Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-07-02

uious situations. In fact, the patients
movements when trying. If you under
stand me. to side round that particu-
lar posture, in which he knows that he
VIII be gripped. and to gain the desired
perpendicular by lodging. so to speak,
the muscles of his own back. are often
extremely grotesQue. Take it, also,
lhat the patient is one who pridcs him
Sell ON the dignity Of his department =
as our vicar did-and this grotesque-
hess Is appreciably enhanced. Indeed,
what could be a funnier sight to see
than dignity struggling with lumbago?
!, myself, though hardened by profess
siohai experience, have often derived
the hugeSt amusement from it. And
certainly did so in this case.
Our excellent vicar was extremely
sorry for himself. He gave me a
graphic account of the torturiny agon.
les which he had endured. in trying to
rise from kneeling posture in church
| where he had been suddenly seized
and how 1t had taken him good five
minutes to regain his feet. prescribed
some of the usual remedies, and prom
ised to call again in a day or two. When
l reached home the first question my
wife asked me was:
"'Well, what is the matter with the
vicar"
"'Only touch Of lumbago,' an
swered.
Then he will be unable to attend
| the parish conversational this evening,
l suppose?
may keep all his social engagements.
! Church is the only thing tabooed, bs-
cause the poor man cannot kneel, or
| rather when he knecls cannot get UP
| again.
"Oh! am glad that he will be there
this evening. The parish Conversations
without the vicar would bes quite the
play without Hamlet, would it not?'
"'Yes-for Margaretta,' replied,
| jestingly.
Il said that on purpose to draw my
| wife. But the shaft missed. She seem
| ed, indeed, not to even have heard my
| remark, and l saw that she had sud
| denly fallen into one Of her absent its.
| Soon afterward she left the room aud
went upstairs. humming tube, IA
thing which she always did wien she
was enveloped in a brown study.
I'VE both went to the parish convcr.
! sazione that evening. 1t was one Of Il
series of functions held quarterly by
the vicar and the church wardens to
promote social intercourse and friendli.
| ness between the members Of the con-
| gregation. These gatherings tool,
| place at the town hall, and consisted
| Of tea and coffee. twaddle and fiirta-
| tions, for which last manned amusement
various alcoves in the Hobbies and pass.
ages were not Inconvenience; the more
SO, as the said Hobbies and passages
were but indifferently lighted.
AT this particular function every.
body, of course, was present, including
| Margaretta, her parents and other
| adolescent members OF her family. My
wife bore down upon Margaretta the
moment she appeared. and l saw them
soon engaged in whispered converse.
ton In corner Of the tearoOm. did
| time, being just then tackled by a
wealthy and hypochondriacal old lady
one Of my best patients who insist.
ed on recounting to me long history
| Of all that she had suffered since our
last meeting. l was inpXpressibly
bored by this tiresome old person. But
l could not offend her, so was Obliged
n MI WI nj 1nu 7
from her-which was not for twenty
minutes-I noted. with grin of amuse
mcnt, that Margaretta aided, no doubt
by my wife), had made her pounce, and
was in the act of sailing out Of the tea.
room upon the arm Of our stately vicar
| who did not. indeed, seem at all 10th to
| lead forth this beauteous damsel into
the greater seclusion Of the dimly light
| ed passages.
II looked round for my wife. All
| There she was hobbing and nobbinp
| with old Joshua Barker. not three yards
! from where stood! Presently heard
her say to him:
Don't you think this room rather
hot, Mr.. Barker? Shall! we go out into
the lobby for few minutes"
'CertAinly-a good idea,' answered
the brewer, offering her his arm.
| And Off they went-my wife throw.
! ing me a meaning but mystifyinc
| glance over her shoulder as she passed
| That she was up to some mischief
could see plainly. That this mischief
was in connection with the vicar and
Margaretta l could conjecture with
tOlerable certainty. But beyond thai
general impression, l was quite in the
dark and, being detached just then and
seeing nobody about with whom l had
the least desire to converse, strolled
out myself into the lobby with the idea
of seeing II possible what my wife's
little game was.
las l sauntered slowly along one OF
the side passages, heard the sound OF
murmured conversation on my right
CHANGING in that direction, l deserted
the vicar and Margaretta seated in con
tiguous chairs, screened by big palm