“Makesh it out of shoda mitsture,” said Toddie.

This was another medicine of our childhood days, but one prepared according to physician’s prescription, and not beneficial when taken ad libitum.  As I took the vial—­a two-ounce one—­I asked:—­

“How much did you take, Toddie?”

“Took whole bottoo full—­twas nysh,” said he.

Suddenly the label caught my eye—­it read paregoric.  In a second I had snatched a shawl, wrapped Toddie in it, tucked him under my arm, and was on my way to the barn.  In a moment more I was on one of the horses and galloping furiously to the village, with Toddie under one arm, his yellow curls streaming in the breeze.  People came out and stared as they did at John Gilpin, while one old farmer whom I met turned his team about, whipped up furiously, and followed me, shouting “Stop thief!” I afterward learned that he took me to be one of the abductors of Charley Ross, with the lost child under my arm, and that visions of the $20,000 reward floated before his eyes.  In front of an apothecary’s I brought the horse suddenly upon his haunches, and dashed in, exclaiming:—­

“Give this child a strong emetic—­quick.  He’s swallowed poison!”

The apothecary hurried to his prescription-desk, while a motherly-looking Irish woman upon whom he had been waiting, exclaimed, “Holy Mither!  I’ll run an’ fetch Father O’Kelley,” and hurried out.  Meanwhile Toddie, upon whom the medicine had not commenced to take effect, had seized the apothecary’s cat by the tail, which operation resulted in a considerable vocal protest from that animal.

The experiences of the next few moments were more pronounced and revolutionary than pleasing to relate in detail.  It is sufficient to say that Toddie’s weight was materially diminished, and that his complexion was temporarily pallid.  Father O’Kelley arrived at a brisk run, and was honestly glad to find that his services were not required, although I assured him that if Catholic baptism and a sprinkling of holy water would improve Toddie’s character, I thought there was excuse for several applications.  We rode quietly back to the house, and while I was asking Maggie to try to coax Toddie into taking a nap, I heard the patient remark to his brother:—­

“Budgie, down to the village I was a whay-al.  I didn’t froe up Djonah, but I froed up a whole floor full of uvver fings.”  During the hour which passed before it was time to start for the depot, my sole attention was devoted to keeping the children from soiling their clothes; but my success was so little, that I lost my temper entirely.  First they insisted upon playing on a part of the lawn which the sun had not yet reached.  Then, while I had gone into the house for a match to light my cigar, Toddie had gone with his damp shoes into the middle of the road, where the dust was ankle deep.  Then they got upon their hands and knees on the piazza and played bear.  Each one wanted to pick a bouquet for his mother, and Toddie took the precaution to smell every flower he approached—­an operation which caused him to get his nose covered with lily-pollen, so that he looked like a badly used prize-fighter.  In one of their spasms of inaction, Budge asked:—­