Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-06-11
General Literature.
SKETCHES OF l.F.NKBE LIFE
.I.N,D (H.fR.gGTER.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

MY latncr USED 10 relate many pheasant
things of a certain Doctor Elliot a noted
character of noted old Connecticut town.
This gentleman, who must have been
charming person to know, was physician
as well as n minister, and practiced as well
as preached--a double Doctor of Medicine
and Divinity. Profane jokers used to say
that it was question which were hardest
to take his doses or his discourses-that he
went from Catechism to Cataplasms-that
where his drugs and draughts failed his
spiritual consultations came in-that he fin
ished up his work handsomely.
He was a man of good breeding, of con-
siderable culture, genial and benevolent,
and none tho worse Christian for being
bit of n wag.
Countless capital stories were told as
coming from him, for he was one of those
characters to whom things were always hap
pening but, unfortunately, we can now
recall but few of those anecdotes with suf-
ticient distinctness to venture on embody-
ing them in this veracious history.
The Doctor had once under his care, for
several months, very pretty and interest
ing young lady, in delicate health and very
low spirits-all caused, it was said, by an
unhappy, or rather unsuitable attachment.
The poor girl had lover, who had proved
himself unacceptable TO her parents; and
she was doing her best to die, and spite the
old folks, for their obduracy.
The good Doctor had at first full faith
that he could cure her of her sad heart dis
ease. He tried as tonics seedlings and
jokes on the principle of counter irrtants'
he introduced the finest young men of his
parish to her and as n means of dstrac-
ton, he left in her way the light romance
of 'Rasselas' and the cheerful poems of
'Ossian.'
In his pleasant household everything was
done to persuade the pensive maid to quit
signing, TO leave oil vapors and take to
victuals; but with little result. She was
constant to grief and to Joshua. She grew
paler and paler every day, and her small
appetite iessened; jellies and jests, new
beaux, and new milk, seedlings and she'll
fish, reason and root beer, family prayers
and quilting parties were in vain. A little
cough carefully cultivated on dewey eve
nings, nourished with moonlight and mel
ancholy, grew alarming and consumption
was imminent
At length the Doctor ascertained that his
guest was, in some clandestine way, ex-
changing letters with her lover and from
certain restlessness of manner, suspected
that she was looking for him, and perhaps
planning an elopement.
So, one quiet June night, to satisfy him
self, he crept softly under her window
which opened on the garden; and half con-
cealed among the thick shrubbery, whistled
in significant and most unministerial
manner. In a moment the fair maid ap-
peared, like another Juliet; and, leaning
far out of the window, peered eagerly into
the shadows, called in "A low, joyful tono ,
is that you Joshua?
Then our reverend Romeo, remembering
the sentiment of his poetic prototype
'How slyer-sweet sound lovers tongues by night
Like softert music to attending cars"
strove to recall the very tone in which ht
wooed and won the excellent Mrs. Elliot
and mellifuously, but rather evasively re-
sponded who should it be but me, my
sweet oneH
| "a "'oAN"f NNsAAf hHi ~ Eldu 4 hiltN
you would come, soon as you heard how
wretched / was. Do, do, take mo away
with you l can't stay here and WON'T
What! my darling, don't they treat yol
we'll?
Yes; but they watch me, and fuss owe
me, and tease me to eat, and visit, and b.
gay, when my heart is just breaking.
But the Doctor is a pretty clever old fcl
low, isn't hep
No; he's the worst of all. lie doses M
all the week, and dings away at me oI
Sunday. He advises and catechises me
and jokes me and prays at me; and / jus
believe he is spy of papa's. Ali now
cant you get me away, somehow? | car
tear up the sheets to make rope to let my
self down by
The poor minister had heard enough fo
his self-complacency. Trembling also 70
/ Mrs. Elliotts bed-linen, he pretended to b
I alarmed, and hastily retreated with
: husky Good night lie retired to his pill
low wiser If not "A better man and Il
the morning, saying nothing to his guest c
his little ruse, or of his discovery of he
sentiments toward him, wrote to her father
requesting him to come for her at once, an
advising him to consent to the speedy MAJ