Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1899 — JOKE WAS ON THE DOCTOR. [ARTICLE]

JOKE WAS ON THE DOCTOR.

Answered an Emergency Call and I* Still Looking for Hi* Pay. One night recently a physician on West Adains street was called up about 12 o’clock by a tremendous ringing at the door bell. He rushed down stairs to 1 find a woman trembling with excitement, who grasped out: “Run, quick, doctor—that little house across the street—my husband—poison —suicide.” The doctor hurried over and found a burly fellow rolling about on a bed and groaning as if in terrible pain. His wife, and three other women—his two daughters and a sister-in-law—were crying and wringing their hands. There was a bottle on the table labeled “Polson” and half of the contents were gone. “I sized up the situation In two minutes,” said the doctor, “and turned the women out of the room and shut the door.” “Now, what do you mean by this?’ I said, giving the fellow a good shaking. “Oh, nothin’, doc,” he said sheepishly as his groans subsided; “jest foolin’ the women folks.” It developed that the supposed suicide had come home drunk the night before and that his wife had remonstrated’ with him. And now there Is a bill to pay. The doctor sent it first to the wife, and it was returned with a brief note to the effect that she wasn’t paying her husband’s bills. The husband returned it with the. suggestion that, as his wife had summoned the medical man, she might meet the expense.— Chicago Inter Ocean.