Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-05-20
THE LITTLE OLD GENTLEMAN.

"TALKING Of that" said Nj. Wilson,
getting up and poking the fire vigor-
ously, reminds me of little incident
that occurred to me in my young days"
The scene is the best parlor of the Wall
send Arms at Cossop on the Sore, where
there is snug meeting of the Commits
siOners Of Public Sewers for the district.
The small, silver-headed old gentleman
who is pOking the fire is retired surgeon
of the town; his colleague is Col
Bowster, of Cossop Priory, tall, grizzled
excavalry officer; and The red-faced,
merry-looking man in the corner IS a
local lawyer, the clerk to the Board Wine
and biscuits are on the table. There is
nothing particular to be done, but they
are bound by act of Parliament to sit till
two O'Clock, and it is now barely one
at wouldn't do to smoke, I suppose?"
says the Colonel, looking dolefully out of
the window; wet, dripping day, high
street deserted of passengers, depression
prevailing everywhere. ut wouldn't do
to smoke, ell? 2"
We'll" replied the lawyer, doubtfully,
"perhaps il wouldn't be quite regular, Ell?
What do you say, Mr.. Wilson,"
Personally, l haven't the slightest
objection, replies Wilson; "but whether
public opinion would sanction the mem
bers of public board-on public bust
ness - What do you think, Colonel?''
mo, no; | see that quite see that"
said the Colonel, relinquishing his hold
of his cigar case, and yawning dolefully.
CRY 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 snuf-box, took pinch, and then ex-
amined the box in a istless way.
"That box" went on Wilson, is con-
nected with curious incident in my
early life"
Wen, let's hear it, Wilson," said the
Colonel good-naturedly; anything's bet
ter than sitting here doing nothing"
"Well, When first joined the medical
school Of St. Joseph's," began Mr.. Wilson,
seating himself by the fire with a glass
of sherry IN his hand, which he slipped
now and then in the pauses of his nara
tive" when l first joined the medical
school and made my acquaintance with
the dissecting table, there was a person
in the habit Of freQuenting the dissect-
ing-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, q canary-colOred waistcoat,
white kerseymere troWsers and Hessian
boots; quite buck, in fact; and he
would walk up and down the room
dangling a great bunch of seals that hung
at his fob, and gave himself as many
airs as Queens physician The pro-
fessors 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 I
asked them about him, only mystifed
me; and at last my curiosity became so
strong that | determined to satisfy it at
the fountain head. So, one day, when I
happened to be alone with him in the
dlssecting-room, | said to him: Mr..
Blackstock' (that was the gentleman's
name), 'Isee you here great deal; pray,
excuse me for asking you what is the ex-
act position you occupy in the medical
pro1essIon?' He turned rather red, and