Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-06-15
2ooA MYSTERY STILL,


Nearly half a century ago ayoung fellow
With a sm9tish ain, th0dg dglhof' small Iill9'
proportional figure, landed atthe Cape of
Good Hope, bringing letters of introduce
tofh to the geVernoraofi that colony ffouifa
welkknoWnsl eecentric Scottish snoblemaD.
Thise efair-faced, slender YOUTH held the
humble rank of an acknowledgements in the
armYas snoisau4tsd1 lis % sTgo sd ~ % osqz nfh
bsHei soon showed that he possessed the
powerseE eEselfrappreeiation torsueh n degree
as requiFeda little taking own.su But. this
was, found to be no easy task He had the
faculty called, vin. French, raudace. often a
good substitute for, ability, but when the
two go, hand in hand they carry. all before
them, in one shape or other; and, as the
voting surgeon, was as clever as be was inn
pudent he made a position for himself and
what Is more, he kept it, -, - =.
Doctor Jafnes-we give part Of his name
as Il stood IN the Army LIST in 1s65-:was a
physician by Edinburgh diploma. AS we
si1aii show by and BY he never. held any
regiInental rank passin g,ii contrary to an
precedent, 70 his full snrgeoncy. j on the
stan. .oair
eRYdstes from unquestionsble feeerdss he
seems to have received his diploma at the
correspondent With his certificate Of ibap-
tism dc is impossible TO say, as, under all
cireumstanees,d dt may be.d6abtfup whether
such a document ever existed. 80
Whatever. might have, been the status of
military. medical men, fifty, years Since,
james liked his alling, and, socially speak
ing, was q gentleman, every inch of him !;
Enough this Is not literally saying very
much for aim, seeing he was but little
maH!'iiHe hadDa fair allowances from some
soiirce or other, nbut he ff1evef'spoke of any
relatives or friends out of the military pro-
fession. Ills habits were too expensive TO
be metaby his mere pay and allowances.
u L. n
asa strict vegetarian, would touch none but
the delicate 7fruits.ofg the earthao Po-
tatoesi and apples, were, ltOs him. l''flthy
roots;n, the aodor sot cabbages turned him
sick; but be liked peas, and erayeda for
asparagus, sea- kale,y peaches, grapes, rmelr
ops, figs custard apples; and, above all,
mangoes. Coffee was the only stimulant
he could bear, except, when i'll, and then he
yolh. sip diluted cham payne or 1brandsa.
Some called him toady; but his Ilsttttg letters $
of introduction placed him at once in the
best society of the colony. Neither had he
health for general visiting. With those
Afnong whom ne lived, he made friends,
and kept them. His testiness was harmless,
his abilities, were Irupquestienable; and il
having been intiniated to Che governor that
the young medico's duties were to be made
asfight as che rules Of the service would
permit, he was Installed as honorary ply
sician to his ExeeHencyis. family, and soon
obtained such q a-reputation, DO ths as physic-
ian and surgeons that private practice came
to him without his seeking it. His queer
ways and irritable temper rather increased
than diminished his prestige, and he. held
his own through good report and evil re-
When first ealled,into patient he wonld
have theareom cleared efGevery thing pre-
viously prescribed. and would almost lin.
variably order, as preface to his course ol
treatment, a bath of Cape winel Happen
what might, he claimed the whole credit, ol
azure, or blamed others, for failure, a He
was, to be sure, sent for at times as a last
resource. If the patient recovered, DIR.
James had all the merit; if death enshed
4'Dr. James had unfortunately been sum
mohed when the case was hopeless"
His ExeelIency spoiled him. He became
kind OF tame imp, encouraged as anus
ing and harmless senoughi; but, like such
imps, he took advantage one day of his po.
sItion, and was impertinent. He had the
entire of thea Governors private cabinet
One morning, sauntering in, he had the as
sufailce to- make some querulous remarks
on an official document lying on the table
Finally, he worked himself up into such an
offensive pet, that his Exeelleney resolved
TO give him lesson; so, snatching the lit
tie fellow up by the color of his uniform
he sIung him over the window sill-a few
him. James screeched and cried peceavai
He was forgiven, and never offended there
in the came way: aeainh sHStiIl every ofIt
wasapepsuaded that such sunwarrantable
hnmers as he exhibited were only tolerated
by reason of certain in ffuences that remain
asmystery at this day. His next adven.
ture might have ended his career.I The
story from, Government House got trbruiteC
abroad. and much fun was raised at. Doc
turoi ,Ja1ies'sGu expense.i Some 7lauphst
about lit in such IA 1way as1that j anne
could notsbut be aware OF, the fact! ia Fl,
had been looking out for chance o
eheckiogb the Jsa1ciness of some of th,
Young fellows in the garrison, and here wa
the chance at Iastf One morning a tall COT,
net..whose contemptueus manner had mucl
irritated h:m.,;was saunteriuu under tn
the trees of q. eharmipg, walk, in one of, tn
most public, parts of, Cape Town, where
- tbis Soy tbe naonia orc wont 70 si
Lpit.;n% onJ grave little Dntc6 cb;idre,
tnSSI;o down to tg,ho, y, y
~ - ~ ~ Io,nS he,, ~ II
Governor;s staff lanes sfonned the wa,
~ SoYn diT
,sersoo bod made the most of cornet.S S;s
paraeing tests, James vas glad iofJ thi
66nn<ISSt,,n; 6[S N fof ossart;pg hin,sslft H;ol
,pIprJsa a,,S,,oS th~ '5notor,s shr;il 80
,a;orS;no Ihe o;, and tt,ns Sra v,;ng ottent;o
h"a ;5,taoSad :, sho,ISS te tha sroo,,n.o,
%bicb epGedcin s,cbauenge IN Nsxt morn
80 o,,;Hf iittia dneT tonT nIaoo II anda
Iii Gands ,na,.s SbsEon'f fd fand oornet an
atoI,. be,.. No onoJ fr;enIs Sari;fo IF N
ss;r 10 th es y of tba orv.rno - .u
r. best ~ ianare Il a.cor5;n =
~ fosts;nn of the d. ~ = :
6ao9o Israns affor3a3 6eoso1 ;1Ins+,ot;6
ri tSsS Ell, ,,,Si -f ! ,,,ints;7' S,ys,1 49,
% M '!g,s ny o;tod t1asSg
S Si ss, rI aaSoa any y pts =
nrscoJsni Sa vvos Trnno,ad on tSa staff q =
I'm >snrgeon w;tbdnt doing dsJ,s REQ
a,sui lun Snt Ero;i IN hi, Icy -, !
nearsnce' s "a and eccentric in manner: u he he ir irr