The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-05-21
THE ANCIENT GOOSE,

''t~' . AAC VAS past EllTGN-
nine, and, not being married. was con
sldered solitary. l. n1attered little to
INN. The care Of his patients made
him bright and active. His profession
was sufficient for his wants. He was
Ehe loved and respected physician for
nan The families II the place, and he
never vented for company and friend
snip, Why he never married, had been
the speculation Of the village. The
sunlecs was thTeajbaTe, and they had
ceased to talk of Il. He saw noucI, of
female society, fCT he was ono OF those
fine, rare natures that make " brothers
20 girls" His genial good nature, and.
above all, his ability to keep secrets.
made him indeed the brother to half
the girls in Wauchusetta. They came
30 hlTn with their little pains and ills.
ana their little heart -breakirgs aud
!ove-sOrrOws. For one he had pills and
ADVICE tor the other, ready ear,
council, help, confidence.
No wonder Sally Dspford came tear
ful and angry to him, in the little difl-
Guilty with Sam Barrett. a small rage
made her the more attractive. As the
doctor heard her wCeful tale, he could
hardly fail to study her face with adrai-
ration.
Young twenty years his Junior, rather
pretty, reasonably we'll educated, sensi-
Dic, and quite ready for a Joke at anv
tine. she preferred the bright side to
everything. Hence her present sorrow.
She did Mt wish to be " bothered" as
she expressed it, with q serious love
affair. 1t was q trouble. a vaxation, an
Interference with her pleasure, and
Well, there It's entirely dread
Eul, and don't want IL nor him. Just
as ! WAS fairly out of school, and pre-
pairing to have q splendi4 time with the
girls, then this thing comes along, and
don't like it.
That Is so, doctor. Is ii not ?"
The doctor had TO immediate reply
TO make. He would consider The case
and her.
There was something 50 attractive
about her facn, It was no wonder shat
Sam Barrett the last beau left in the
VILLAGE was desperately in love with
her.
She frowuoa. He was so slow.
Come, sir, parade your wisdom. |
can ray for advice. aId want it."
Go 20 bed early, get up late, ard
sleep l. off"
THAT'S very good for him. Tell
him that, please, As for me. It does
not help Bit There it stands. He
viii pGrsGe me with attentions. I
don't want"
"S.uub him"
He's not snuhabIe. Snabbinq falls
harmless on his Food-naturcd tempera-
ment. l tried l., aud it don't work.
He took it ike lamb"
Tell him you're not at home"
Then he leaves his card, and says
80 will call again, And he is sure 10
do So"
Poor boy He has it very bad this
time. The symptoms are alarming"
Eney a,e, doctor, they are, and l
don't like Is. It's q nuisance, and
bother, .snd besides that. I hate him.
Eeel better my dearP"
" Yes; for I'm gettne mad. Ilcel
Ike breaking Things, and"
You 10. You do it all the time. /
ho0r boy I'm rot surprised Here |
Won 60 cboEt the place, beng as ct |
srec,ive as possible, aud then you break /
al our hearts, and then scoid Us for it.
What do you expect 2'
"I Its not my fault. [ didn't make |
myself"
Wcil-uO-noh exactly"
For heavens sake. doctor. why .
don't you do something's Advise me. >"
Get married -
Doctor, vcur are too hatefnl."
'' pr,sTme so; doctors always are.
But thet's my advice. Get married /
th"3 He can no longer trouble YOU"
Now, yOU'Ta silly, doctor, and [
shan fell ToU guy more. You don'5 |
care straw for my troubles, after all,
and"
Here she bogan to lie teary, and
Threatened 30 have " good cry"
60 Ny dear, good advice is not so bad.
You must admit that # vcu were en-
gaeea he would leave you at once"
suppose so
"Ycs. Then a,t engaged or, il you
don't care TO 20 SO far, arrange with
some Young man 81 be engaged to him
temporarily. Thenyou sam"
" Ho'- not my Sam, thank Heaven =
Then your sam viii take unto him-
F-i another wife, and when all is secrre
you can break your engagement, and
ss. viii be serene again.
" What an absurd idea Jump into
she ,lTor for the sake OF escaping from
drowning. Z ;,lj Won 7 don't want any
eoiy.e attention. 1t wouid be dread
inl tnal 20 he Engaged at aIl. even in
e.fdefenoc."
Not if the other party would agree
To keep ulms lf away, and simply lend |
"a III IN nj ring for Il whifc. and piav
the part OF jhe distant intended"
d" | don't know, doctor: it is a des-
l'-rate measure. But it wouiI be eF-
fsctuaI"
"Of course"
"I5 would be rather amusing to so
home ana announce that l was en2aged.
] sr"utd have 20 tel mother bow i
really stood, and fata.r would be. of
ocUTse. lcs into the secret The rest
need not know. Goodness | what
Gathering there would be, ard Low all
ihe olE ladies wosiid talk"
Nou need Lot csra. t would be
easy TO act Your part. aud iu few
'EsyA7 ali vonli hs comfortably over
and .Tecytu5ua would be serene again. -
l oeeaare, doctor, the more I think
Of 1t the more amusing IT seems. 1t is
very wicked. no doubt, but then, the
ca" IS hard one"
"Aud demands heroic remedies
Precisely Now the next step is to
get up q good lover. I shall not expect
much. Any straw man that's conveu-
lent vii. uusEcy. DO vOu know of one,
doc.or-a good ou=? He must be nice,
and All that, or [ couldn't endure it.
Nail-no-I cannot think OF one |
just uow There ara none living near
,Hs5 nro available. Perhaps we might ]
lUpor5 one
Doctor, I have an idea" I
Ito" startling Bring it forth,
that [ admir-. IT,"
Yea re tie lover"
All right. I'm willing"
Then were engaged.
" Yes-for the pgesgn-."
&c In fuu, YOU know"
Oh, OF course. Till Sam gets mar
Iiai, or til You wish to break it."
Where's the ring?"
''Oh, I have one up stairs au old ,
one. l suppose It will answer to cover
OR little arrangement"
How splendid of you, doctor Z"
Now YOU must go. Old Mrs Davis
IS coming with her neuralgia. Shall
tell Lcr?'