The Menace, an Exposition of Quackery Nostrum Exploitation and Reminiscences of a Country Doctor Page: 107
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Chas. D. Dixon, M. D.
THE WIDOW JONES.
One cold winter night in February, I was sleeping in my
warn bed, while without, it was cold, raining and sleeting
intermittently. I lay dozing thinking to myself, that I was
secure for that nights sleep. No one would dare brave such
a night to go for a physician. There came a tapping, tap-
ping at my chamber door. I thought I would be still and
perhaps the party would go away. But presently there came
a loud squeaky voice saying, "hellow." I reached over and
lit my lamp, slowly got out of bed, threw my wrap around
me and went to the door. When I opened the door I was
greeted by a young country lad of some fifteen summers,
"Is this doc Smith ?" I informed him that it was. He said,
"Doc, ma wants you to come out to her house just as quick
as you can git there."
I asked him what his mother's name was; he informed me
that it was the widow Jones. She lives nineteen miles from
here. I thought to myself that it must be a serious case,
or the widow Jones would not have sent her son on such a
night as this for a physician. Here was a chance for me to
make a hit with the rich widow Jones, and the neighbors,
whom of course, she had called in to assist her in her trouble.
I went back to my room, dressed, went to the lot, caught my
horses, hitched them to my buggy, wrapped myself as best
I could and told the young fellow to move out and I would
follow. We travelled due north, the rain and sleet pounding
me in the face, and my ears almost freezing, but this did not
deter me for I could see myself ahead, making the big hit
with the rich widow Jones. After we had traveled about
three hours, we arrived at a little log cabin consisting of one
room, with a stick chimney, in the heart of a dense cedar
break, the home of the charcoal burner.
The house was dark and silent, as if no one ever inhabited
the place. The young man remarked, "Doc, this is where
we hold out, git out." I proceeded to make the attempt, I
was so cold and stiff I could hardly get my legs to straighten
themselves out, but finally by rubbing them they responded
and I got out, hitched my team and followed the young man.
As he pushed aside the door, which was leaning against the107
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Dixon, Chas. D. (Charles D.). The Menace, an Exposition of Quackery Nostrum Exploitation and Reminiscences of a Country Doctor, book, 1914; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth143569/m1/125/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting University of Texas Health Science Center Libraries.