Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-30
THE WRONG PIG.
A Physicians Story.

| Physicians Story.
! Old DR.. Johns lived in small village
of Honeyhurst, and for forty years he
had been the sole physician in the dis
trict where he resided. No one cared
to enter the lists against him in that
locality, for the simple inhabitants fully
believed that there was not such an
other 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 country side 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, half way 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 housekeeper. But,
az the doctors family was small and he
loved society, he was hardly ever with
out student, to whom he taught the
healing art in the back Office. Thus it
was Charley Horton came to Honey
hurst to study medicine with the doc
tor, and, as his predecessor had done
before him, occupied the back Office
and the northwest chamber. He came
from town somewhat distant, and was
unknown to the town folk, and, like
every stranger that came among them,
was made the subject of much critical
examination, as he walked up the broad
aisle of the village church the Sunday
evening after his arrival.
Well, doctor, how are you?" said
Farmer Smith, as he leaned over the
gate of his cornfeld, next morning, as
the doctor came driving by.
"Ah, Smith, how do you do?" re-
piled he, as he drew rein on the gray
mare and stopped. SLOWS your
folks %
"Toler'ble, thank'ee; wifes a little
ailin' this mornin'. Sec you've got
new young man; seed him yesterday at
church. Coin to make a doctor out o.
him, eh?"
eyes, I think so," replied the doctor.
"Think ye amt got the wrong pig by
the ear, eh, doctor?" said the farmer,
laughing.
"Wel, don't know" replied the village
Hsculapius; "can't tell yet"
Now, "getting the wrong pig by the
ear" was one of the doctors great ex-
pressions-in fact, his favorite one.
Like Shakspeare's Justice, he was "full
of wise saws and modern instances"
and had a proverb or apt quotation
upon every occasion. With him, if
man made mistake, it was "getting
the wrong pig by the ear" OF course
this peculiarly was we'll known through
| out 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 a fine young
fellow, somewhat over-confdent, per.
haps, and needed the rein 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 a good fellow, nevertheless,
and great favorite.
Two years passed away, and Charles
studies with the old doctor were draw
ing to close, when suddenly the idea
popped into his head that he would 20
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.
"Why, boy" said he, what do you
want to be gallivanting 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 TOM
foolery that will knock all your sensible
I knowledge out of your head?, Go tc
Paris? Nonsense! Don't get the wrong
| pig by the earl"
But Charlie was not to be talked out
of his new idea. He was bound to 20
to Paris to study and see the world, and
so one day he packed his trunks, babe
lis friends good-by, and, mounting the
stage coach, was wheeled out of the vii
| lage world.
But before going the old doctor
called him into his Office, and, shutting
the door, thus began:
CHOW, Charlie, you are off to foreign
parts, and hope you will enjoy your
self. Stick to your books and get what
knowledge you can out of those fellows
over there, although I don't suppose
they know so much more than other
people. But, nevertheless, you may
learn a few things. I don't suppose
you'll be apt to go act1ng, as you have
been too well brought up for that; and
now I've got something here that I
want you to take with you. It's recipe
that it has taken me good many years
to find out. You will find it of great
value in your practice. It will cost
you e5."
And the doctor, with very grave
face, held out huge yellow envelope
sealed with red wax and tied with q
blue ribbon.
Charlie was rather tired of his long
winded harangue, for, although he
liked the doctor, he considered him
something of An old fogy. But the Of
fer of his recipe excited his curiosity.
What was it? So he paid the &5 and
became the happy pcssessor of the huge
envelope and it's mysterious contents.
"Take good care of it, Charlie, and
don't open it till you are out of the
country"
A day or two after, when at his hotel
at Folkestone waiting for the steamer,
he bethought himself of the mystic re-
cipe, and, fastening to his room, he
locked the door and opened his valise.
| There it was, safe and sound, in all its
glory of yellow envelope, red seal and
blue ribbon. Charlie took it out; turned