The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-06-07
and family for upward OF a year.

and family for upward OF a year.
"Stay, stay p cried Sir Timothy
''you mistake; ! never refused to
pay you; / only omitted to do so.
You are really wrong to look upon
it as personal matter, because |
never pay anyone unless | am actu-
ally obliged. Why did you not
bring action ? But come let us see II
we cannot do business together.
Save my wife and will give you
a hundred pounds. Therer"
"Eh ?" said DR.. Radford, rather
staggered. "But you know there is
no taking your word for anything" +"
"Come down and let me in, and /
will put the promise down in black
and white,' said Sir Timothy.
"That sounds like business" re-
piled the Doctor, not altogether sor-
ry tor an excuse for going to the aid
OF a dying woman. So he shut the
window, put on some clothes and
admitted Sir Timothy Grabham,
taking him into his consulting room
and lighting the gas.
''Now, how am | to word it ?" in
quired the baronet, taking q pen and
arranging sheet of foolscap before
him. II promise to pay the sum OF
one hundred pounds to Mr.. John
Radford, if he cures"
mo, no." interrupted the doctor,
s'itis only quacks who make such
bargains as that must have my
paw whether lam successful or not.
"very good-surgeon for attend
ance upon my wife, kill or cure.
Will that do ?"
"Yes, that will do, but sign il"
"Oh, oh!I forgot How stupid.
And Sir Timothy appended his
name to the document, and putting
on his coat and hat, the doctor left
the house with his successful visi-
tor.
He found Lady Grabham very i'll
indeed, quite past human aid in fact
and though he was indefatigable in
his attendance, and performed that
feat which is popularity called Eek
hausting the resources of his art, ,
she sank ON the third day. The
widower was not inconsolable. The
undertaken took some timber that
had lately been felled, in part pay.
ment of expenses and on the very
day of the funeral. Sir Timothy lei
a farm, the lease Ofwhich had expir-
ed, for an increased rent, without
having to do as much in the way OF
repairs as he had anticipated; so that
he was enabled to bear the domestic
misfortune like a Spartan.
| After a decent lapse OF time, Mr.
Radford sent in q note referring to
the promise which SIR Timothy
Grabham had made him and re.
questing q check for u hundred
pounds; and no answer being
vouchsafed to this communi, stion,
he presently wrote again in more ur-
gent language; but the second letter
was ignored as quietly as the first.
Then the good doctorgot angry, and
meeting his debtor in the course OF
his rounds, he upbraided him with
his conduct, and threatened to take
legal proceedings.
"Quite right, doetor-quite right,
said Sir Timothy. "Force me 10
pay you and will do it; but new
er part with farthing except un-
der compulsion; it is against my
principles and / am sorry / can
not make any exception in your IA
vor."
| So DR.. Ranford put the matter in
the hands of a lawyer, and in due
time the case came. 1t was a gay
day in the little country towr, for
the case excited a great deal of curl
osity and amusement; the poor doc
tor, who was a general favorite, had
been pitilessly chaffed, though eve
rybody hoped for and anticipated
his success an the court was crowd
ed with county magnates. 1t adj
ded to the attraction of the affair
that Sir Timothy Grabham, with all
his faults had the merit of being
consistent he could not employ a
lawyer, but conducted his own case.
Of course the doctors solicitor was
jjubilant, and quoted the proverb
which AYERS that the man who SO
acts has fool for his client. 'Not
but what the case is clear enough, i
he added "all the lawyers in Lon
don could not get him off paying
up"
And indeed it did seem simple.
The doctor was put into the witness
box, and told his story and Sir
Timothy did not question the cor
rectness of it; on the contrary he
openly said that to the best of his
remembrance, everything had oc-
CURED exactly as described. "But,
he added, Il should like to look at
the document which has been al
luded to, and ask the plaintiff a
question or two about it.
The memorandum was handed to
him and he read it aloud:
Il promise to pay the sum of one
hundred pounds tc Mr.. John Rad
ford, surgeon, for attendance upon
my wife, kill or cure. Exactly.
Well. DR.. Radford, did You cure
herr"
mo; that was impossible"
"Did you kill herr"