The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1850-03-23

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5 compromise it, and say homeopathic remed,
in alopathic proportions
5 Good, goodH exclaimed his merry niece
iii be your patient forever
The doctor shook his head menacingly, anc
left his seat to rummage his book shelves fo
a volume which he had Just then occasion for
!, Dellah, as soon as his back was turned, slip
ped into his chair, unfolded the prescription
which he had just written, and foundit to reac
Bx-Argent nitr. or. K
Aque dist zig-m.
With scalpel which lay upon the table
the incorrigible girl dexterously erased some
of the letters, and with pen interpolatna
: others-a task which the Doctors sprawlino
and disconnected chirography rendered quite
easy-soon altered the reading to the follow
ing form
Bra gentin kid gloves,
Agreeably disposed,
Marry Immediately.
When the Doctor resumed his seat, the al.
tered prescription was carefully refolded and
turned to its place-while Delilah, in another
chair was busy in the perusal of the last Ga
zette, A few minutes afterwards servant
made his appearance, and the prescription was
placed in his hands, with directions to deliver
lit to Miss Afterprime. Miss Olivia, by the
way, was young maiden, with year or two
on the sunny side of fifty, and of excessively
tender sensibilites.
The door had scarce closed after the serv-
ant, ere Delilah's laughter burst forth. The
Doctor started as if he had received an electric
shock. Knowing that those merry sounds
portended mischief his first impulse was to
pass his hand to his head to make sure his wig
was there, his next to examine the skirts of
his coat to see that no quizzing label was pin
ned to them Finding his person exempt from
the trick, whatever it might be, he turned to
his niece with as much austerity as he could
assume-for twas almost impossible to resist
the contagion of her merriment-and said, ap-
preaching her with demonstration of reso-
luteness,
Get you gone, graceless! You've been at
some of your mischief again
Delilah in unrestrained glee, scampered in
to the house, which was adjoining, and was
soon engaged in poking new fun at her aunt
The Doctor. commenced a dilligent search for
the cause of her amusement While he was
thus engaged his servant returned with the
altered prescription, which solved the mystery.
Miss Olivia Afterprime had nigh gone into con
vulsions at the sight of it. and in towering in
| dignation, had sent immediately to employ an
other physician Whether the doctor was
greatly grieved at the loss of his patient does
not appear-but certain it is that he inwardy
vowed vengeance upon Delilah Putting his
hat over his eyes, and burying his hands deep
in his pockets, he hurried forth to agitate a
plot retributive.
When the Doctor returned to dinner, and
found his niece at the table, there was com
placency in the air, and a sort of anticipated
triumph in the twinkle of his eye, which seem
ed to say-ah, inidel, have thee' No 9TH
er allusion, direct or indirect, was made to the
Jest of the morning-if we except smile that
lurked in the corner of Deliah's mouth, as she
suspended her knife and fork to glance roguish-
ly into her uncle's face. Dinner concluded,
she ran up to get her bonnet to go home
She fingered few moments at the toilet to
arrange her curls. This done, she turned to
leave the chamber, but mo go'-for the door
had been closed, and the key turned on the
outside
ESoho!' said she to herself, I'm to be kept
here prisoner, till tea time, as punishment for
my trick Ha, ha, what retaliation! His
vengeance hath this extent-no more! Bless
his good natured patep
Quite contented with her durGnce, she
took up book aud seated herself by the open
window. Her eyes soon wandered from its
pages, however, and her attention was caught
by metal more attractive without In the pi-
azza, in the rear of the hotel-which was Just
opposite, and divided from the Doctors resi-
dence only by small yard attached to either
building-stood stranger, who was leaning
forward in an attitude of immense admiration,
gazing at Delilah through his eyeglass. He
was dressed in a top mode-with long black
hair, most fastidiously combed and curled
whiskers of length and luxuriousness that
would have been no discredit to Moslem;
moustache of elegant proportions; and what
contributed to make his appearance eminently
ridiculous, his eye glass was applied over
pair of green spectacles Altogether his air,
and manner was SO decidedly Frenchifed, that
there was no mistaking his nationality.
Dellah, ever on the alert for making sport,
ran to the closet brought forth telescope, and
resting it on the window sill, applied it to her
eye, and brought it to bear upon the queer
stranger Monsieur no sooner perceived him
self the subject of her inspection, than he be-
gan making most extravagant display of adj
miration by gesticulating violently, laying his
hand upon his heart, clasping them before his
face, bending one knee in an attitude of deplor-
ing admiration, and waiting on the tips Of his
fingers, numerous and frequent kisses
The impudent fool' exclaimed our little
quiz, astonished, as well as amused at the mans
conduct-'but I'll punish his impudenee, and
give my uncle the slip at the same time
Tearing the fly leaf from the book she had
at first been engaged with, she scribbled the
following note:
sOh, gentle Monsieur; am locked up here
by cruel uncle. Fly to rescue me from this
terrible Imprisonment. There is a ladder in
the yard which you can easily elevate to the
window. Set me free and you viii be enti-
tied to the eternal gratitude of the unhappy
prisoner
Folding this paper with a thimble inside,
she threw it over into the hotel yard. the
Frenchman darted forward, caught it, pressed
it eagerly to his lips, and opened it.
By this time several of the inmates of the
l.. ! r l. 4 II Il