The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-02

ihOlO u W OOhAS AAoenSJ oolh
Mr.. S.; "no such a letter has emanated
from us"
care you sure ?" asked the victim,
turning pale, and handing Nh. S. the
After looking over it, he said:
"There is no truth in this letter; / am
sorry to say that you have been made
the victim of an idle and reprehensible
jest; to-day, you are aware, is the first of
April"
Is it possible I" said the doctor, clasp
ing his hands. who could have been
50 unkind, so heartless and cruelF"
"Is it, then, a very great disappoint-
ment? p asked the kind-hearted merchant,
struck with the doctors manner; and by
a few but adroit questions he soon found
out more of his history than he intended
to communicate; he discovered also that
he was the son of one his earliestfriends.
"Would you be willing to take the
position of resident physician at the
- Hospital?" finally asked Mr.. S.
"To n in my position" said he,
"such a place would be most desirable
but l do not suppose l could obtain it"
"Why notT
I" / am a stranger here"
"Can you bring me testimonials of
professional ability"
al can-and testimonials of the high
est order"
"Bring them to me, Doctor, at the
earliest possible moment. l suppose
YOU are a man of family"
az am unmarried"
"That may be an objection. A fur
nished house is provided for a physician,
and a man of family is preferred"
az have a widowed sister who would
most gladly join me-"
"That will do just as well. Bring
your testimonials as oon a. possible. ]
think your April-fool letter has turned
out something to your advantage, after
ALL" laughed Mr.. S.
Affairs turned out to the satisfaction
of both the doctor and the kind-hearteC
merchant. In less than a month hi
found himself and sister settled in com
Portable quarters, with a salary O.
twelve hundred dollars per annum
moreover, for certain duties required o.
her at the hospital, his sister received
two hundred dollars per year in add
| ton.
Mr.. Top, in the meantime, looked il
vain for the doctors return, and though
that the modification of being made al
April fool, and the fear of being laughed
at, kept him away.
"Where is DR.. Scroggins" he in
quired of one and another.
But no n had seen him. Final,
he told his friends that he had sent hin
to New York on a FOOLS errand, the frs
day of April, and he was, nc doubt
ashamed to come back.
"Look out for next April" said they
"the doctor will be ever with yol
then"
at will take a brighter genius thai
he is to fool me-" replied Top.
The first day of April came arount
again, and Mr.. Top expected c~ertainl,
to hear from DR.. Scroggins, who, b
thought, could never forgive him. Sur
enough, he received a letter from Ney
York. He laughed aloud as he read it
Mr.. BENJAMIN ToP-Dear Sir: If yor
viii call at Messrs. W. & HIS, No. = Wal
Street, New York, you may hear of somt
thing to your advantage.
"Our friend Scroggins is a w.t." sal
he, but he will find me too wide awak
to be caught in his trap. Catch m
trudging off to New York on fools Ell
randi Does he think 1 haven't cut m
eye teeth? DR.. Scroggins don't kno1
this child, he don't!"
But still the idea haunted him tina
he might be losing something by nc
needing the letter, and that damped i
some degree the pleasure he experience
in having been too sharp for the doctor
Five or six months afterward ToI
being in the city oH business, happene
to meet DR.. Scroggins.
GLOW are you, Doctor?" said h,
grasping the hand of the physician an
smiling one of the smiles peculiar I
his face when he felt thathe had playe
a capital joke on somebody.
81 am well. And how are you, NJ
Top" asked the doctor.
"First-rate," replied he, with irr
pressible glee. "You wasn't shan
enough last April, Doctor"
"What do you mean| asked tt
doctor.
"You didn't succeed in getting n
to the city on afool's Grand"
81 don't understand you, Mr.. Top,
said the doctor, grayely.
"W. & HIS, Wall Street-somethin
to my advantage"
The doctor looked puzzled.
"You needn't look so innocent, Do
tor; l sent you to New York in Apr
eighteen months ago, and it is but ma
ural that you should wish to pay me
my own coin. But l was too Wit
awake for you to catch me-"
You are certainly too wide awake Fl
me now. Will you please explain you
self" said Doctor Scroggins.
"April before last you received a le
ter to the effect that if you would CO
at Walls Street you would hear somethil
to your advantage"
az did," replied the doctor.
! "WelIF"
! az called accordingly and did he
something to my advantage"
"What~ Top looked very mu,
,, surprised and disappointed at the sar
time. "And you did not write me
, similar one last April?"
al am above such cold-hearted CT
3 city, sir" said the doctor, in a to
that marked his real feelings. at
person who could do such a thing mt
. have something bad about his charact.
and 1 want to have nothing to do wi
, him"
: GOOD morning, Doctor" said \
Top.
= The two gentlemen bowed stif1y a
. parted. Top felt very uncomfortab
. He finally decided to call at the pla
referred to in his letter. Thinking
J might still be an April-fool trick,
= made a few purchases for his store a
gave his name.
benjamin Top" said the pers
with whom he was dealing, ado you
= side in the city,"
= Top told him the name of the villa
;. in which he lived.
. "Did you ever receive a letter fro
Z this housef"
v az did; but as it was dated the Fl.
day of April, 1 thought it was an App
fool trick, and never replied to it."