The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-12-07
OUR STORY TELLER.
THE WRONG PIG.


village of Honeyhurst, and for forty
years he had been the sole physician in
the district where he resided. No or g
cared to enter the lists against him in
that locality, for the simple inhabitants
fully believed that there was not such
another master of the healing art in the
known world, and so he drove his red
wheeled gig over the lanes and by-ways
of the countryside without rival, and
dared and bullied the inhabitants in
his rough and kindly fashion to his
hearts content.
The doctor lived in great rambling
house halfway down the village street,
with wide expanse of lawn in front,
and his little brick Office in one corner
next to the sidewalk. His wife had
died many years ago, so his household
was conducted by a housekeeper. But
as the doctors family was small and he
loved society, he was hardly ever with
out a student, to whom he taught the
healing art in the back office. Thus it
was that Charlie Horton came to Honey
hurst to study medicine with the doctor,
and, as his predecessor had done before
him, occupied the back office and the
northwest chamber. He came from a
town somewhat distant, and was I'M
known to the town folks, and, like every
stranger who came among them, was
made the subject of much critical ex-
animation, as he walked up the broad
aisle of the village church the Sunday
evening after his arrival
Well, doctor, how are your" said
l. IL
gate of his cornfeld next morning as
the doctor came driving by.
"Ah, Smith, how do you dor replied
he, as he drew rein upon the gray mare
and stopped. "How's your folks2"
| j" Toler' BILE, thank ee; wife's little
ailin' this mornin'. See you've got a
new young man; seed him yesterday
at church. Coin to make doctor out
O. him, eh? ?"
Yes, | think So" replied the doctor.
Think We amt got the wrong pig by
the ear, eh, doetorY' said the farmer,
laughing.
Well, don't know" replied the
village Esculapius can't tell yet"
Now, "getting the wrong pig by the
ear" was one Of the doctors great ex-
pressions, in fact his favored one. Like
Shakspeare's justice, he was "full of
wise saws and modern instances" and had
proverb or apt quotation upon every
occasion. With him, if man made a
mistake, {" it was getting the wrong pig
by the ear Of course this popularity
was we'll known through all the country
about where he practiced, and hence
the quotation Of Farmer Smith.
Time passed on, and Charles Horton
became fully domesticated in the doc
tors household. He was fine Young
fellow, somewhat over-confident, per-
haps, and needed the rein a little. This
the doctor was not slow to put on, and
he mingled his instructions in the heal
ing art with admonitions about getting
the wrong pig by the ear" until Charles
was heartily tired of the homely proverb.
But he was good fellow, nevertheless,
and great favorite.
Two years passed away, and Charles
studies with the old doctor were drawing
to close, when suddenly the idea
popped into his head that he would go
to Paris and finish his medical educa-
ton with course through the CONT
mental hospitals. Dr. Johns pooh
poohed the idea, and thought it utterly
useless. M sN l4.- : 'ul Isl No.
/" Why, boy" said he, "what do you
want to go galivanting off to France for?
What bee have you got in your bonnet
now? Can't you be satisfied with home
learning, but must go and tack on some
new-fangled foreign tomfoolery, that
will knock all your sensible knowledge
out of your head? Go to Paris? Nom
sensel Don't get the wrong pig by the
ear"
But Charlie was not to be talked out
of his new idea. He was bound to 90
to Paris to study and see the world, and
so one day he packed his trunks, babe
his friends goodbye, and, mounting the
stage coach, was wheeled out of the
village world. ..f 1.t. I'D
But before going, the old doctor called
him into his office, and, shutting the
door, thus began:
Now, Charlie, you are off to foreign
parts, and ] hope you win enjoy your
self. Stick to your books, and get what
knowledge you can out of those fellows
over there, although l don't suppose
they know SO much more than other
people. But, nevertheless, you may learn
q few things. don't suppose you'll |
be apt to 60 acting, as you have been
too well brought up for that; and now
I've got something here that | want you
to take with you. It's recipe that it
mas taken me good many years to find
put. You will find it of great value in