The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-11-28


ribbon, and breaking the seal, drew out
a sheet of foolscap carefully folded. TAX
| ing it to the window he read as follows:
"Don't get the wrong pig by the ear.
&" Dr.. MATTHEW JOHNS"
Dashing the paper to the floor, Charlie
burst out:
The old swindler, 70 cheat me out of
five pounds in that way I'll come up
with him though. See if | don't pay
him off," So he contented himself with
concOcting a scheme for vengeance in
secret.
Three years passed away before
| Charlie Horton finished his studies and
returned home. Meanwhile he had
changed greatly, and from smooth
faced STRIPPING, with the merest sugges-
| tion of a mustache, he was now bearded
like the pard, and looked so different
that his own mother hardly knew him.
But he had not forgotten DR.. Johns, nor
his promised revenge.
| 1t was Saturday night when the stage
coach set Charles Horton down at the
door of the village inn at Houeyhurst.
/ He gave false name to the landlord,
and smoked cigar with him after sup
per, and inquired about the village with
out that functionary once suspecting his
identity.
In the course of the conversation
Charlie asked, "who it was that lived in
that large house with a front garden
down the street"
"Thafs DR.. Johus-neeu here good
many years; clever man. Pll introduce
you to him if you wish. The doctor and
! / are pretty good friends"
Well" slowly replied Charlie, as if
considering it, he ought to know his
danger, and it would be best to tell him.
IL may not be too late yet"
And on they started, down the street,
toward the doctors residence.
What did you say was his name ?'
asked Charlie, as they marched along.
:" DIR. Johns" replied the host.
"Johns-Johns," said Charlie thought
| fully; " l knew a fellow in Europe
Charles Horton by name-who said he
had studied with DIR. Johns, an old
man, and somewhat of a character.
i wonder if your doctor is the same
manT'
ITO be sure he is" replied the inn
keeper. g knew Charlie Horton well.
He went'tO Europe three or four wears
ago. So you know him, do ye? Is he
there yet? The doctor will be doublv
glad to see you if you bring news from
Charlie. He thought great deal of
him."
BY this time they had reached the
doctors office, and he greeted the land
ord heartily, and looked inquiringly at
the stranger.
The landlord introduced Charlie as
| nr Holmes opd oJjoI +bot4ba L,,,o,, Il. d.
news from Charlie Horton.
At this DIR. Johns was overioyed
urged the pseudo Holmes to come in,
and inquired affectionately about his
old pupil. - z-tS&
Conversation was carried on for an
hour, when Charlie, looking the doctor
earnestly in the face, said:
'Dr. Johns, howis your health now ?"
felt better i'll my lifc!" and he certainly
looked it.
"You don't find old age creeping on,
do you, sir?7 bIandly inquired Charles,
but still looking very intently into the
doctors face.
"Well, little sti6ish in the joints
now and then !; but-bless you sir-I can
ride as many miles and as many hours
as ! ever could"
,FyDr. Johns" said Charles very i'm
pressively, "do you ever meet in your
practice people who look and feel the
perfect embodiment of health, and yet
whose constitutions are being sapped by
fatal disease, and they not conscious
of itT"
"Well, yes, have met such cases. ~
| replied the doctor.
" And did you ever apply them tc
yourself, sir?" again asked Charlie, in
solemn tones.
"Why, DIR. Holmes, what do you
mean? Do you think that my constitu
ton is undermined by secret disease
Nonsense, manw and he laughed out
right.
Then Charlie began. He told the old
doctor all that he had told the landlord
and much more How he had many
such cases. He knew the doctor felt hi:
age, and he cleverly used those symp
toms, twisting them about, showing tha
it was not age, and in two hours time
the doctor was so thoroughly frightened
that he believed his end liable to occur
at any moment, aud besought CDR
Holmes" to do whatever lay in his
power to give him relief. DIR. Holmes
promised to think it over during the
night. DR.. Johns would not hear of hi
returning to the inn, but insisted upo1
, his taking a bed at his own house.
Charlie with grave face finally con
| sented, but before going to bed he ad
vised the doctor to take "an anodyne, ,
: assured him that there was no irlmedi
ate danger, and cleverly managed tx
slip an emetic into the doctors glass O.
rum-and-water, which he always tool
before retiring, and had done so witt
great regularity for thirty years.
, About the middle of the night the ole
housekeeper called Charlie up in grea
, haste and terror. DR.. Johns was very
! sick, and had asked her to call DR.
. Holmes as soon as possible. Charlie
went into the bedroom and found hin
: tossing around and groaning at grea
rate. He felt now he had an attack O.
the diseases mentioned by Charlie, ant
! besought him to do what he could speed
lily.
, Charlie made an examination, looked
, grave, and shook his head.
Bad, is it, DR.. Holmes?" askec
) Johns, family; tell me the worst, sir
." 1t is bad case, DIR. Johns" sale
, Charlie. l can only do one thing, and
that is a costly one. l can give you 6
prescription, but it will cost you twent,
, pounds. / am obliged to ask that fo
/ it, as l obtained it under peculiar cir
e cumstances. 1t may give you relief
3 l have seen it used with very good re
q suits" ... w.. ....
Twenty poundsF' asked the oil,
l doctor eagerly. "All right, will Civ
e it, sir. What is the prescription? Her
is the money"
n Charlie wrote on slip of paper
: folded it up and handed it to the doctor
t He received it eagerly, opened it wit
s trembling hands, and by the light of tn
e bedroom lamp read:
r "Don't get the wrong pig by the ear.
n CDR. CHARLES HORTON"
u With one hound the dnctnr maS o1I