The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-14
CHAPTER III.

The room appropriated to the Soclet
OF Lynn. which met every evening al
the year round, WAS that on the groun
floor looking upon the market place
The society or club, which is never dis
solved. consists of the notables or het
ter sort of the town. the vicar of ST
Margarets, the curate of 81. Nicholas
the master Of the school. my own ia
Their, Captain Crowle, and other retire,
captains the doctor some Of the NOR
substantial merchants. wiki the mayor
some Of the aldermen. the town clerl
and justice of the peace OF two. Thi
evening most of these gentlemen wer
already present.
Captain Crowle saluted the compan,
and took his seat at the head of th'
table. Gentlemen. he said, i wisi
you all a pleasant evening. hav,
brought with me my young friend. Jacl
Fentecrosse-yOu all know Jack-the wor.
thy son of his worthy father. He will
take glass with us Sit down beside
me. Jack"
with the permission of the society,
said.
Most Of the gentlemen had already
before them their pipes and their to-
bacco. Some had ordered their drink
pint of port for one Brown George
full of old ale for another. a flask OF
canary for third, and so on. But the
captain, looking rouRd the room. beck
oned to the girl who waited. Jenny"
he said. nobody calls for anything to-
night except myself. Gentlemen, it
must be a bowl or half a dozen bowls.
Tell your mistress. Jenny, bowl of
the biggest and the strongest and the
sweetest. Gentlemen. you will drink
with me to the next voyage of the Lady
of Lynn
But then thing happened. News
came which drove all thoughts of the
Lady of Lynn out of eyerybody's mind.
That toast was forgotten.
The news was brought by the doctor,
who was the last to arrive.
DR.. Worship was a person who habitu-
ally carried himself with dignity.
Gentlemen The doctor laid his hat
upon the table and his cane beside ii.
Then he took his chair. adjusted his wig.
put on his spectacles. and then. laying
his hand upon the arms of the chair.
he once more loohed around the ROOM
and all this in the most important. digni-
fed. provoking, interesting manner posi-
bic. Gentlemen. l have news for you"
Captain Crowle made answer, speaking
in the name of the society. Sir, we
await your pleasure.
My news. gentlemen. is OF a star
Ting character. / viii epitomize or alb
breviate it. In word, therefore. we are
all about 10 become rich All you who
have houses or property in this town. all
who are concerned in the trade of the
town. all who direct the industries of the
people or take care of the health of the
residents. viii become. l say. rich
The doctor pulled out pocketbook from
uh he aNrraPre1 1etfe- hax
ceived.'' he went on. "a letter from a
townsnan. the young man named Samuel
Semple-Samnel Semple,'' he repeated
with emphasis. because a look of disap-
pointment fell upon every face.
Sam Semplet growled the captain. |
once l broke my stick across his back"
He did not however. explain why he had I
done so. Il wish | had broken two. What |
has Sam semple to do with the prosperity |
OF the town."
Mr.. Sam Semple," the doctor continued. |
with emphasis on the prefix. to which in /
deed the poet was not entitled in his ma
tive town. doth not ask for help. He is |
not starving; he is prosperous; he has !
gained the friendship or the patronage of /
certain persons Of quality. This is the re-
ward of genius. Let forget that he was !
the son of a custom-house servant. and !
the duties. for which he was untitled. of a
clerk. He has now risen. We will well
come one whose name will in the future
add lustre TO our town
The vicar shook his head. TRASH"
he murmured. TRASH
We'll, gentlemen, 1 will proceed TO read
the letter.
He unfoIded it and began with a sonor-
Gus hum:
- 'Honored sir - He repeated the words.
" 'Honored sir The letter. gentleman, is
addressed TO myself-ahem. TO myself. i
have recently heard of discovery which
will probably affect in a manner so vital
the interests of my beloved native town
that / feel it my duty to communicate the
fact to yop without delay. / do so to you
rather tEan 0 my esteemed patron.
the worshipful. the mayor. once my
master. OF TO Captain Crowle or to any of
those who subscribed for my volume of
miscellany poems. because the matter
especially and peculiarly concerns yourself
as a physician and as the fortunate owner
Of the spring or well which is the subject
81 the discovery. The subject OF the dis
covery. gentlemen. My well-mine' He
went on. - You are aware as master in
The science of medicine that the curative Z
properties of various spas or springs in
he country-the names of Bath. Tun-
bridge Wells. and EPSON are familiar to
you: so doubtless are those Of Hampstead |
ind st. Chads. nearer London. 1t now
appears that a certain learned physician,
having reason to belive that similar wa
ers exist. as yet unsupported. at Kings
Lynn. has procured jar of the water
rom your own well-that In your garden ,
my well. gentlemen in my own garden ;
and. having subjected it to a rigorous I
has discovered that Il con- :
aims to d much higher degree than any .
ther well hitherto known to exist in this h
ountry qualities or ingredients held in So S
ution which make this water sovereign
or the cure of rheumatism. asthma, govt, :
nd all disorders due to i'll humors or va :
ors concerning which / am not compe- a
ent so much as to speak to one of your o
earning and skill. q
This discovery hath already been an
ounced in the public journals / send II
GU an extract containing the news / u
Fad this extract. gentlemen" 81
1t was slip of printed paper cut from a. =,
ne of the dlurnals of London: u
- 1t has been discovered that at Kings 81
ynn. in the county of Norfolk there ex- le
IT'S a deep well of clear water whose u
roperties. hitherto undiscovered. form a T.
1vereisn specific for rheumatism and h
ANY similar disorders. Our physicians II
ave already begun to recommend the W
lace spa, and IL is understood that an
,me have already resolved upon betaking OF
lemselves to this newly discovered cure. Y,
he distance from London is no greater ~
ian that Of Bath. The roads. it is true, So
re not so good. but at Cambridge it is ed