You might even say it has caused Nacher herse'f to pause an' catch
her breath.

"It's when the ailin' Osage, whose malady is too deep-seated to be
reached by cinnamon or pimento, comes frontin' up for a third
preescription, that the axle grease idee seizes Johnny.

"'Father,' says Johnny, 'come with me. Your son will now saw off
some big medicine on you; a medicine meant for full-blown gents like
you an' me. Come, father, come with your son, an' you shall be cured
in half the time it takes to run a loop on a lariat.'

"Johnny breaks open one of the axle grease boxes, arms the savage
with a chip for a spoon, an' exhorts him to cut in on it a whole
lot.

"Son, the odors of them wares is awful; Kansas butter is violets to
it; but it never flutters that Osage. Ile takes Johnny's chip an'
goes to work, spadin' that axle grease into his mouth, like he ain't
got a minute to live. When he's got away with half the box, he tucks
the balance onder his blanket an' retires to his teepee with a look
of gratitoode on his face. His heart has ceased to be bad, an' them
illnesses, which aforetime has him on the go, surrenders to the
powers of this yere new medicine like willows to the wind. With
this, he goes caperin' out for his camp, idly hummin' a war song,
sech is his relief.

"An' here's where Johnny gets action on that axle grease. It shorely
teaches, also, the excellence of them maxims, 'Cast your bread upon
the waters an' you'll be on velvec before many days.' Within two