Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-03-21
D0LPH HEYLIGER.
By WASHINGTON IRVING.

lIt CODDlCA nOulu lC<lNC iiAo Ac'bt NAtS
barber would thrust out his frizzed head,
with comb sticking in it, knot would
collect at the grocer's door, and the word
would be buzzed from one end of the
street to the other, THE doctors riding
out to his country seat!'
These were golden moments for Dolph.
No sooner was the doctor out of sight
than pestle and mortar were abandoned,
the laboratory was left to take care OF
itself, and the student was off on some
madcap frolic.
Indeed, it must be confessed, the
youngster, as he grew up, seemed in a
fair way TO fulfill the prediction of the old
claret colored gentleman. He was the
ringleader of all holiday sports and mid
night gambols, ready for all kinds of
mischievous pranks and harcbrained adj
ventures.
There is nothing so troublesome as a
hero on a small scale. or, rather, a hero
in small town Dolph soon became the
adherence of all drowsy, housekeeping
old citizens, who hated noise and had no
relish for waggery. The good DANES,
too, considered him as little better than
a reprobate, gathered their daughters
under their wings whenever he APP
preached, and pointed him out as a warn
| ing to their sons. No one seemed 10 hold
him in much regard. excepting the wild
striplings of the place, who were capti-
waited by his open hearted daring man
ners, and the negroes, who always look
upon every idle, do-nothing youngster as
/ a kind of gentleman. Even the good
! Peter de Groodt, who had considered
| himself a kind Of patron of the lad, be
/ gan to despair of him and would shake
. HE hood HrIiptsglv ba liefnftab ~ n
i long complaint from the housekeeper,
and slipped a glass of her raspberry
| brandy.
/ Still his mother was not 10 be wearied
out of her affection by all the wayward-
ness Of her boy, nor dishcartencd by the
stories OF his nisdeeds with which her
good friends were continually regaling
her She had, it Is true, very little OF
| the pleasure which rich people ENJOY, in
always hearing their children praised,
bat she considered al this i'll will as a
kind of persecution which he suffered.
and she liked him the better ON that nc
count. She saw him growing up a fine,
tall good looking youngster, and she
looked ut him with the secret pride Of
mothers heart. Ii was her great desire
tnat Dolph should appear like a gentle
man, and all the money she could save
went towards helping out his pocket and
his wardrobe. She would look ont Of the
window after him as he sailed forth in
his best array, and her heart would Nearn
with delight, and once, when Peter de
Groodt, struck with the youngsiers gal
liant appearance on bright Sunday
morning, observed, "Nell, after all,
Dolph does grow a comedy fellow the
tear of pride started into the mothers
eye. "Ah, neighbor! neighbour" OK
claimed she, they may say what they
please; poor Dolph will vet hold up his
head with the best Of them"
Dolph Heyliger had now nearly at
tanned his one-and-twentieth year, and
the term of his medical studies was
Just expiring, yet ii must be confessed
that lac knew little more of the profes-
sion than when he first entered the doc
tors doors. This, however, could not
be from want of quickness Of parts, for he
showed amazing aptness IN mastering
other branches of knowledge, which he
could only have studied al intervals. He
was. for instance, a sure narksuau, and
won all the geese and turkeys at Christ
mas holidays. He was a bold rider: he
was famous for leaping and wrestling;
he PLAYED tolerably on the fiddle; could
in the whole place at fives or ninepius.
All these accomplishments, however,
procured him no favor in the eyes of the
doctor, who grew more and more grabbed
aud intolerant the nearer the term of APP
premiership approached. Frau Ilsy,
too, was forever finding some occasion
10 raise "A windy tempest about his ears;
and seldom encountered him about the
house without chatter of the tongue; 50
that at length the jingling of her keys,
as she approached. was 10 Dolph like the
ringing of the prompter's bell, that gives
notice OF theatrical thunder storm.
Nothing but the infinite good humor of
the needless youngster enabled him TO
bear all this domestic tyranny without
open rebellion. lt was evident that the
doctor and his housekeeper were prepar
ing to beat the poor youth out OF the
nest the moment his term should have
expired; shorthand mode which the
doctor had of providing for useless dis |
ciples.
Indeed. the little man had been rem
dered more than usually irritable lately |
in consequence of various cares and vex- |
ations which his country estate had |
brought upon him. The doctor had been |
repeatedly annoyed by the rrrmors and
tales which prevailed concerning the old |
mansion. ard found il difficult 10 prevail
even upon the countryman and his fam
ily to remain there rent free. Every |
time he rode out to the farm he was
teased by some fresh complaint
strange noises and FEARFUL sights with |
which the tenants were disturbed at |
night, and the doctor would come home |
fretting and Tuning, and vent his spleen
upon the whole household. 1t was in
deed a sore grievance, that affected him
both in prids and purse. He was threat
ened with an absolute loss of the profits
of his property; and then, what a blow
to his territorial consequence TO be the
landlord of haunted housed
1t was observed, however, tat with
all his vexation the doctor never proposed
to sleep in the house himself; nay, he
could never be prevailed upon to remain
in the premises after dark. but made the
best of his way for town as soon as the
bats began to fit about in the twilight.
The fact was, the doctor had a secret be-
liaf in UhOcfc having rnaccad fhQ carly