The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-04-16

lclan- 8 perfect enthusiast IN aIne
pastime of grouse-shooting. salmon
fishing and deer-stalking that / did
not hesitate to express my surprise
at my good friends sporting tenden-
| cies. Thereat the dector's face
beamed with a knowing sort of q
smile, and he nodded sagaciously
with an extreme roguish twinkle in
his clear, gray eye.
''Skitts, my boy (for that is my
not very euphonius name) he at last
rejoined. after. delivering himself
oracularly of the sentence which
heads the chapter, ''as for the grouse.
I love; EN-
''Bless me, sir, that's rather a
strong expression, isn't it?'' said /
rather startled at the emphatic thump
on the table with which this declara-
tien was accompanied.
mot bit of it, sir, not a bit of
it," retorted the doctor. ':Mayn't
man love his own wife?'
began to apprehend that the
physician had taken little more of
the Madeira than was good for his
health.
''If it hadn't been for those little
brown members of the feathered
tribe, sir, (bless 'em again } / should
never have seen Mrs. Robbins -
.'You don't say so?" said I, with
an air of great interest land inserted,
or rather curious felt.)
Never have seen her, and never
have married her, continued the
doctor.
at follows, of course" returned,
rather pleased at my own sharpness,
''that if you had never seen her, you
never could have married her,
I could not distinguish DR.. Rob-
bins face in the twilight, but his
throat emitted such an cminous lit
tie dry sound, that l felt sure his
features were clouded by a frown;
so I FASTENED to say, Pray, DIR.
Robbins, dc tell me how it occur
red?'
Willingly" said the doctor. in
the tone of a man who has story
he is wishing to tell. Fill your
glass first.''
"Skitts," commenced my friend,
"do you know what it is to be in bed |
and conscious that sleep is coming
on you in deliciously drowsy fash
ion %
Certainly" said 1, my thoughts
again suggesting the potency of the
old Madeira.
'And too feel not exactly uncon-
scious, but your thoughts partly on
the objects around you, and partly in
the land of dreams p
''Of course do, SIR / replied.
''And then suddenly to be tickled
on the nose by loose feather, or
fly dropping from the ceilingF'
''Dr. Robbins ~ l exclaimed, now
perfectly certain that the Madeira
was to blame but the doctor went |
on quite calmly:
''And then to feel that you must
put up your head to subdue the irri-
tation caused by the intruder-in
short must rouse yourself, just as
you had got into your faverite posi-
ton for slecp?"
Il have gone through it ALL" I
said; lit is highly exasperative; but
somehow / manage to get over it."
"What do you do?' inquired the
doctor.
'.Do?' echoed, wondering if the
doctor had lost his senses, and what
on earth all this tended to. "De?
Why, smash the fly. or displace tie
feather and go to Sleep
II swore." returned DR.. Robbins
with a humorous chuckle, ''Swore
ike a trooper, sir"
''But, really" I demonstrated,
what has all this to do with the
grouse, or Mrs. Robbinsy'
Were coming to it." said he
Well, the feather led to the grouse,
and the grouse led to Mrs. Robbins,
md Mrs. Robbins" s"-here the doctor
judged me with his elbow, as if the
climax was particularly worthy of my
lotice--'.and Mrs Robbins, he re-
seated. '.led to Miss Robbins
Upon my word, doctor" l retort-
d. blushing in the dark, your
string of sequiters puts me in mind
# The House that Jack built
''Ha. haF' roared the doctor
that's not so bad.'' But this is how
t was Skitts. You see it was in
August. about four and-twenty years
lgo. that had q fortnight's leave of
Ibsence from my duties, and couldn't
make up my mind where to 60"
g Not SO difficult. surely" said I.
.'H-m well. l don't know" said
he doctor. Il was young and full
{ vagaries then. Well. sir. if you'll
'elieye me, / had all my traps pack
d, ready to start in the morning.
Tithout having made mp my mind
There. and had taken cup of tea
nd gone to bed"