The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-06-10
THE QUAKER APoTHRCARY.


attained to its present magnifcence of man
hood and was only half grown village in round
jacket and cap, there dwelt in one of its sub
urbs Quaker spothecary. Now it is probable,
that since the days of Babylon and Nineveh,
no city has ever been honored by such a Qua.
ker apothecary as this. His features were such
as might have been formed by tightly drawing
a piece of parchment over s skull nor was the
spectral appearance of his 6gure-head at all
diminished by huge pair of goggles which he
wore astride his nose. His coat of gray, cut
straight, after the Quaker fashion. reached al
most to his heels and as he shuffled along the
streets, his hsnds crossed devoutly over the re-
gion of the stomach, his head slightly bent
forward, and turning to look neither to the
right nor to the left, the boys and idle men
called him the village ghost"
He waa not ghost, however, but flesh and
blood Quaker, with q mildness of disposition
which is second nature to those who wear
the gray coat, as will be seen by the following
example:
The old gentleman practiced dentistry in his
shop, extracting the molars and bicuspids OF
these who were 80 unfortunate as to come to
him. One days stout son of the sea came in,
his face distorted by doleful tooth-ache, to
have the offending member separated from his
substance. The "Doctor placed him in the
chair, and proceeded to apply the turnkey.
He had not exerted his feeble strength many
minutes before the Anticipated instrument OF
torture slipped from the tooth with crash
causing the patient to see more stars than are
ca.alogued in any well-regulated astronomy. II
was too much for Jacks philosophy he drew
off, and let the Doctor have one with such q
will, that the unfortunate recipient of the one u
rolled over in the dust. But here shines out
Quaker character in all its radiance: he arose,
and after having brushed the dirt from his
clothes, and vented his malice in the expression,
Friend, thee is very bad man " proceeded
to finish the operation. Poor Jack was so be-
wildered by such unexpected meekness, that he
submitted to the turnkey very quietly, and ut
terly forgot to utter the accustomed howl upon
the exit of the tooth.
There were two or three graceless appren-
tees in the shop, who used to worry the poor
man almost to death. On one occasion, he had
made an appointment with an uneducated per-
son to meet him in his office on certain day,
at certain hour. 1t slipped the Doctors mind,
but not the apprentices, who resolved 10 play
practical joke on the man who was to call.
The Office was up stairs, over the shop; and in
an adjoining closet were several fine skeletons,
surrounded by other medical horrors. The
boys took one of these skeletons, placed it in
the Doctors chair by the table, with one of its
Aeshless hands upon the page of an open book
| and tied pair of goggles over its sightless
| eyes. Presently the man came in haste, fear
ing to be late, and was about to rush up stairs
when one of the conspirators stopped him.
"You had better not 60 up now" said he, as
gravely as q chief mcurner at funeral "the
Doctor is engaged"
81 must see him, though; I came on bust
ness, by express appointment"
"Do you think the Doctor would like to be
interrupted now, Jim?" said apprentice Mum
Der One.
81 don't know" said Jim.
But the man cut the matter short by rush
ing up the stairs. In moment he came tum
bling down, and bolted out of the door. The
boys laughed at the joke, and took the skeleton
away.
The next day, the Doctor was standing il
front of his shop, in a speculative mood, wher
he saw the same person approaching with whom
he had made the engagement the day previous
Anxious to finish his business, the spothecary
beckoned with his finger for the man to sp
proach.
Marks of CONSERVATION were depicted on tn,
mans face he surveyed the vender of drugi
from head to foot, as if he had been demor
hot from the world below. Suddenly he brok,
forth with
"No, no know you, if you have got you
clothes on; you don't get me into your old shoI
sgaini" J.
And he fairly turned and ran away.
He thought that the skeleton he had seen III
day before was the Doctor. sitting in his stndy
denuded Of his clothing.-De BOso's Press.