Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-05-19


son, getting up and poking the lire
vigorously, "reminds me of a little
incident that occurred to me in my
young days"
The scene is the best parlor Of
the Wallsend Arms, at Cossop on
the Sore, where there is a snug
meeting of the Commissioners Of
Public Sewers for the district.
The small, silver-headed old gen.
tleman who is poking the fire is a
retired surgeon of the town. His
colleague is Colonel Bowster, OF
Cossop Priory, a tall, grizzled ex-
cavalry officer, and the red faced,
merry-looking man in the corner
is a local lawyer, the clerk of the
Board. Wine and biscuits are on
the table. There is nothing par
ticular to be done, but they are
bound by act of Parliament to sit
till two o'clock, and it is now bare
ly one.
at wouldn't do to smoke, l sup
poser" says the Colonel, looking
dolefully out of the window; wet
dripping day, a High street deser-
ted of passengers, depression pre-
vailing everywhere. at wouldn't
do to smoke, eh q
SWELL" replied the lawyer, doubt
fully, "perhaps it wouldn't be quite
regular, eh9 What do you say,
Mr.. Wilson,"
personally, / haven't the slight
est objection" replied Mr.. Wilson
"but whether public opinion would
quite sanction the members Of a
public Board-on public business
what do you think, Colonies"
"No, no; l see that quite see
that" said the Colonel, relinquish-
ing his hold of his cigar-case and
yawning dolefully.
"Try a pinch of snuff, Colonel
said Wilson, producing little horn
snuff box and tapping the lid with
his knuckle. "Public opinion can't
object to snuff
The Colonel stretched out his
hand for the snuff box, took pinch,
and then examined the box in q
listless way.
"That box" went on Wilson, "is
connected with very curious in
oident in my early life,"
"Well, let's hear it Wilson," said
the Colonel good-naturedly; "any-
things better than sitting here do
ing nothing"
swell, when I first joined the
medical school of st. Joseph's," be-
gan Mr.. Wilson, seating himself by
the fire, "when / first joined the
medical school and made my ac-
quaintance with the dissecting ia
BILE, there was person in the habit
of frequenting the dissecting-room
whose position and calling were
for long time puzzle to me. He
was fine, tall man, well dressed,
generally, in blue swallow-tailed
coat with brass buttons, canary
colored waistcoat, white kersey-
mere trousers, and Hessian boots;
quite buck in fact and he would
walk up and down the room dangl-
ing great bunch of seals that hung
at his fob, and gave himself as
many airs as queens physician.
The professors seemed to know
him well, and treated him with a
sort of sarcastic Difference he would
often be called out and closeted
with the authorities of the school.
Altogether, he held an important,
although unrecognized position at
St. Joseph's. The elder students,
when / asked them about him, only
mystified me /; and at last my curl
osity became so strong that / de-
termined to satisfy it at the foun-
tain-head. So, one day, when /
happened to be alone with him in
the dissecting room, / said to him I:
"Mr. Blackstock" THAT was the
gentleman's name), 81 see you here
q great deal pray excuse me for
asking you what is the exact posi-
ton you occupy in the medical
profession 7" He turned rather red,
and looked down upon me in q
naughty kind Of way. "Sir," he
said, ~ am Puryeyor-General to
the faculty"
exactly" said the
colonel, as Wilson paused to sip
his wine. "Had 'em in the Crimea,
i recollect-provided medical stores,