The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-12-25
TIE WRONG PIG.

I lOltl gSutS nc llnu "Seh WIG sO'V P"S
sician in the district where he resi-
ded. No one cared to enter the lists
against him in that locality, for the
simple inhabitants fully believed
that there was not such another mas
ter Of the healing art in the known
world, and so he drove his red.wheel-
ed gig over the lanes and by-ways Of
the countryside without a rival, and
dared. and bullied the inhabitants in
Fhis rough and kindly fashion to his
hearts content
Tho doctor lived in great ram
bling house halfway down the vii.
lage street, with a wide expanse Of
lawn in the front, and his little
brick Office in one corner next TO the
sidewalk. His wife had died many
years ago, so his household was con-
Quoted by housekeeper. Butas the
doctofs,fdmily was small and he low
ed society, he was hardly lever with
out a student, to whom he taught the
healing art in the back office. Thus
it was that Charlie Horton came to
Honeyhurst to study medicine with
the doctor, and, as his predecessor
had done before him, occupied the
back Office and the northwest cham.
Der. He came from a town some.
what-distunt, and was unknown to
the town folks, and, like every stran-
ger who came among them, was made
the subject of much critical examin-
alton, as he walked up the broad
aisle of the village church the Sun
day evening afteEhis arrival.
"Well, doctor, how are you?" said
Farmer Smith, as he leaned over the
gate Of his Cornfield next morning
as the doctor came driving by
"Ah, Smith, how do you do2" repli-
ed he, as he drew rein upon the
gray mare and stopped. "How's
your folks?"
"Toler'ble. thank'ee. wife's n little
ailin' this mornin'. See you've got
a new young man. Seed him yes
terday at church. Coin to make a
doctor out O. him, eh2"
"Yes, think so," replied the doc
tor.
sThink yeain't got the wrong pig
Fby eear EdoctorH9 said thefar-
mer, laughing.
"Well, don't know" replied tho
village Esculapius; "can't tell YETI
Snow, "getting the wrong pig by
the ear" was one of the doctors
great expressions, in fact his favor.
ed one, Like Shakespeare's justice,
he was "full of wise saws and mod.
ern instance" and had provorb or
apt quotation upon every occasion.-
With him, if a man made a mistake,
at was getting the wrong pig by the
ear" OF course this peculiarity was
we'll known through all the country
about where he practiced, and hence
the quotation of Farmer Smith.
Time passed on, and Charles Hor,
ton became fully domesticated in the
doctors household. He was a fine
young fellow, somewhat over.conf.
dent, perhaps, aud needed tho rein a
little. This the doctor was not slow
to put on. and he mingled his in
structions in the healing art with
admonitions about getting the
wrong pig by the ear" until Charles
was heartily tired of the homely pro-
verb. But he was a good fellow, nev.
ertheless, and a great favorite.
Two years passed away, and Char,
lies 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 med,
ical education with a course through
the continental hospitals. DR.. Johns
pooh poohed the idea, and thought
it utterly useless.
"Why, boy" said he, "what do you
want to go golivanting off to France
for2 What bee have you got in you,
bonnet nowH Can't you be satified
with home learning, but must go and
tack on some new.fangled foreign
tomfoolcry, that will knock all youl
sensible knowledge out Of your head
Go to Paris2 Nonsense! Don't gel
the wrong pig by the earl"
But Charlie was not to be talket
out of his now idea. He was bount
L. ~ a.