Page:Martha Spreull by Zachary Fleming.pdf/102

90 eater, she micht have been Eab Haw’s cousin. I never saw her equal. Her complaint wis—a great load on the stomach efter meals—heart-burn and palpitation—and nae wonder. But, in fact, they were nearly a’ as bad—I mean the women— for they ate during the forty minutes alloot for dinner as if they had been on piece-work. When the doctor had reached the puddin’ stage he began to look aboot him and saw me. Efter the dinner wis ower he touched me on the airm, invited me into his consultin’-room, and presented me wi’ a copy o’ the “Water Cure.” I wis touched wi’ the man’s kindness, and tried to thank him for the book.

“ Read it,” he said; “ I fear there is something the matter wi’ your digestive organs.”

“ Dear me,” quoth I, “ dae ye think sae ? ”

“Ay,” he said; “your food should give you more flesh.” I thought o’ Mrs. Bacon, wi’ her mountainous figure, and wondered whether mair flesh, heart-burn, and palpitation wud be a benefit; but his kindness hadna exhausted itsel’.

“ Here,” he said, gaun ower to a press and bringing oot a piece o’ water-proof in his hand; “ this is a stomach-compress. Apply that as described in the book, and I think it will do you good.” I had never received sae much attention before from an entire stranger, so I thanked him for his great courtesy and carried the presents up to my room.

Next morning efter breakfast a gey stout, red-faced-lookin’ wumman cam’ up to me in the lobby, and, addressing me by name, said the doctor had told her I should hae a hot pack.

“ A hot pack,” quoth I; “ what’s that ? ”

“ Oh ! ” quoth she, “ it’s a bath.”

“ Weel,” quoth I, “ the doctor has been real kin’, and if he thinks a hot bath is guid for me I hae nae objections.” So at the time appointed I met the red-faced wumman in