re wood'-spouts 'at the peth's punched out,
and driv' in where they bore
The auger-holes. He sharpened 'bout
_a million_ spiles er more!

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

LXVII

And Doc's the first man ever swung
a _bucket_ on a tree
Instid o' _troughs_; and first man brung
_grained_ sugar--so's 'at he
Could use it fer his coffee, and
fer cookin', don't you know.--
Folks come clean up from Pleasantland
'fore they'd _believe_ it, though!

LXVIII

And all Doc's stable-doors _on_locks
and locks _theirse'ves_--and gates
The same way;--all rigged up like clocks,
with pulleys, wheels, and weights,--
So, 's Doc says, "drivin' _out_, er _in_,
they'll _open_; and they'll _then_,
All quiet-like, shet up ag'in
like little gentlemen!"

LXIX

And Doc 'ud made a mighty good
_detective_.--Neighbers all
Will testify to _that_--er _could_,
ef they wuz legal call:
His theories on any crime
is worth your listenin' to.--
And he has hit 'em, many a time,
'long 'fore established true.

[Illustration]

LXX

At this young druggist Wenfield Pence's
trial fer his life,
On _primy faishy_ evidence
o' pizonin' his wife,
_Doc's_ testimony saved and cle'red
and 'quitted him and freed
Him so 's he never even 'peared
cog-_ni_zant of the deed!

LXXI

The facts wuz--Sifers testified,--
at inquest he had found
The stummick showed the woman _died_
o' pizon, but had downed
The dos't _herse'f_,--because _amount_
and _cost_ o' drug imployed
No _druggist_ would, on _no_ account,
a-lavished and distroyed!

LXXII

Doc tracked a blame-don burgler down,
and _nailed_ the scamp, to boot,
But told him ef he'd leave the town
he wouldn't prosecute.
He traced him by a tied-up thumb-print
in fresh putty, where
Doc glazed it. Jes _that's_ how he come
to track him to his lair!

LXXIII

Doc's jes a _leetle_ too inclined,
_some_ thinks, to overlook
The criminal and vicious kind
we'd ort to bring to book
And punish, 'thout no extry show
o' _sympathizin'_, where
_They_ hain't showed none fer _us_, you know.
But he takes issue there:

[Illustration]

[Illustration]