have the old man well
and in good spirits and each and all
of the sons would have chicken IN
every pot and two automobiles In
every garage, and he kept this treat
ment up for four years. His sons be-
came exaspearted and held coun-
sci, and AZ of them declared that
they had heard that this man was no
doctor at all; that he was only a
mining engineer and that they be-
lieved the report to be true because
each lick he struck put them deeper
and deeper in the hole. They decided
that they should get a new doctor,
that if the old man went along this
way he was certain to die. Six Of the
sons declared that it would be dan
gerous to change doctors when the
old man was so sick and in such
physical condition, but the AZ per-
sisted and accordingly brand fire
new physician was called in.
The new physician took the ole
mans blood pressure and found 1t TIC
be 375; he took his temperature ano
found it to be 149 IL; his pulse was
running away and when he looked
at his tongue, he found it coated
with IA inch of rust. He informed
the sons that the old man had PERM
cious anemia, galoping. consumption
: and that his heart was absolutely
running away with him at times
) and at other times it would scarceI.
5 beat at all, and that he was liable t.
go into commissions at any minute.
The new doctor also informed tn
sons that the old man must be fet
and to get out and get him 100 nic'
fat hens. He also wanted 20 gallon
of cod liver oil. He gave the old MAJ
a hypodermic three times day o
> quadruple compound extract o
/ prosperity. After having given tn
old man several nice bowls of good
f rich chicken soup, together with am
: pie doses of cod liver oil, the oil
gentleman began to look aroun'
and even recognize some OF the boys
He pulled out of his comatose con
dition and improved from day to da.
until he could sit up and begin t.
take knowledge of things. Whel
! asked how he felt and how he wa
! getting along he said he felt prett.
good except that he had buzzln
noises in his ears, like the runnin
of spindles and the operation OF fac
!; tory wheels. He was informed tina
. that was not at all unusual becaus
' all around him people were feelln
! and hearing the same things. Tia
when he was taken sick, the facto
ries were closed down but they wer
o all open and running, three eigh
hour shifts each day,and things wer
) humming. The old gentleman ais
! informed them that he thought n
had an optical illusion; that tn
smoke stacks that were high and Or
when he took sick with his maladJ
he thought he could see the blackes