Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1877-08-18


lars in addition.
Mr.. Top, in the meantime, looked
in vain for the doctors return, and
thought that the modification of be-
ing made an 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 one had seem him. Finally
he told his friends that he had sent
him to New York on fools errand,
the first day of April, and he vas, no
doubt, ashamed to come back.
Look ont for next April, said they,
"the doctor will be even with you
then
1T will take brighter genius than
he is to fool me, replied Top.
The first day of April came arou nd
again, and Mr.. Top expected certain
ly to hear from DR.. Scroggins, who,
he thought, could never forgive him
Sure enough, he received letter
from New York. He laughed aloud
as he read it:
Mr.. BENJAMIN ToP-Dear Sir: Ifyou
will call at Messrs w. & HIS, No Wall
Street, New York, you may hear Of some
thing to advantage.
"Our friend Scroggins is wit, said
he, but he will find me too wide
awake to be caught in his trap. Catch
me trudging off to New York on a
FOOLS errand? Does he think ! haven't t
cut my eye teeth? DR.. Scroggins
don't know this child, he dont"
But still the idea haunted him that
he might he losing something b. not
/ hee44ng the letter, and that damp ed
IN some degree the ple,5-re ne expe-
ne1;ed i, having been 100 sDarp for
tDe docvo,.
Five e. siH months afterwards Top,
tain4 il the city On business, happen
ID to meet DI. g:oggins.
How are yc1, Doctor?" said he,
grasplng the hand of the physician
and -riling one Of the smiles peculiar
to his face when lie felt that he had
played a capital joke Oh somebody.
81 am we'll. And how are you Mr..
Top" asked the doctor.
"First-rate,'' replied he, with ire
pressible glee. You wasn't sharp
enough last April, Doctor
"What do you mean ?' asked the
DOCTOR
You didn't succeed in getting me
to the city on FOOLS errand. -.
Il don't underatand you, Mr.. Top"
said the doctor, gravely.
Nv. & HIS, Wall Street-something
to my advantage
The doctor looked puzzled.
"You needn't look so innocent, Doe
tor; | sent you to New York in April,
eighteen months ago, and it is but nat
ural that you should wish to pay me
in my own com. But | was too wide
awake for you to catch me. ;"
"You are certainly too wide awake
for me now. viii you please explain
yourself?" said Doctor Scroggins.
"April before last you received a
letter to the effect that if you would
call at Wall Street you would hear
something to your advantage"
81 did, replied the doctor.
"Well ?"
q" l called accordingly and did hear
something to my advantage
WHAT" Top looked very much
surprised and disappointed at the
same time. "And you did not write
me similar one last April ?"
" am above such cold hearted cru
city, sir, said the doctor, in tone
that marked his real feelings. THE
person who could do such a thing
must have something bad about his
character, and | want to have nothing
to do with him.
GoCl morning, Doctor" sal Mr..
Top.
TIE Two gentlemen bowed sti1ly and
parted. Top tolt ' Try moon toltable,
iIe finally de4i te to call at ,.e place
rvlerre4 t. in his letter. Thinking it
might s,,i h IN April-fool trick, he
made q few purchases for his store and
gave his name.
Benjamin Top" said the person
with wholn he Was dealing. "do you
reside in the city,
Top told him the name Of the vii
lage in which he lived.
Did you ever receive letter from
this house ?'