Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-06-14

IL have a widowed sister. who woult
be glad to join me; and whom | would
be glad to place in so comfortable posi-.
tiOn."
"That will do just as well, DOCTOR
Bring over your testimonials as soon as
possible. Not so much Of an April
fool, after all, begin to think. Unless
I'm very greatly mistaken, you haze
heard something to your advantage.
All came out to the satisfaction of both
Doctor Grimes and the kind hearted Mr..
j.. In less than month, the former
was in comfortable quarters at--Hos-
pital, and in the receipt of twelve hun
dred dollars, per annum. This was ex-
| elusive of rent for his sisters family
now his own-and table expenses
Moreover, for certain duties required of
her in the hospital, his sister received
three hundred dollars additional.
So il turned out that Doctor Grimes so
far from being an April fool, was benefit
ed by the wonderfully ''smart'' trick of
Mr.. Bunting. But Of the particular re-
suli of this extra work, ;he village Jester
remained ignorant. Being on the look
out, he was s'tickled to death" when he
saw the doctor start Of pos, haste for New
York; and he looked out for his return,
anticipating rare pleasure at seeing his
"face as long as his arm" But this par
ticular pleasure was not obtained for he
didn't see the doctor afterwards.
whats become Of doctor Grimes!"
he asked Of one another, after few DAYS
had passed, and he did not see that indi-
vidual on the street as before.
But none, of whom he made inquiry,
happened to know any thing of the doc
tors movements. 1t was plain TO Bunt-
ing that he had driven the sad doctor out
Of the village; and this circumstance
quite flatiered his vanity. and made hun
feel of more consequence than before
In little while he told his secret to one
and another, and il was pretty generally
believed that Doctor Grimes had gone
away under a sense of modification Al,
the store keepers practical Joke.
"Look out for the next year," said
one and another. 'If Doctor Grimes
isn't even with you then, it'll be a won-
der."
at will take a brighter genius than he
is to fool me-" Bunting would usually
reply to these words of caution.
The First of April came around again.
Thomas Bunting was wide awake. He
expected to hear from the doctor, who,
he was certain, would never forgive him.
Sure enough, with the day came letter
from New York.
"You don't fool me mer' said Bunting
as he glanced at the post mark. He
had heard that the doctor was in, or
somewhere near the city.
lila! Ha!' he laughed, as he read
"lf Mr.. Thomas Bunting will call on
Messrs. Wilde & Lyon Pearl street,
New YoIk, he may hear of something
TO his advantage"
"Ha! ha! That's capital! The doc
tor is wag. Ha! ha!''
OF course Bunting was too wide a.
wake for this trap. Catch him trudging
of TO New York on fools errand
"Does he think haven't cut my eye
teeth!" he said TO himself, exultingly, as
he read over the the letter. "Doctor
Grimes don't know this child--he don't.
And yet the idea that something might
be lost by not needing the letter, came
stealing in upon him, and checking in a
small degree the delight he felt at being
too smar, for the doctor. OF course,
Bunting was not "green," to use one OF
his favoriie words, as to go on FOOLS
errand to New York.
Five or six months afterwards, Bun.-
ing, while in the city on business, hap
pened TO meet Doctor Grimes.
allow are you, doctor!" said he. gras.
ping the hand of the physician, and
smiling with one of the smiles peculiar
to his face when he felt that he had
played a capital joke on somebody.
''lm well, Mr.. Bunting. And now
how are yoa!" replied the doctor.
"Frst-rate--frst-rate!' and Bunting
rubbed his hands. Then he added, with
almost irrepressible g.ee-
"Your wasn't sharp enough last April,
DOCTOR
\ why So' iuquitCu DoItOf 0ituuCS.
"You didn't succeed in getting me TO
the city on fools errand."
"Idon't understand you, Mr.. Bunting"
said the doctor, seriously.
"Wild & Lyon, Pearl strect--some-
thing to my advantage. Ha!"
The doctor looked puzzled.
"You needn't play the innocent, doc.
tor. It's no use sent you on fools
errand to New York; and it was bu,
natural that you should seek to pay me
back in my own coin. But was too
wide awake for you entirely. Il takes a
smart man to catch me-
"You're certainly too wide awake for
ME now" said Doctor Grimes. "Will
you please be serious, and explain your
! self"
"Last April year, you received a
letter from New York, to the effect thai
if you would call at certain place in
Wall street, you would hear something
to your advantage!"
IL did," replied the doctor.
aWell?"
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