The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-01-25
A LIVELY LUNATIC.

W men the news arrived that the gOOt
ship Ladybird was lost at sea with al
hands. and that young Frank Raeburn
who was on board, was consequent
y drowned, all the world THAT is tt
say. all Raeburn) knew what would be
come 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 pertidious ocean swallowed him
up. According to his fathers will the
estate went to distant cousin, who i'm.
medialely announced his intention of sell
ing it, rs he hated the country.
Ii was a fine estate, with capital house
on it and many other advantages "toC
numerous to mention," as an auctiOneel
would say: but when the said cousin ex.
pressed his intention of selling it he
omitted to take a certain person into his
calculations.
That person was Mr.. jeremiah BollOp
Similarly, when Tom Lindsay, young
surgeon who had come to settle in Rae
burn. made up his mind that Rose Nor.
ton would be a capital wife for doctor
he, too, calculated without Mr.. j. BOllop
for Rose happened to be that individuals
niece, and, among his many prejudices
Mr.. Bollop had an inyeterate hatred OF
doctors.
That hatred arose from his having once
bestowed a whole bottle of lotion pre-.
scribed for himself upon 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 profession, but the prejudice re-
NAMED.
To return, however, to the efforts tc
get rid of the Raeburn estate. The prop
erty 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 10 himself, that Frank Raeburn was
not dead, artfully prevented any intend.
ing 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 die
not know CT the series OF outrageous false
hoods with which the INSCRIPTIONS Boil
lop deluded any one who came near thu
place. To one hypOchOndriacal old gen
tleman he abused the drains; to q nervou.
spinster lady he averred on his oath tina
the house was haunted, and painted sucl
vivid picture of the ghost that sh,
dreamt of it for months afterward. Their,
was capital shooting, but he told sports
man who came to look after it that Their,
was not bird on the place. In short, h,
gave Raeburn such bad character tina
no one would buy it, and, much to tn,
chagrin of the cousin who inherited it
the estate remained unsOld and unlet III
to the time when our story begins, abou
two years after the news of Frank Rae
burns death.
1t must be added that, even had tn,
cousin found out Mr.. Bollop's machina
tons, he could hardly have put stop t
them, for the irrepressible agent was .
fixture on the estate, Frank Raeburn'i
father having given him the cottage ant
land he occupied, not far from the Manor
House.
Affairs were in this position when DR.
Tom, going his rounds in the village. han
pened, as was not unfrequently the case
to meet Miss Rose taking walk in tn,
same direction. She looked SO bright ant
happy that Tom was quite surprised, anl
said, as soon as he came up to her
Well, Rosie, what makes you look s,
pleased? Has the old Griffin come roun,
YETI"
"It's just as we'll the Griffin doesn'
hear you, sir" said Rose, "or I'm sure h
would never come round; but I've g,
some news for you.''
Well, out with it," said Tom.
The fact is" continued Rose, 9Th,
Griffin, as you call him, is in difficulty
and think you might help him with ad
vantage TO yourself"
"What? Is the old man seedy., sale
Tom. If 50, I'll teach the old rascal ,
proper respect for the profession if ono.
l bring the Pharmacopeia to bear upor
him.
No, no, you horrid man." said Rose
he's not ill, but he's had an application
for the estate from gentleman, and it,
quite evident that this bidder won't b'
stalled off by any Of uncle's stories"
Well" said1cpm, "what can I do p
t" l don't Know, but have suggested K
my uncle that you might be able to hell
in some way, and, while he kindly re
marked that you were no use as doctor
he was good enough to say that you wer,
not quite fool in other things."
I'm much obliged to him." said DR.
Tom; "but, even supposing am able h
help him, why should do s0l he's 81
ways thwarting me.''
"Oh! If you don't know why yos
should help him." said Rose, demurely
I'm sure l can't tell YOU"