MORRIS’S METHOD.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIV, Issue XII, 23 March 1895, Page 287

MORRIS’S METHOD.

Morris knew that he must have three teeth out. There they were, his first teeth ; one of the upper front ones, a lower one almost opposite, and a double one, way back, all loose. He could not eat with any comfort for fear of swallowing them. And then be was afraid to have those shining forceps put into his mouth by the dentist. * Pull them yourself,’ said brother Tom, three years his senior. *My front ones came out just as easy ! Don’t be a ’fraid cat I’ and having something more important on bis mind, be left Morris sitting thinking how he could pull three teeth himself That afternoon, while Tom was off with Will Lawrence, and mother was out paying visits, be found a brick in the shed and a piece of strong twine in the twine basket. These he took secretly up in the attic. ■ Of course upper teeth pull down,’ he said to himself, as he raised the window which looked on the deserted backyard, with its high fence. Then be proceeded to tie the string around the brick, and the other end around his upper tooth, by the aid of mother’s hand-glass brought np for the purpose. * Now, Morris, don’t be a 'fraid cat,’ he said, with a little shiver, as be aimed the brick at a spirea bush in the backyard. He held his breath as the jerk came, but soon drew it in again. * ft’s done ?' be said, grinning, and showing a bole which 1 bad not been there before. 4 That wasn’t bad at all. Now

let me see. The brick’s down there, isn’t it ?’ and he Srinued again. • Well, here Igo !’ and down he ran. He isentangled the twine from the spirea bush, untied the extracted tooth, and put it in his pocket as a trophy. Then he tied the twine around the lower tooth. • Lower teeth pull up,’ he reasoned ; and at just the first moment he dared, he threw the brick with some effort over the fence. It went with the string and the tooth, and Morris grinned again, and showed another hole. * Now this other old fellow,’ he reasoned, ‘ won’t go down or up like the others, it is so far back. Some one said tie the string to your tooth, and the other end to the doorknob, and let some one open the door. I’ll try it ! Tom’ll be coming home pretty soon, and I’ll tie it to the sittingroom door that leads to the kitchen.’ So he sat himself down, after making the proper connections with the door that opened out, in his small chair with his eye on the clock. Some minutes passed, and his courage ebbed just a little. * He might come,’ he said to himself a little impatiently. But he put his elbows on his knees and his forehead in his bands, and determined to wait five minutes longer, if he could. And if Tom didn’t come, the old tooth might stay in if it wanted to. A slight noise from without ! But it was from the front hall, and not from Tom in the kitchen. Morris thought, What if his mamma should find him this way ! What should be do ’ He turned his head quickly, and then as quickly put his band to his cheek with a little crv. But his tooth was out, nevertheless, and there it lay at the end of the string when mamma came into the room. And it was a comfort to have a little cry in the loving arms, and to tell her all about it. " But I didn’t expect this,’ he sobbed ; • I thought Tom was going to do it.’ * But you are not really sorry, my little son, are you ? For I met Tom and told him he could accept Will's invitation to tea. Just think bow long you would have waited for him !’ * Ob, then I am not sorry,’ exclaimed Morris, slipping from her lap and unfastening the useful twine from the brick, ‘ only I was s’prised, and haven’t got over it yet ?’ You may all be interested to know that Morris’s profession, now that he has grown to be a man, is that ot a dentist.

H. T. Wilder.