New Orleans Republican., 1877-01-21
A LIVELY LUNATIC.

A LIVELY LUNATICs
When the news arrived that the good
ship Ladybird was lost at sea with all
hands, and that young Frank Raeburn, who
was on board, was consequently drowned,
all the world THAT is to say, all Raeburn)
knew what would become Of the Raeburn
estate. Poor Frank was the last heir in the
main line, and he was coming home to
claim his inheritance when the perfidious
ocean swallowed him up. According to his
fathers will the estate went to distant
cousin, who Immediately announced his in
tentiOn of selling it, as he hated the country.
1t was fine estate, with capital house
on it and many other advantages 'toO nu.
merous to MENTION" as an auctiOneer would
say; but when the said cousin expressed his
intention of selling it he omitted to take
certain person into his calculations.
That person was Mr.. Jeremiah BOllop.
Similarly, when Tom Lindsay, q young
surgeon who had come to settle in Raeburn,
made up bis mind that Ross Morton would
be capital wife for doctor, he, too, cal
culsted without Mr.. j. BOllOp, for Rose
happened to be that individuals niece, and,
among his many prejudices, Mr.. Bollop had
an inveterate hatred of doctors.
That hatred arose from his having once
bestowed q whole bottle of lotion pre-
scribed for himself upon a favorite dog,
which died in twenty minutes, the said
lotion being only for outward application.
Mr.. BOllOp, who was not of logical turn
of mind, arguing therefrom that if he had
rubbed on the stuff it would have killed
him. The inference was unfair to the pro-
fession, but the prejudice remained.
To return, however, to the efforts to get
rid of the Raeburn estate The property
would not sell, simply because Mr.. Bollop
was the agent who had served the Raeburns
for years, and who, having made up his
mind by some process known only to him.
self, that Frank Raeburn was not dead, art
fully preventing any intending purchaser
coming to terms for the house and land.
The cousin, who desired to sell, could not
understand how it was that so many would
be purchasers held back after they had
once seen the house; but then he did not
know of the series of outrageous falsehOO6s
with which the interruptions BOllOp de-
luded any one who came near the place.
To one bypOchOndriaoal old gentlman he
abused the drains; to a nervous spinster
lady he averred on his oath that the house
was haunted, and painted such vivid pic.
ture of the ghost that she dreamed of it for
months afterWard. There was capital
shooting, but he told q sportsman that
came to look after it that there was not q
bird on the place. In short, he gave Rae
burn such q bad character that no one
the cousin who inherited it, the estate re-
mained unsold and unlet up to the time
when our story begins, about two years
after the news of Frank Raeburn's death.
II must be added that, even had the
cousin found out Mr.. BollOp's machina-
tions, he could hardly have put q stop to
them, for the irrepressible agent was q fix
ture on the estate, Frank Raeburn's father
having given him the cottage and land he
occupied not far from the manor house.
Affairs were in this position when DR..
Tom, going his rounds in the village, hap
pened, as was not unfrequently the case, to
meet Mise Rose taking q walk in the same
direction. She looked so bright and happy
that Tom was quite surprised, and said, as
soon as he came up to her; "Well, Rosie,
what makes you look so pleasedf Has the
old griffin come rOnnd yeti"
"1ts just as well the Griffin doesn't hear
you, sir," said Rose, s'or Pm sure he would
never come round; but I've got some news
for YOU"
''Well, out with it," said Tom.
"The fact is, continued Rose, ''the Griffin, J.,
as you call him, is in difficulty, and think
you might help him with advantage to
yourself"
"What9 Is the old man seedy ?" said
Tom; ''if so I'll teach the old rascal pro-
per respect for the profession if once bring
the PharmaeOpOia to bear upon him."
"NO, ne, you horrid man." said Rose;
she's not Ill, but he's had an application
for the estate from q gentleman, and it's
quite evident that this bidder won't be
stalled off by any of uncles stories"
"Well, ? said Tom, "what can do ~
II don't know, but l have suggested to
my uncle that you might be able to help in
some way, and, while he kindly remarked
that you were no use IS doctor, he was
good enough TO say that you were not quite
fool in other things"
"Pm much obliged to him." said DIR.
Tom; "but, even BuppOsing / am able to
help him, why should do so 7" he's always
thwarting me-"
"Ohl Il you don't know why you should
help him, said Rose, demurely, ''Pm sure
II see it, You little WITCH" cried DE-.
Tom, ezcitedly; "Ill make 3 bargain witt
old kBOllop. Rosie, you've the eleverest
little brain that was ever put into pretty
head: When does your uncle want to see
meW
swell, think you had better look in this
evening. He's very much excitod about
the business, and the sooner you see him
the better" said the sage young lady, who
certainly deserved Toms praise.
And then tie lovers continued their wAlk;
but as their Conversation was as idiOtio IS
ali talk is under similar circumstances, it
Beed not be reported, and we may pass on to
the interview Ia the evening.
Mr.. Jeremiah B0liop was seated in his
aFm-ehair after dinner, engaged In the
steady consumption Of port wine. But, how
ever gratifying 10 the palate might be the
hquor he was imbibing, IL was plain that II
did not exercise . sranquillizing inhuence
on hia nervous system, for no one, as far as
outward appearances went, could look in .
worse temper,
Mr. Bollop-or, as hia friends called him,
aixty, strong and hale In appearance, with
q noes and c0untenanoe which looked all
tie more Eubieand IN contrast with hil
snoW-White hair. He was very go0d-bearted
end very irasoible, and when we find him
sitting at his dessert his mehtal thermome,
ter Is 81 boiling point.
II man is In passion, port wine is moi
exactly The stuh 70 allsy his rsge. And 81