HAVING A TOOTH "DRAWED."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2334, 10 September 1875, Page 3

HAVING A TOOTH "DRAWED."

(Detroit Free Prest.) The other morning a farmer and his wife hitched their team on Woodward-avenue, and in another five minutes had mounted the ataira and appeared in a dentist's office. The old lady bad her face tied up, and there was a smell of camphor, peppermint, paregoric, turpentine, and oil of smoke as she crossed the walk, "Brace up how, Mary— brace up!" oautioned the husband as they started to climb the stairs ; " I know jist how ye feelkinder weak in the knees, like — but the feller up-stairs '11 soon have that old snag out o r : there like a horse running down hill !" "They were met by the smiling dentist, i and the husband continued — " She's got an old snag which we want drawed or dug out or driven in, or suthin' or other!" " Take a chair, madam," replied the dentist, " and 1 guess I can help you." " I yum ! if I hadn't a mind to back out !" she said, dropping on the sofa. " Brace, Mary, braoe !" commanded the husband; "why even little children so high (measuring) come up here every day and have their teeth drawed for fun !" " I don't b'leve it !" she bluntly replied. " Do you s'pose I'd lie to yon, Mary— do you suppose I'd tell a deliberate lie ?" asked the husband. She seemed to think he would, but didn't say so, and the dentist talked softly and sweetly, and finally induced her to remove her shawl and hat and sit down in the chair. While he was looking over his instrument* the husband remarked— " You want to brace, Mary. Hold yer mouth open as wide as you possibler can, aud don't try to look outen the winder." " I wish ye'd shut up !" she snapped, sitting up straight ; " don't you s'pose I knows enuff to get a tooth drawed ?" " But can't yer own husband speak to ye, Mary— the husband who has lived with you nigh on thirty-six year P" The dentist waved him away and cajoled the woman into leaning back and opening her mouth. He found the cause of her misery to be an old snag of a tooth, which would have to be dug around, but as soon as the. lance touohed the gum she screamed out and struggled up. " Mary— dear Mary, why do you holler?" exclaimed her husband, rushing over to her side. " She's all right— the worst is over," replied the dentist. " Oh, she'll stand it like an elephant— she's got real grit, haven't you, Mary?" She fell back, opened her mouth again, and again the lance made her scream out. " Braoe, Mary— shut yer eyes and bold on to the cheer !" exclaimed her husband. " I wish you'd squat over there, and ttatf there!" she snarled, after spitting out a moutful of blood. " But I can't sit tbar and hear you moan and holler and take on so." " Who's a hollerin' ?" "You did." " No I didn't." " Mary, don't tell me a lie— a bold, straight j lie right afore this dentister." The dentist induced him to be seated again, but it was fire minutes before the woman would open her mouth. She declared that the ache had entirely vanished, and that her tooth never felt so well in her life. "Don't try to crawfish, Mary— don't try that ?" exclaimed her husband. " Will you shot up !" she shouted. "No, I won't, duro me if I do! Here Jou've kept me awake fourteen nights, owliu' with that old tooth! You've jawed and howled and tore around like m old

camel, and cow you've got to have thai tooth diawed or you'll go home afoot !" She wanted to get out of the chair aad go for him, but the dentist persuaded him into going into a drug store after ten drop* of laudanum, and while he was absent the tooth was extracted. Mary was balancing it en her hand as he came in, and after a brief glance at her, he exclaimed—" Bully for you, Mary ! I knowed ye had grit. All ye wanted was me to eacourrgeye!" " "iou didn't encourage nothing," she loftily replied. " I didn't, eh ? Why, if it wasn't for me, you'd be howling around home this very minute, calling for hot ashee, and camfire, and oils, and vitriol, and cotton. Don't lie, Mary, jUt 'cause you've had one old tooth drawed ! " "I pity your second wife," she growled ac she put on her hat ; "I know just how them children of mine will be used 1" "Allen a twittin' me about a second wife!" he exclaimed; "here I've got to pay fifty cents to have that old snag drawed, and ye hain't the least bit grateful. I'd drive hum and leave ye in town, only I know ye'd be in gaol in leas'n an hour." "Wait till we get back heme," she said as he started down-stairs. Threat* ! Tbrbatß !" whispered the farmer as he turned to the dentist; "remember, if Tib fonad dead to-night that ye heard her utter threat* i" And he followed her downstairs.