Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-04
THE GENERAL.
rHE D0oT0R'S STORY; OR,
WxLNUTS AND VINE.


fheixravia.l
We were sitting over our walnuts and
wine. The ladies had gone, and the
Doctor became more and more reticcnt.
Either his heart was in the drawing
room or he was sleepy or dreaming:
Bis usual conversational powers had
quite deserted him.
Wake up, Doctor" said mine host,
One old English gentleman OF por,ly
presence, lord OF the manor, .. f.' ID
n. chairman Of the Board OF Guar
dams, and what not. He showed the
decanter to the Doctors elbow Is ne
spoke.
The Doctor passed the wine un-
touched.
al vas thinking" he replied. and !
thought l detected the glisten Of ha.f .
tear in his eye.
!. You're not in the blues. Doctor ;
on Christmas eve, too" put in Sir Ro-
bert. chserily.
.Not 10 bad Is that, hope" replied
the Doctor, smiling, "but seven years
gro to night curious incident happen
Cd TO me, and never has Christmas eve
come round since but / have got musing
over Il. The worst Of il is it's an un'
finished story. It's . mystery Ike
The Mystery Of Edwin brood or
Tho Man in the Iron Mask, or the
Ghost that appeared TO Lord Lyttelton,
and lacks the conclusion that shall un'
rsvel the whole"
"a story--a Christmas story" we
ali shouted. and Sir Robert was lsudest
o. ali. "It's my first Christmas in.
England for just thirty years." he add
ed spologeticslly, land many's the
time I've thought, il God spared my
life. I would return to the old country
II It we're only to gaze on snow-clad
hills and sit among friends ut Yule-
tide feast and hear . good Christmas
warn. Outside Jack Frost bids fair to
nip his own fingers with cold; inside's
: fire, . dinner, and good company,
md now here's . story--the things
complete"
"The story, the storyl" we shouted
in chorus.
Fire way, Doctor, said Sir Robert,
The Indian hero, whose name had be-
come q household word for splendid
deeds in half . dozen campaigns.
"well. / don't mind" said the
Doctor: "but remember it's only half
. tale. Don't scold me when ipull up
short there's no finish to it,"
"We'n finish it for you," l said,
laughing.
$50 we will" cried all. "At any
rate we'll try to guess the sequel"
Sir Robert had his back TO the mer-
rily-craekling log fire; he was not yet
seasoned to an English winter, so the
wsrmest seat was his. We instinctively
hitched up our chair nearer to the Doc
tor. and he, after moment Of hesita-
ton, thus began:
{" As said before, ii was seven years
ago tonight. But if / am to begin at
the beginning ] must go back several
weeks.
ain the month Of October, whether
early or late l cannot remember, |
began to make daily professional call
in Barchester Square. Even then the
glory Of the square was fading; aud
now, after the lapse OF only seven years,
il has become the undisturbed posses
sion Of doctors, lawyers, city men, ct
hoe oenus. But seven years ago there
were still few drops Of the creme de
Ia creme Of society to be found there,
and | Was attending an old blue-blooded
marquis--and too full-blooded to boot
who twenty years before had had mar
row escape Of finding seat in the Cabi-
net. For twenty years he had sulked
in consequence, and his confirmed habit
of sulkiness had superinduced seden-
tary complaint which required Tor the
old sulks thought it requiredl daily
visit.
ut WAS q new beat to me then, and
rs had TO see him about 7 o'clock,
and as he was too sulky ever to invite
me to dinner, although acknowledged
footmsn invariably began tattoo on
the gong Just as left the door, l found
it necessary to seek my dinner some
where else. Even o doctor must eat
we'll, sometimes"
"You didn't do badly tonight, Doc
tor" ventured to hint.
"Iye been trying to overtake a
years disturbed and broken meals"
replied the Doctor with 4 grim smile.
ats long leewsy to make up, | can
tell you. Well, perhaps some Of you
will laugh at my ignorance when in
form you that had never heard Of
sGuarini's' in my life, and stumbled
on that famous old restaurant by acct
dent. need not describe the place,
for although it has long been left
stranded by the rapid changes that are
ever going on in London, and which
make one locality popular to-day and
deserted tomorrow, stillit enjoys GER
tain favor from old gentlemen Of con-
sentative instincts, who, having discov-
cred comfortable berth, don't care to
quit it. II still maintains its halfclub
character. It's dinners are expensive,
but notably good--not recherche, but
well cooked-and its wines are, as ever
unimpeachable. Few young men are
found there, and no ladies' never saw
petticoat there all the time used it
It's out Of their beat, and sombre
But for elderly bachelors, widower
content with . first experience, an,
woman-haters in ordinary, who do no
mind forking out the coin, there's n
place to beat it in the metropolis"
"Not . doubt of it," said . sallow
vissged guest who had not yet spoken
but who had never ceased peeling wal
nuts since the Doctor began.
A look Of warm sympathy was in
terchAnged between the Doctor and tn
aallow- visaged guest; evidently both i
their turn had made up good deal {
ieewsy at Guarini's; at any rate, men
DRY was too strong for the Doctor
had to pause for q moment.
might after night l turned in :
Gale street, and the oftener went Ii
more Was l pleased with my quarter
One Saturday-it was the first Satu
day ever took advantage of its pro,
unity TO the residence Of the bloc,
cd and too full-blooded MARQUIS, for