The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-12-24
DOCTOR MARIGOLD|
A Christmas Story by Charles
Dickens.


name was Wlllum Marigold. 1t was in
his lifetime supposed by some that his
name was William, but my own father
always consistently said, NO, it was
Willum.' On which point / content my
self with looking at the argument this
way: If man is not allowed to know
his own name in free country, how
much is he allowed to know in land of
slavery: As to looking at the argument
through the medium Of the register,
Willum Marigold come into the world
before registers come up much-and
went out Of it too They wouldn't have
been greatly in his line, neither, if they
had CHANGED to come up before him.
| was born on the queens highway,
but it was the kings at that time. A
doctor was fetched to my own mother
by my own father, when it took place
on common; and in consequence of his
being a very kind gentleman, and &C
cepting no fee but a tea tray, l was
named Doctor, out of gratitude and
compliment to him. There you have
me-Doctor Marigold.
l am at present middle aged man of
a broadish build, in cords, leggins and
a sleeved waistcoat, the strings of which
is always gone behind. Repair them
how you will, they go like fiddle strings.
You have been to the theater, and you
have seen one Of the violin players screw
up his violin, after listening to it as if
it had been whispering the secret to him
that it feared it was out of order, and
then you have heard it snap. That's as
exactly similar to my waistcOat as a
waistcoat and violin can be like one
another.
l am partial to a white hat, and like
a shawl round my neck wore loose and
easy. Sitting down is my favorite pos
ture. If | have taste in point Of per-
sonal jewelry it is mother-of-pearl but
tons. There you have me again rs large
as life.
The doctor having accepted a tea tray,
you'll guess that my father was a Cheap
Jack before me. You are right. He
was. 1t was a pretty tray. 1t repre-
sented a large lady going along a SER
pentining up hill gravel walk to attend a
little church. Two swans had likewise
come astray with the same intentions.
When call her large lady don't mean
in point of breadth, for there she fell be-
low my views, but she more than made
it up in height; her height and slimnesS
was-in short the height of both.
| often saw that tray after l was the
innocently smiling cause Tor more likely
screeching one) of the doctors standing
it upon table against the wall in his
consulting room. Whenever my own
father and mother were in that part Of
the country used to put my head q
have heard my own mother say it was
faXen curls at that time, though you
wouldn't know an old hearth broom from
it now till you come to the handle and
found it wasn't me- in at the doctors
see me, and said, AHA, my brother prac-
titioner! Come in, little NJ. D. How
are your inclinations as to sixpence"'
You can't go on forever you'll find,
nor yet could my father nor yet my
mother. If you don't 90 off asa whole
when you are about due you are liable
to go off in part, and two to one your
heads the part. Gradually my father
went off. his and my mother went off
hers. 1t was in harmless way, but it
put out the family where 1 Boarded
them. The old couple, though retired,
got to be wholly and solely devoted to
the Cheap Jack business and were
always selling the family off. When
ever the cloth was laid for dinner my
father began rafting the plates and
dishes, as we do in our line when we
put up crockery for a bid, only he had
lost the trick Of it and mostly let em
drop and broke 'em. AS the old lady
had been used to sit in the cart and
hand the articles out one by one to the
| old gentleman on the footboard to sell,
| just in the same way she handed him
every item of the family property, and
they disposed Of it in their own imagi-
nations from morning to night. At last
the old gentleman, lying bedridden in
the same room with the old lady, cries
out in the old patterfuent, after having
+ been silent for two days and nights:
Nov, here, my jolly companions
every one-Which the Nightingale club
in a village was held, At the sign of the
Cabbage and Shears, Where the singers
no doubt would have greatly excelled
But for want of taste, voices and ears
now, here, my jolly companions, every
! one, is working model of a used up old
Cheap Jack, without tooth in his head
and with pain in every bone, so like
life that it would be just as good if il
wasn't better, just as bad if it wasnt
worse, and just as new if it wasn't worn
out. Bid for the working model of the
old Cheap Jack, who has drunk more
gunpOwder tea with the ladies in hi
time than would blow the lid off washer
woman's copper and carry it as man,
thousands of miles higher than the moor
as naught nix naushs, divided by thu
national debt, carry nothing to the poo
rates. three under and two over. Now
my hearts of oak and men of straw. wha
do you say for the lot? Two shillings,
shilling, tenpence, eightpence, sixpence
fourpence. Twopence: Who said two
pence: The gentleman in the scarecrow'
hat? l am ashamed of the gentleman il
the scarecrow's hat. l really am ashame,
Of him for his want of public spirit. Nov
III tell You what I'll do with YOU. Come
III throw You in a working model of an ole
woman that was married to the old Chea
Jack so long ago that. upon my word ant
honor. it took place in N1ah's ark befor
the unicorn could get in to forbid tn
banns by blowing tune upon his horn
There now. Come, WHAT do You sa
for both: I'll tell YOU what I'll do wit
you. don't bear You malice for bein
SO backward. Here, If YOU make me
bid that'll only reflect 4 little credit O
your town I'll throw you in a warmin
pan for nothing and lend You a tu;t>tin
fork for life Now. come what DO vC
say after that splendid offer: Say tv
pound, say thirty shillings, say poun,
say ten shillings, say FIVE. say two an
six: You don't say even two and 81
= You say two and three: No. Yc
sha'n't have the lot for two and thre
Ia sooner give it You if You was GOO
looking enough. Here, missis. chul
the old man and woman into the car
put the horse to, and drive EN- away al