essively, "an important dokiment, Teacher,
concerning of which I desire to consult you perfessionally."

"Yes?"

"You just stay settin'; I'll fetch a chair and set aside of you and
show it to you oncet."

He drew a chair up to the table and Margaret reluctantly sat down,
feeling annoyed and disappointed at this interruption of her letter,
yet unwilling, in the goodness of her heart, to snub the little man.

The doctor bent near to her and spoke confidentially.

"You see, them swanged fools in the legislature has went to work and
passed a act--ag'in' my protest, mind you--compellin' doctors to fill
out blanks answerin' to a lot of darn-fool questions 'bout one thing
and 'nother, like this here."

He had spread open on the table the paper he had drawn from his pocket.
It was soiled from contact with his coat and his hands, and Margaret,
instead of touching the sheet, pressed it down with the handle of her
pen.

The doctor noticed the act and laughed. "You're wonderful easy
kreistled [disgusted]; ain't? I took notice a'ready how when things is
some dirty they kreistle you, still. But indeed, Teacher," he gravely
added, "it ain't healthy to wash so much and keep so clean as what you
do. It's weakenin'. That's why city folks ain't so hearty--they get
right into them big, long tubs they have built in their houses
up-stairs! I seen one oncet in at Doc Hess's in Lancaster. I says to
him when I seen it, 'You wouldn't get me into THAT--it's too much like
a coffin!' I says. 'It would make a body creepy to get in there.' And
he says, 'I'd feel creepy if I DIDN'T get in.' 'Yes,' I says,'that's
why you're so thin. You wash yourself away,' I says."

"What's it all about?" Miss Margaret abruptly asked, examining the
paper.

"These here's the questions," answered the doctor, tracing them with
his thick, dirty forefinger; "and these here's the blank spaces fur to
write the answers into. Now you can write better 'n me, Teacher; and if
you'll just take and write in the answers fur me, why, I'll do a favor
fur you some time if ever you ast it off of me. And if ever you need a
doctor, just you call on me, and I'm swanged if I charge you a cent!"

Among the simple population of New Canaan the Doc was considered the
most blasphemous man in America, but there seemed to be a sort of
general impression in the village that his profanity was, in some way,
an eccentricity of genius.

"Thank you," Miss Margaret responded to his offer of