Cure of Toothache

CURE OF TOOTHACHE.

ONE good man informed me that, though he had no faith in charming, yet this he knew, that he was underground one day, and had the toothache "awful bad, sure enough; and Uncle John ax'd me, 'What's the matter ?' says he. 'The toothache,' says I. 'Shall I charm it ?' says he. 'Ees,' says I. 'Very well,' says he; and off he went to work in the next pitch. Ho dedn't my tooth ache, Lor' bless ee; a just ded, ye knaw; just as if the charm were tugging my very life out. At last Uncle John corned down to the soller, and sing'd out, 'Alloa ! how 's your tooth in there,' says he. 'Very bad,' says I. 'How's a feeling ?' says he. 'Pulling away like an ould hoss with the "skwitches,"' says I. 'Hal drag my jaw off directly,' says I. 'Ees the charm working ?' says he. 'Es, a shure enuf,' says I. 'Es,' says he, 'al be better d'rectly.' 'Hope a will,' says I. Goodness gracious dedn't a ache; I believe a did you; then a stopped most to once. 'Es better,' says I. 'I thought so,' says he; 'and you waan't have un no more for a long time,' says he. 'Thank ee, Uncle John,' says I; 'I 'll give ee a pint o' beer pay-day,' and so I ded; an' I haben't had the toothache ever since. Now, if he dedn't charm tin, how ded a stop ? and if he dedn't knaw a would be better a long time, how ded he say so ? No, nor I haven't had tin never since. So that 's a plain proof as he knaw'd all about it, waden't a you ?"

 I nodded assent, convinced it was useless to argue against such reasoning as that.