Year: 1873

L frankly cOu4eSS II. les i, 8u O1C
married woman, whose tin wedding Is
already q thing of the past, around
whose knee clus er dear olive branches
and IN whose curls the silver threads are
fast outnumbering the brown ones-I
have lately fallen desperately in love.
I will make clean breast Of it. The
name of the late object of my idolatry
| is-Ether.


For more than a year 1 have said to
myself almost every day, g must have
out my upper teeth and get a new set. .
Time and again have I appointed my
painful visit to the dentist, and as often
has something interviewed to prevent.
Yet, as week after week my old teeth
broke, and crumbIed, and fell away,
felt the unwisdgm of procastination.
And still, as mortals will, I procrasti-
mated. Saith the country parsons, ''by
the make of the universe, every duty
delayed grows in bulk, and weight, and
painful pressure" He might have
added Cbut he didn't 90 this is pre-emi-
nentIy true of teeth that ought to be
pulled"


I took a sudden resolve, the other
evening, to go the next day and have
the thing done slept on it over night,
and rose in the morning more bravely
determined than ever. After eating
hearty breakfast, with the innate con
sciousness that, if I carried out my
plans, it was the last meal 1 should
really enjoy for many days, arranged
my room as for q hospital, shut up the
organ and sewing machine with a pre-
monition that neither music nor sewing
would have any charms for me on my
return, and, with g gude1pan as es-
cort, set my face as a flint toward the
dentists. We are assembled at length
in solemn conclave at the dentists Office.
There is the family physician, whose
face is that of a dear friend from its as
sociation with pain relieved and sickness
ministered unto, and no less dear be-
cause We sadly remember those whom
his best efforts failed to save; there Is
the little, resolute dentist and his sensi-
bic, lovely wife there Is the guide
man, and there is poor nervous me,
my courage fast oozing out at my finger
tips, in this room so forcibly reminding
one Of a torture-chamber of the inquisi-
ton, with its wicked-looking instru-
ments and glass jars of teeth. Thev all
see and feel that my teeth are a very
bad set to pull, and if they don't say it,
I see it in their looks, and know they
only refrain to encourage me. For out
of all the sixteen molars, grinders, Gus
pids, bicuspids and what not that once
adorned my upper jaw, only two things
remain that can be called teeth, though
none have ever been drawn. The rest
are stumps and must be dug out.


Ether or ehloroform ?'' is the ques-
ton.


Ether" advises the dentist, as be-
ing the safe thing.


ETHER" echoes the doctor present,
at my request, to administer it.


sit down in the great red velvet
chair and look upon the beautiful world
without, while they prepare the bag,
and sponge, and lint, and Instruments.
It is a strange feeling to know you are
going to sleep so soundly that you will
not rouse even under torture. I feel
sense of nervous depression. 1t reminds
me of the last long sleep, and feel as
I ought to bid them all good-by. 1t is
, comfort to hear the doctors assurance,
"we will take care of you, and to feel
his finger on my pulse as I commence
! Al T. Al Ill
is right.


How that ether tingles to the very
tips of my fingers and toes. There is a
choking sensation, too, at first, very un-
pleasant, and I can seem to hear my
heart beating in great, loud thumps.
But the doctors finger is on my pulse
and he will know If anything is amiss.
I do not seem to grow at all sleepy
never was wider awake in my life
though I keep my eyes persistently
closed, and try to drop off, knowing
they all stand waiting. It occurs to me
that they viii have to wait longer than
they dream Of.


''You must remember to open your
mouth when they tell you," says the
doctor, giving me a new supply of
ether. inhale again, pondering how I
shall know enough to open my mouth,
, when am wholly insensible.


But there are no signs of that yet. I
, am still wide awake and know all that
is said and done. The doctor says the
, room is getting warm, and some one
opens a door. Then the fire makes such
a strange. swapping sound, wonder no
one speaks of It. think they are tired
! OF waiting for the ether to overpOwer
2 me, or else the lovely day is too strong
| a temptation for soon, I hardly know
at whose suggestion, we aIl go of for a
sIeigh-ride, save the dentist. who must
T remain to wait on possible customers,
: you know.


What a glorious ride it is the bright
t blue sky, the balmy air, and the best of
I sleighing all combine to make 1t pleas
ant. We are all IN one great sleigh,
2 with such noble horses, and other
friends join rs here and there, 50 our
3 company is large and merry one. We
t dash through busy streets and past
= lonely farm-houses, along the margin OF
iee-bound rivers. and anon our bells
? echo gheerily through some evergreen
forest, and all tie while, with song and
t jest and merry laughter, the time speeds