Doc Adams entered the Long Brach and stepped up to the bar.
"Mornin' Doc." Sam greeted him while he readied the saloon for the day.
"Mornin' Sam. Better batten down the hatches." Doc said as he spread his mail out on the top of the bar.
"How so?" Sam lean on his elbow waiting for the answer.
"Oh, Festus' aunt came in to town. You know what happens anytime his kinfolk come for a visit!" He scratched the back of his head. "Can I have a coffee?"
"Sure Doc." Sam retrieved a cup and the coffee pot and pour Doc a cup with a slight smile on his wrinkled face.
"Well, I guess I shouldn't be too hard on Hootie. She did shut Festus up and found Kitty's earring. She seems like a nice person." Doc took a sip of his coffee as he read some of his mail.
Within a few minutes Hootie's laugh could be heard outside the Long Branch and she, Kitty and Festus made their way in for a drink. They all stepped up to the bar beside Doc. "Sam get Aunt Hootie here, what ever she'd like. Festus, how about a beer?"
"Why sure Miss Kitty!" Festus said with a wide smile on his face. Doc shook his head.
Sam picked up a glass and then quickly set it down again. Doc noticed while the other three talked amongst themselves.
"What's the matter, Sam?" Doc inquired.
"I got this sliver in my hand this morning when I was placing the chairs out. It's really deep and I tried to get it out... " Sam looked at his hand.
"Here let me have a look." Doc took out his glasses and placed them on his face. He studied Sam's hand. "That's pretty deep. I think I'll have to do some minor surgery on that. It's pretty big too."
Hootie overheard the conversation and pulled herself away from Festus and Kitty. "Did I hear you say you have a sliver in your hand?"
Sam nodded, "Yes Ma'am."
"Now you let me have a look at that..." she took Sam's hand out of Doc hands and examined the wound. "We Haggens have a tried and true method of removing slivers..." Hootie picked up her carpet bag and opened it. There was just about everything imaginable in it, for its size. She fished around until she found what she was looking for and place a jar, some salt and some white cloth on the top of the bar.
Doc looked on with mild interest which was clouded with mass scepticism.
Hootie opened the jar and stuck her finger in to retrieve some of its contents. "Normally I would use a slab of bacon, but seenin' how I have no way of keepin' it at the moment, this bear grease will have to do." She slathered it over the area where the sliver went in to Sam's hand. Then she sprinkled a touch of salt on and wrapped it with the cloth. "Now you leave that on over night and tomorrow that ole sliver with slide right out of there!" Hootie laughed at her handiwork.
Sam and Doc exchanged looks. "Try it..." Doc offered with a shrug and then looked at Festus who looked like he just became a father. He was beaming. "I don't want to hear a word from you!" Doc barked at the deputy knowing full well that Festus was about to launch into a tirade of how Haggens are just as good at doctoring as book learned doctors. Festus huffed at Doc in self defence.