And Doc he say he thought 'at _he_
could _knit_ a stitch er two--
"Bring the _materials_ to me--
'at's all I'm astin' you!"
And down he sets--six weeks, i jing!
and knits that seine plum done--
Made corks too, brails and ever'thing--
good as a boughten one!

[Illustration]

XXII

Doc's _public_ sperit--when the sick
's not takin' _all_ his time
And he's got _some_ fer politics--
is simple yit sublime:--
He'll _talk_ his _principles_--and they
air _honest_;--but the sly
Friend strikes him first, election-day,
he'd 'commodate, er die!

XXIII

And yit, though Doc, as all men knows,
is square straight up and down,
That vote o' his is--well, I s'pose--
the cheapest one in town;--
A fact 'at's sad to verify,
as could be done on oath--
I've voted Doc myse'f--_And I
was criminal fer both!_

XXIV

You kin corrupt the _ballot-box_--corrupt
_yourse'f_, as well--
Corrupt _some_ neighbers,--but
old Doc's as oncorruptible
As Holy Writ. So putt a pin
right there!--Let _Sifers_ be,
I jucks! he wouldn't vote agin
his own worst inimy!

XXV

When Cynthy Eubanks laid so low
with fever, and Doc Glenn
Told Euby Cynth 'ud haf to go--
they sends fer _Sifers_ then!...
Doc sized the case: "She's starved," says he,
"fer _warter_--yes, and _meat_!
The treatment 'at she'll git from _me_
's all she kin drink and eat!"

[Illustration]

XXVI

He orders Euby then to split
some wood, and take and build
A fire in kitchen-stove, and git
a young spring-chicken killed;
And jes whirled in and th'owed his hat
and coat there on the bed,
And warshed his hands and sailed in that
-air kitchen, Euby said,

XXVII

And biled that chicken-broth, and got
that dinner--all complete
And clean and crisp and good and hot
as mortal ever eat!
And Cynth and Euby both'll say
'at Doc'll git as good
Meals-vittles up, jes any day,
as any _woman_ could!

XXVIII

Time Sister Abbick tuk so bad
with striffen o' the lung,
P'tracted Meetin', where she had
jes shouted, prayed and sung
All winter long, through snow and thaw,--
when Sifers come, says he:
"No, M'lissy; don