The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1885-1888, 1885-05-11
HIS STABLE COMPANION
4 story N THO Chapters.
nv "NUNNYKIRK."
CHATTER {.
THE BROWN Fully.

Epilepsy" suggested his friend Magnus
Ericsson, cor DR. Tryon Figrayc, who Is 50
great at fits that he is too fond of studying
them in the light of experiments at the
expense of his friends or patients"
And quite right" replied the other.
for sacrifice or vicarious suffering living
and dying for others-is the great law that
undeflies the whole of organic nature. A
man is not worthy of the name who will
not surrender his body, when the oDpor-
tunity arises, to the surgeons knife or the
necessities of medicine. Mine is always at
the disposal of science before and after
death. The miserable body, indeed am
perfectly sick of tho cant aud cutlery of
the sentimental nti-viviscctionists. What
is suffering at the WORST Why, would
die thousand deaths to establish the sim.
plest truth. have the profoundest esteem
for DR.. Tryon Filgrave."
You are strange fellow Knox"
laughed Magnus, for know you possess
the very kindest of hearts, and have seen
you pick up a worm in the street and nut
it carefully on one side, lest it should be
tiodden on. Ii is a mercy that men are
better than their opiuions--aye, and their
gods. for you worship Experimental Science.
And in spite of your passionate paradoxes
and indignant assertions, am sure you are
as 'prosopoleptic as all OF us. You remem.
Der only yesterday, when the Empress had
to step across that muddy pavement, in
order to enter the hospital which she
wished to visit, you took off your new over
coat and spread it on the dlrtiest part, for
fear her dainty feet should be soiled.
Would yon have done as much for a poor
beggar woman?'
Yes" said Knox Fraser, courageously,
"of course. like aud admire tho Empress:
al an is ly 4,
she prays), like the mendicsnt, though she
happens to be a crowned beggsr."
1t is useless to argue with you" an
swerod Magnns, "for you invariably concitss
rather than discuss every subject. You
talk as boxing.gloves would, if they could
speak
And now observed his friend, calmly
ignoring the last remark, Shall tell you
why asked you to luncheon 20
",rO beat and bully some new crotchct
into my dim Conservative BRAIN" replied
Ericsson, unconsciously withdrawing his
chair few feet further back from the fiery
Scotsman
81 am going to be married. the latter
said, slowly and deliberately, as If he ex-
pected opposition and was prepared for the
battle. at is not good for man to be
alone; bachelor is mere fragment of
humanity" Hcjumped up from his seat as
he spoke, and roughly thrust his chair back
in corner, like captain at sea sighting
an enemy's ship and clearing for action
"lf am not mistaken cried Magnus,
in astonished tones, you assured me last
week that you never meant to marry-that
you were welded to your profession, and a
Clergyman ought to have no unnecessary
ties OF membranes, and you hated chill
dren, and all women were false-that you
loved your bay FLY more than you could
love the best of wives"
III was out of sorts" was the impatient
response to this objection; land this is a
brown iilly, you know-wants breaking in
to harness aud educating, rather wild and
shy at present. .ibs and backs occasionally,
but can go straight enough when she
likes
What, if | may venture to inquire
said his friend. curiously, might be her
name? For ! will swear she is no common
person.
1T might be, exclaimed Knox, satirically,
with slash at his friends slipshod Eng
fish, "Portia or Cassandra, or Daisy or Vic
let but as r matter of fact 1t is 'Buttercnp'
at least, that is her pet name" Her real
name was unmitigated Ann, without the
extenuating circumstance of the terminal
c, but it. did not suit him to divuge such
an unromantic secret. "And as you rightly
conjecture, she is not an ordinary woman
indeed, she is still quite girl"
That is good" was the comment of
Magnus, as he retreated still farther, feel
ing thankful that a substantial table di-
vided them. "And you, If Lady Brassey
Will kindly excuse me, are well in the
roaring forties.'"
THAT is not OF the slightest consequence"
replied the perfervid candidate for matri-
mony. She will DC wife and daughter
both-a double qualification, child-woman
OF woman child
Butter and JAM" muttcrcd Magnus
cynically to himself; land there is 10 fool
like the old fool
Always excepting the young and con-
ceited,' shouted Knox, who unfortunately
overheard the criticism, raising cane
chair from the ground, aud menaciugly
brandlshing it at his friend, who having
now reached the wall could retire no
farther"
''Iou are forty-fve," cried Magnus, in
seIf-detense and she is"
Seventeen next birthday. which is next
week, said Knox, subsiding q little. "But
then hate women --grown-up children
with fixed habits and minds, stuffed full of
furniture and dress and rubbish. Give mo
an innocent vacuum, which can fill with
pretty pictures and Greek statues, aud
scientific truths and Christian philosophy,
and taste for sweetness and"
Sugar. plunis," interpolated Ericsson.
do yon want" asked Fraser, furiously,
ito be smashed?" And he advanced step
or two, glooming across the table with the
terrors of his black brows knitted
ut would be a pity" was the answer,
because then you would have no best,
man. and no one to companion you in your
folly. AS things are, my regard for you is
so great that ! would gladly follow you to
the stake even If it should be a nis.State."
THANK you, said Knox, in his heartiest
and most resonant voice, sezing his friends
hand aud worrying it in his huge fist as a
terrier might worry rat, but have not
told you half yet. Listen, please
AT your service" cried Magnus light
ing fresh cigarette and assuming an at.
tentivo and receptive attitude.
The muscular Christian, late captain in
dashing cavalry regiment and now trans
formed into q London curatc, shook him.
self like big Newfoundland coming out of
tho water, and began:
lyon know | have some curious notions,
and am Democrat, Radical Hevolutonist,
if you will, to the back bone. Well, am
going to practise what | preach 1t is ut
te1ly useless-nay, it is mean and eowardly
to talk about liberty, and equality, and
maternity, and all that, and then to give
the lie by your whole life TO your teach
ings, So intend to show mean what
say, and believe my opinions, by marrying
one of tho people-a genuine Autochthon,
child of the soil, daughter of the earth.
Now, do you condemn me2'
81 know better said Magnus grayely;
and ! promise to stand by you. Bat what
will Society sayYl