Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-05-06
sELECTEI) STORY.
THE DOCTOR OF BRAL.

EsaAEU ~ IA UETX-
THE DOCTOR OF BRAL.
There was once countryman who. b,
dint of hard labor and the exercise Of grea
prudence, had amused suficiency O
means. Besides lots Of wheat and large
quantity of wine, he had no less than cigh
oxen and four horses in his stables. Not
withstanding his comfortable position. how
ever he would not marry. Friends and neigh
bors reproached him with his celibacy, bu
he excused himself by saying that when he
came across the kind of woman he wanted
he would marry her His friends, to heir
him, resolved to search about for such a
woman.
There lived few miles off an old cheva-
lier, and widower and very poor, who had a
beautiful and clover daughter The girl
was old enough to be married, but as it
happened that the father had nothing to
give her, nobody ever thought it worth his
while to WOO her. The friends of the coun-
tryman having presented themselves before
the old chevalier, he speedily yielded COM
pliance to their wishes and the girl, who
was good and would not disobey her father,
found herselfforccd tocomply Thecountry-
man was delighted at the prospect Of such an
alliance. he determined to lose no time, and
pressed the marriage forward with all haste
Hardly, however, were they married, than he
perceived that he had made great mistake
that, in short, he could not have done
anything more foolish than to take to him
self such wife When, for instance, he
was working out in the fields, what would
his wife do, she was so accustomed to sit at
| home in idleness? He knew, besides, that
the priest to whom every day was Sunday,
would not scruple to be with her as often as
it suited him. What, then, would become
of the stupid husband And yet, what was
the stupid husband to do ?
eff, in the morning." he thought to him
self, II pick quarrel and strike her, she
will cry all day through. Now whilst she
is crying it is certain that she will not be in
the humor to listen to talk of any gallants.
When return I will be quits with her by
asking her pardon, and know how that is
to be obtained"
Fired with this splendid idea he loudly
called for dinner. When the meal was
concluded, he approached his wife and struck
her such blow upon her face that the
marks of his fingers remained imprinted on
her cheek. Nor was this all. Fancying
he had not given her cause to cry long
enough, he hit her four or FIVE more blows
and then went out into the fields.
Tho ponr 1;tf1o orookvro f,ll <o x,orx,
piteously, and with her hands laid crosswise
on her bosom loudly lamented her hard fate
"Oh, father p she cried, "why did you
give me to such man Had we not bread
to eat, poor as we were Why was SO
blind as to consent to such marriage? 0
beloved mother! had I not lost you [ would
not have been so unhappy. What will be-
come of me !" She remained inconsolable
throughout the entire day. crying, as her
husband had anticipated, until his return.
Then his first effort was to conciliate her.
cit was the devil who tempted me to
strike you," he exclaimed. He swore never
again to raise his hand to her, he threw him
self at her feet and begged her pardon with
so humble and detected an air, that the
wife, touched with pity promised to forget
everything that had happened. But the
countryman, who saw how successful was
his strategem, resolved to put it into exc
cution again. On raising the following
morning he once more picked quarrel with
his wife, and repeated the performance Of
the preceding day. Then he went forth
to his work. The roor little WOMAN fell
| non, +hof thic treatment u,oo fo ha hor fate
and once more began to cry piteously,
Whilst in this mournful condition, there
rode up to her door two kings messengers
each mounted on white horse. They sa-
luted her in the name of the king. and asked
her for something to eat They wore dying
of hunger, they said. She sat before then
all that she had in the house to offer, anc
whilst they were eating, begged them tt
tell her whittier they were journeying.
"We are not journeying anywhere IL
particular" said they. "The truth is, We
are searching for skillful doctor, and We
mean to travel even into England shoulc
we not find one here Ada, the king
daughter, is i'll. Eight days ago, willis
eating some fish, bone stuck in her throat
and left her incapable Of swallowing
Every remedy that can be suggested hal
been applied to her, but without avail
She can neither eat nor sleep, and her suf
ferings are terrible The king, who is IL
despair, has ordered us to search about TO
some one capable Of curing the princess
If he loses her he will die"
"You have no need to travel any further.
exclaimed the wife. II know the very NAL
YOU want He is great DOCTOR.
els it possible? You are not deceivinl
us ~
] mo, l am telling you the truth, but un
fortunately, the doctor Of whom speak is
very singular sort of person. He is slight
ly touched in the head. I fear: Although
he has an extraordinary genius for medicine
he seems to thoroughly detest the science
My own impression is that unless you bea
him heartily you will not get him to act TO
you"
"Oh !" they answered, ''if he only need
cudgelling, we'll give it to him. lie couldn'
be in better hands. Only tell us where hi
lives"
The wife indicated the field in which
the husband was working, and wishing then
farewell, entreated them not to forget tht
essential condition of their undertaking.
They thanked her, arming themselves each
with big stick, made towards the country,
man. Having saluted him, they informed