Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V. THE DOCTOK's DEN. Deep in reverie, Dr. LeBaron rode steadily on, hardly noting the familiar objects upon the roadside, until Pegasus halted so suddenly and decidedly upon the brink of a bright little stream bordering the way as nearly to throw his rider over his head. "What -- whoa -- oh, 't is Cold Spring, and you 'll not pass it, Master Pegasus, save under stress of whip and spur! Well, then " -- and the doctor, leaping lightly to the ground, suffered the horse to thrust his muzzle into the sun-warmed waters where he had paused, and then, leading him some twenty feet further to the spot where the spring bubbled out cold and clear from beneath a great rock, he picked up the clam-shell carefully laid in a clean spot, and emptied it again and again. "Ah !" exclaimed the doctor, with a long expiration of joyous breath, as he replaced the clam-shell and swung himself into the saddle, "'t is a good draught, Pegasus, none better, -- that is, when none better may be had!" And smiling at his own conceit, LeBaron rode merrily on, until just before entering the town he came upon a saucy-looking young negro perched on a rail fence and munching an apple. At sound of a horse's feet he rolled his great eyes lazily around, but, recognizing the rider, made haste to jump from his roost into the field, just in time to avoid a whistling cut from the doctor's riding wand. "Quash! You lazy black-skin! Did n't I tell you yesterday if I caught you idling again I'd give you a whipping?" "Lord, yes, mas'r Doctor, and I had n' no fawts o' idling -- o' course I had n'." "What do you mean by that, you imp of darkness, when I caught you at it?" "Didn' cotch me, mas'r. Look yere, mas'r, didn' you tell me eberybody got to wuk, quality same as niggers?..".