New Orleans (La.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Physicians -- Fiction
"Toctor Tseweer!" he said, as the physician appeared one day in his
office. "Vell, now, I yoost pet finfty tawllars tat iss Mississ Reisen
sendts for you tat I'm sick! Ven udt iss not such a dting!" He laughed
immoderately. "Ovver I'm gladt you come, Toctor, ennahow, for you pin
yoost in time to see ever'ting runnin'. I vish you yoost come undt see
udt!" He grinned in his old, broad way; but his face was anxious, and
his bared arms were lean. He laid his hand on the Doctor's arm, and then
jerked it away, and tried to blow off the floury print of his fingers.
"Come!" He beckoned. "Come; I show you somedting putiful. Toctor, I
_vizh_ you come!"
The Doctor yielded. Richling had to be called upon at last to explain
the hidden parts and processes.
"It's yoost like putt'n' te shpirudt into teh potty," said the laughing
German. "Now, tat prate kot life in udt yoost teh same like your own
selluf, Toctor. Tot prate kot yoost so much sense ass Reisen kot.
Ovver, Toctor--Toctor"--the Doctor was giving his attention to
Richling, who was explaining something--"Toctor, toandt you come here
uxpectin' to see nopoty sick, less-n udt iss Mr. Richlun." He caught
Richling's face roughly between his hands, and then gave his back a
caressing thwack. "Toctor, vot you dtink? Ve goin' teh run prate-cawts
mit copponic-essut kass. Tispense mit hawses!" He laughed long but
softly, and smote Richling again as the three walked across the bakery
yard abreast.
"Well?" said Dr. Sevier to Richling, in a low tone, "always working
toward the one happy end."
Richling had only time to answer with his eyes, when the baker, always
clinging close to them, said, "Yes; if I toandt look oudt yet, he pe
rich pefore Reisen."
The Doctor looked steadily at Richling, stood still, and said, "Don't
hurry."
But Richling swung playfully half around on his heel, dropped his
glance, and jerked his head sidewise, as one who neither resented the
advice nor took it. A minute later he drew from his breast-pocket a
small, thick letter stripped of its envelope, and handed it to the
Doctor, who put it into his pocket, neither of them speaking. The action
showed practice. Reisen winked one eye laboriously at the Doctor and
chuckled.
"See here, Reisen," said the Doctor, "I want you to pack your trunk,
take the late boat, and go to Biloxi or Pascagoula, and spend a month
fishing and sailing."
The baker pushed his fingers up under his hat, scratched his head,
smiled widely, and pointed at Richling.
"Sendt him."
The Doctor went and sat down with Reisen, and used every form of
inducement that could be brought to bear; but the German had but one
answer: Richling, Richling, not he. The Doctor left a prescription,
which the baker took until he found it was making him sleep while
Richling was at work, whereupon he amiably threw it out of his window.
It was no surprise to Dr. Sevier that Richling came to him a few days
later with a face all trouble.
"How are you, Richling? How's Reisen?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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