Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-02-06
they parted at the door of the inn.
CHAPTER v.-THE GAME-MOUNTJOY PLAYS
NEW CARD.

They parted at the door or the Inn.
CHAPTER v.-THE GAME-MOUNTJOY PLAYS
NEW CARD.
Mr. Vimpany (of the College of Sur
geons) was a burly man, heavily built
from head to foot. His bold round eyes
looked straight at his fellow creatures
with an expression Of impudent good hui
NOR; his whisker5 were bushy. his hands
were big, his pS were thick, his legs were
solid. Add 10 this a broad suuburnt face,
and a gray coat with wide tails, waist
coat with u check pattern, and leather
riding gaiterS-and no stranger could have
failed to mistake Mr.. Vimpany for a farm
er Of the old school. He was proud of the
false impression that he created. Mature
built me to be Il farmer" he used to say.
But my poor foolish old mother was a
lady by birth. and she insisted on her son
being professional man. | hadn't brains
for the law, or money for the army, or
morals for the church. And here am a
country doctOr-the one representative
Of slavery left in the nineteenth century.
You may not believe me, but I never see a
laborer at the plough that l don't envy
HIM"
This was the husband of the elegant lady
with the elaborate manners. This was the
man who received MountjOy with "glad
to see you, SIR" and shake of the hand
that hurt him.
Coarse fare" said Mr.. Vimpany, carv-
ing a big Joint of beef; ''but can't afford
anything better. Only a pudding to fol-
low, and glass of glorious old sherry.
Miss Henley is good enough to excuse it
and my wife's used to it-and you will
put up with it, Mr.. Mountjoy, if you are
half as amiable as you look. Pm an old
fashioned man. The pleasure of a glass
| of wine with you, SIR"
Hugh's first experience of the GLORIOUS
old sherry" led him to discovery, which
proved to be more important than he was
disposed to consider it at the moment.
He merely observed, with some amuse-
ment, that Mr.. Vimpany smacked his lips
in hearty approval of the worst sherry
that his guest had ever tasted. Here,
plainly self-betrayed, was a medical man
who was an exception to general rule in
the professionalism was doctor ignor-
ant of the difference between good wine
and bad.
Both the ladies were anxious to know
how Mountjoy had passed the night at
the inn. He had only time to say that
there was nothing to complain of when
Mr.. Vimpany burst into an explosion Of
laughter.
'Oh, but you must have had something
to complain ofP' said the big doctor. 81
would bet hundred, if could afford it,
that the landlady tried to poison you with
her sour French wine"
'Do you speak of the claret at the inn,
after having tasted it?" Mountjoy asked.
What do you take me forP' cried Mr..
Vimpany. after all L have heard of the
claret, l am not fool enough to try it my
self, | can tell you.''
Mountjoy received this answer in sill
ence. The doctors ignorance and the
doctors prejudice, in the matter of wine,
had started a new train of thought in
Hugh's mind, which threatened serious
consequences to Mr.. Vimpany himself.
There was a pause at the table; nobody
Il OFT Of
his rudenesS expressed in his wife's face.
He made a rough apology TIC Mountjoy,
who was still pre-occupied. mo offense,
hopper It's in the nature of me, sir, to
speak my mind. If I could fawn and fat.
ter, should have got on better in my pro-
fession. Pm what they call a rough dia-
mond. No offense, sayW
''None whatever, Mr.. Vimpany?"
That's right. Try another glass of
sherry"
Mountjoy took the sherry.
Iris looked at him, lost in surprise. 1t
was unlike Hugh to be interested in a
strangers opinion of wine. 1t was unlike
him to drink wine which was evidently
not to his taste. And it was especially I'M
| like his customary courtesy to let himself
! fall into thought at dinner-time, when
| there were other persons at the table Was
| he i'll? Impossible to look at him and not
see that he was in perfect health. What
did it mean?"
| Finding MOunt1ov lnostSuttye. Mr.. N1mp-
10y addressed n1mseI TO Iris.
Il had to ride hard, Miss Henley, to get
| home in time for dinner. There are pa
/ tients, / must tell you, who send for the
| doctor, and then seem to think they know
more about it than the very man whom
| they have called in to cure them. 1t isn't
! he who tells them what their illness is;
| it's they who tell him. They dispute about
| the medical treatment that's best for
them: and the one thing they are never
/ tired of doing is talking about their symp-
/ toms. 1t was an old mans gable that
/ kept me late to-day. However, the Squire,
| as they call him in these parts, is pa
tient with long purse; am obliged to
! submit"
/ "A gentleman of the old school, dear
| Miss Henley" Mrs. Vimpany explained.
| Immensely rich. Is he better?" she ask
ed, turning TO her husband.
| 'Better?" cried the outSpoken doctor.
| "Poohi There's nothing the matter with
him but gluttony. He went to London,
a handle to his name. The famous physi-
clan got rid Of him in no time-Sent him
| abroad to boil himself in foreign baths.
| He came home again worse than ever, and
| consulted poor me. / found him at din
| ner-a perfect feast, / give you my word
of honor!-and the old fool gorging him
self till he was black in the face. His
wine, l should have said, was not up to
the mark; wanted body and flavor, you
know. All, Mr.. Mountioy, this seems to
interest you; reminds you of the land
lady's wine-ehs Well, sir, how do you
think / treated the Squire? Emptied his
there be was on his l--s agaGI When