Lord. But what
it was the company never knew; for just as he opened his mouth to
speak, the food went down the wrong way, his face became a bright
purple, and it was quite evident that he was choking.
Toby was alarmed, and sprang from his chair to assist his friend,
upsetting Mr. Stubbs from his seat, causing him to scamper up the
tent pole, with the napkin still tied around his neck, and to scold
in his most vehement manner. Before Toby could reach the skeleton,
however, the fat woman had darted toward her lean husband, caught
him by the arm, and was pounding his back, by the time Toby got
there, so vigorously that the boy was afraid her enormous hand
would go through his tissue paper like frame.
"I wouldn't," said Toby, in alarm; "you may break him."
"Don't you get frightened," said Mrs. Treat, turning her husband
completely over, and still continuing the drumming process. "He's
often taken this way; he's such a glutton that he'd try to swallow
the turkey whole if he could get it in his mouth, an' he's so thin
that 'most anything sticks in his throat."
"I should think you'd break him all up," said Toby, apologetically,
as he resumed his seat at the table; "he don't look as if he could
stand very much of that sort of thing."
But apparently Mr. Treat could stand very much more than Toby gave
him credit for, because at this juncture he stopped coughing, and
his face fast assumed its natural hue.
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