diagnosis; "his lights is riz. Billy, I'm goin' home fer some
medicine; you set on his head so's he can't git up, an' ma'll be
right back in a minute."

The crowd which had collected to see the horse shot began to
disperse, for it was supper-time, and there was nothing to see now
but the poor suffering animal, with Billy Wiggs patiently sitting on
its head.

When Mrs. Wiggs returned she carried a bottle, and what appeared to
be a large marble. "This here is a calomel pill," she explained. "I
jes' rolled the calomel in with some soft, light bread. Now, you
prop his jaw open with a little stick, an' I'll shove it in, an'
then hole his head back, while I pour down some water an' turkentine
outen this bottle."

It was with great difficulty that this was accomplished, for the old
horse had evidently seen a vision of the happy hunting-ground, and
was loath to return to the sordid earth. His limbs were already
stiffening in death, and the whites of his eyes only were visible.
Mrs. Wiggs noted these discouraging symptoms, and saw that violent
measures were necessary.

"Gether some sticks an' build a fire quick as you kin. I 've got to
run over home. Build it right up clost to him, Billy; we 've got to
git him het up."

She rushed into the kitchen, and, taking several cakes of tallow
from the shelf, threw them into a tin bucket. Then she hesitated for
a moment. The kettle of soup was steaming away on the stove ready