The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-04-23

} The brinrr was In comfortable quarters
at ------- Hospital. and IN the receipt OF
twelve hundred dollars per annum
This was exclusive Of rent for his sis
tcr's family his own-and table
expenses. Moreover, for certain duties
required Of her in the hospital, his sis
ter received three hundred dollars adj
dili0nal.
So IL turned ont that Doctor Grimes,
so inr FROM being made anApril fool, was
benefited by the wonderfully smart
trick of Mr.. bunting. Bnt OF the par
ficnlar result of his extra work, the
village jester remained ignorant. Be-
ing on the lookout, he was 'iicklcd to
DEATH when he saw The doctor start of
post haste for New York; and he look
cd out for his return, anticipating rare
pleasure at seeing his face ms long as
his ARM But this particular pleasure
was not obtained, for he didn't see the
doctor afterwards.
"Wha's become of DR. Grmcsp he
asked of one and another, after few
days had passed, and hc did not see
that individual on the street as before.
But none of whom he made inquiry,
happened to know anything of tho doc
tors movements. 1t was plain to Bun
ting that he had driven the said doctor
out of the village; and this circum-
stance quite fattercd his vanity, and
made him feel of more consequence
than before. In little while, lie told
his secret to one and another, and it
was pretty generally believed that DIR.
Grimes had gone away under n sense of
modification at the store keepers prac-
teal joke.
Look out for next year." said one
and another. "If DR.. Grimes isn't even
with you then, it'll be q wonder"
at will take brighter genius than he
is to fool me-" Bunting would usually
reply to these words of caution.
The first of April came around again.
Thomas Bunting was wide awake. lie
expected to hear from the d ,ctor, who,
he was certain, would never forgive
him. Sure enough, with the day came
a letter from New York.
"You don't fool mel" said Bunting,
as he glanced at the postmark. lie had
heard that the doctor was in or some
where near the city,
ella! hal" he laughed, as he read
eff MIR. Thomas Bunting will call on
Messrs. Wilde & Lyon, Pearl Street
New York, he may hear of something
10 his advantage"
ola! ha! That's capital! The doc
/ tor is wag. Ha! hal"
OF course Bunting was too wide
awake for this trap. Catch him trudg-
ing of to New York on FOOLS errand! /!
"Docs he think l haven't cut my eye
teeth" he said TO himself. exultinpiv.
as he read over the letter. "Dr.
| Grimes don't know this child-he
don't.u
And yet the idea that something might
be lost by not needing the letter, came
stealing in upon him, and checking, in
a small degree, the delight he felt al be-
ing too smart for the doctor. But this
thought was instantly pushed aside.
or course, Bunting was not so green
to use one of his favorite words as 10 90
on fools errand TO New York.
Five or six months afterwards. Bun-
ting while in the city OH business, hap
pened to meet DR.. Grimes.
GLOW are you doctOr?, said he.
grasping The hand of the physician, and
smiling with one Of the smiles peculiar
to his face when he felt that he had
played a capital joke on somebody.
"Pm well Mr.. Bunting. And how
are vou?"
"First ratc-first rate!" said Hunting
rubbing his hands. Then he added
| with almost irrepressible glec-
"You wasn't sharp enough last April
Doctor"
"Why sol" inquired Doctor Grimes.
"You didn't succeed i'm getting me to
the city on FOOLS errand."
al don't understand you. Mr.. Bun.
|
"Wilde II Lyon, Pearl Strcet-some-
thing to my advantage. IIar'
The doctor looked puzzled.
lyon needn't play the innocent, doc
tor. It's no use. | sent you on FOOLS
errand to New York; and it was but
natural that you should seek to pay me
back in my own coin. But | was too
wide awake for you entirely. 1t takes
sharp man to catch me-"
"Iou're certainly too wide awake for
me now," said Doctor Grimes. viii
yon please be serious and explain your
self"
"Last April, year, you received q
| letter from New York, to The effect that
| II you would call at certain place i'm
Wall Street, you would hear something
to Your advantage"
81 did replied the DOCTOR"
| "Wcll?"
81 CALLED, accordingly, received in
formation which has proved greatly to
my advantage"
"Whatro Bunting looked surprised
"The gentleman upon whom | called
was leading director in-Hospital,
and in search of resident physician
for that establishment. l now fill that
post"
'Is it possiblew Bunting could not
conceal his surprise, IN which something
like disappointment was blended.
"And you did not write a similar letter
to me last April?" no added.
al am above such trifling," replied
the doctor in tone that marked his
real feelings OH the subject. GA man
who could wantonly injure and insult
another Tor mere sport, must have
something bad about him. | should
not like to trust such one."
"Good morning, DOCTOR" said Bun
ting. The two gentlemen bowed for
mally and parted. W
"lf the doctor did not send the letter
from whom could IL have Gomez" This
was the question which Bunting asked
himself Immediately. But no satisfac.
tory answer came. He was puzzled
and uncomfortable. Moreover the re.
suit of the doctors errand to New
fork-which had proved anything bul
foops errand-was something that he
could not understand.
81 wonder ifI hadn't better call or
| Wilde II Lyon" said he to himself al
length. Perhaps tho letter was nc
trick, after all" Sx
| Bunting held a long argument, men,
tally, on the subject, in which all the
pros and cons to call at the place
referred to in his letter, and did SO i'm.
mediatcly on reaching this decision
Still fearing that the letter might have
been a hoax, ihe made some few pur.
chases of articles for his store, and then
gave his name.
"Thomas Buntingl" said the person
with whom he was dealing. "Do you
reside in the cily?" =.