The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-06-02
Choosing a Physician.

Ihere Is an Eastern story OF certain
prince who had received from fairy the
faculty of not only assuming whatever APP
pearance he thought proper, but of dis
corning the wandering spirits of the de.
parted. He had long labored under a
painful chronic disease, that none of the
court physicians, ordinary or extraordina-
ry, could relieve; and he resolved to wan.
der about the streets of his capital until he
could fud some one, regular or irregular,
who could alleviate his sufferings. For
this purpose he donned the garb and APP
pearance of dervish. AS he was pass
ing through one of the principal streets,
he was surprised to see it so thronged
with ghosts that, had they been still in
'habitants of their former earthly tene-
ments, they must have obstructed the
thoroughfare. But what was his amaze.
ment and dismay when he saw that they
were all grouped with anxious looks around
the door of his royal fathers physician,
haunting, no doubt, the man to whom
they attributed their untimely DOOM
Shocked with the sight, he hurried to
another part of the city, where resided
another physician of the court, holding
the second rank in fashionable estimation.
Alas his gateway was also surrounded
with reproachful departed PATIENTS
Thunderstruck at such a discovery, and
returning thanks to the prophet that he
was still in being, despite the practice of
these great men, he resolved to submit all
the other renowned practitioners to a sim
liar visit; and he was grie7ed to find that
tho scale of ghosts kept pace with the
scale of their medical rank.
Heart broken, and despairing of cure,
he was slowly sauntering back to the pal.
ace, when, in an obscure street, and on
the door of an humble dwelling, he read
doctors name. One single, poor solita-
ry ghost, leaning his respondent cheek
upon his foshless hand, was seated on the
DOCTORS steps. "Alasw exclaimed the
prince, "it is, then, too true that humble
merit Withers in the shade, while ostenta-
tious Ignorance inhabits golden mansions.
This poor neglected doctor, who has but
one unlucky case to lament, is the only
man in whom | can place confidence. -
He raped the door was opened by the
doctor himself, venerable old man, not
rich enough, perhaps, to keep domestic
to answer his unfrequent calls. His white
locks and flowing beard added to the con-
idence which his situation had inspired.
The elated youth then related at full
length all his complicated ailments, and
the still more complicated treatment to
which he had in vain been submitted
The sapient physician was not illiberal
enough to. say that the princes attendants
had all been in error, since all mankind
may err; but his sarcastic smile, the curl
of his lips, and the dubious shake of his
hoary head, most eloquently told the
anxious patient that he considered his
former physicians as an Ignorant, MUIR
derous srt of upstairs, only fit to depopu-
late community. With triumphant
look he promised a cure, and gave his
overjoyed patient much-valued prescrip-
ton, which be carefully confded to his
bosom; after which he expressed his
gratitude by pouring upon the Doctors
table a purse of golden sequins, which
made the old mans blinking eyes shine
as brightly as the coin he beheld in won
drous delight. His joy gave suppleness
to his rigid spine, and after bowling the
prince out in the most obsequious man.
ner, he ventured to ask him one humble
question: "By what good luck, by what
kind planet, had he been recommended to
seek his advice?' The prince naturally
asked the reason for so strange a ques-
ton; to which the worthy doctor replied,
with eyes brimful with tears of gratitude:
"Oh, sir, because l considered myself the
most unfortunate man in Bagdad until
this happy moment; for [ have been set
tied in this noble and wealthy city for the
last fifteen years and have only been able
to obtain one single patient" "Ah j"
cried tho prince in despair, "thcn it must
be that poor, solitary, unhappy looking
ghost that is now sitting Cd your steps "
-a.s.s-
ORIGIN OF Doors AND Shoes