Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-02-18

behind him.
Then he took animal after animal in
to his hand, set it upon the table, passed
his fingers lightly to and fro over its
head and ears time or two, listened to
the owners voluble explanations with
out appearing to notice Them and forth
with proceeded to deliver little elm
ical lecture. His deft fingers shipped
away the matted hair from a neglected
and fostering sore. He cleaned the
wound tenderly, the dog often instinc-
lively turning to snap. Yet all the time
Billiam never once flinched but talked
steadily, impartially and sympathetical-
ly to the animal and his master till the
sore was dressed and the patient rede-
livered with all due directions to his
owner.
Before long DIR. Macfarlane became so
interested that he waited while case
after case was disposed of with the UNI
erring accuracy of a hospital expert.
Sometimes he would instinctively have
| the lint OF the bandage ready III his
hand, lust as if he had still been dresser
at the old infirmary and waiting for
Lister to work off his batch.
At the end of half an hour he had no
more remembrance of Billiam S want of
| qualifications. He asked him to come
round for supper and smoke pipe. But
Billiam only smiled and said, THANK
you a hundred times, doctor, but have
some private cases in the back room to
attend to yet, and then l must read up
my stuff for tomorrow.
After awhile there came to visit Bill
liam minister or two familiar with
the district the young resident mission
airy from the students hall, stray law
yer clerk or two-and the superintend-
ent of police. They all came to cavil,
but one and all they remained to hold
bandages and be handy with the vase
line.
On one occasion the minister Of St.
Margaret's offered Billiam the use Of "A
pew in his church, but Billiam said,
"Sunday is my day for out patients, or
| should be glad. +" For Billiam was a
gentleman and always answered even a
dissenting clergyman politely.
You should think of your immortal
soul, " said the minister.
"Who knoweth, " said Billiam, "the
spirit of the beast that gocth downward
into the earth:'
And Billiam could never find out why
the minister went away SO suddenly OF
why he shook his head ever aftcrward
when they met in the street. 1t never
crossed his mind that Mr.. GIogson Of st.
Margaret had taken him for an inidel
and dangerous subvertcr Of the system
of religion as by law established. Yet
so it was.
In due time Billiam's nest Of GarretE
became known as the "lamc dogs home
and grew famous throughout the entire
city-that is, the southern city of higl
lands, steep streets, winding stairs ant
odorous closes, with their Arab popula
ton Of boys and dogs.
, "You let that long, lanky chal
alone, " cried one brawny burglar TO an
other, cor I'll smash your dirty fact
} like rotten turnip! Now, mind me
Don't You know the dor missionary"
J Every policeman befricndcd Billiam
! and the greater number of the police
mans ordinary clients He could Otter
, be seen walking along the Pleasance o
past the breweries in the Laigh Cation
! attended by a dozen dogs, which ha'
r followed Billiam far from thSr wonte'
, baunts on the chance Of a word iron
= him and which departed obediently
q unwillingly when be babe them return
| to their own places in peace.
: Year by year Billiam studied an
practiced, never penny the richer, bu
G more and more loving and beloved. Hi
garnet, however grew somewhat bette
l furnished. Through the mediation c
his soldier brother, his father became s
e far reconciled to him that he increase
his allowance, but Billiam lived in Il
e greater comfort than before. He bough
/ a cheap bedstead, 1t Is true, and for
o month or two dwelt in luxury, sleepin
upon real mattress with clean sheC
b and folding his overcoat for pillow
s But even that came to an end.
The circumstances were these:
= Billiam had been down mt Orm
J. thwate seeing his father, and his broth
e er (of the One Hundred and Tent
, hussars) insisted upon returning
, Edinburgh with him.
0 you'll have to rough it, mind you,
: said Billiam, warning him.
"I'm soldier said his brothC
= stoutly, land l guess your hole can
o be worse than some places I've put L
q in. D."
"All right" said Billiam, "Min'
= I've warned you. Don't grumble whC
you get there"
i So at their journeys end Billia
opened the door Of the garrett and il
s. vited his brother to step ill., A curio'
damp smell met them on the Threshold
" chats all right, said Billiam I
Sc assuringly. II washed out the who
g blooming shop with chlorate of lin
the night before l came away. 1t
- healthy no end, if it does stink bit.
"Maybe" said his brother the ca
t. tain, "but it certainly does smell Ill
b. stables.
- "Well, I'll have the fire lighted, al
g. We'll have some supper before the pc
v pie begin to come" said Billiam cali
rs ly. you'll be picking these old rags f
ut lint and laying out the bandages. "
if The captain and Billiam dined up
tn a rasher of bacon and eggs which B
be liam fried in the pan, along with slic
e, potatoes and butter. The hussar, bell
lie exceedingly hungry, thought he h
never tasted anything more delicious
" "They don't do anything like this