The herald., 1921-05-26
The
"Chirurgeons''
By WILLIAM FALL
.9. 1921. Western Newspaper Uni0r

lS. 1874. western Newspaper Cnion)
F. Addison Blake whistled as he
set down his lawyers letter. Then he
looked out of the windows of the din.
ing hall Of Fyles Abbey into the heart
Of an English countryside In June.
Suddenly he turned in answer to his
wife's inquiry.
"Muriel, DEAR" he said, eff 1 hadn't
received this letter by this mornings
post we should have lost our new
home forever"
"How, dear" inquired his pretty
wife, startled.
"This way: You know Lord Tyne
side. from whom we bought it, didn't
appreciate having to sell a property
which had been In his family for eight
hundred years to an American whose
father made his fortune packing pork.
And you remember he was quite nasty
to US. Well, he omitted to point to q
very vital item In the title deed, which
Barrett & Co. have just discovered in
the nick Of time. Fyles Abbey was
granted to the first Lord Tyneside by
Henry V, who, as you may remember,
died from overeating. And, while nomi.
nally gift, 1t was to be held, like
many Of these old castles, upon a Gu
riOus condition, and to revert to the
crown If ever this condition were not
complied with. In brief, the owner
has to present to his majesty every
year, on the anniversary Of the gift,
ten surgeons. And the anniversary Is
next Thursday. And the king Is in
Scotland"
present ten surgeonsi" exclaimed
Muriel In amazement.
"Yes. my dear. The original deed
Is almost undecipherable, but the law.
yers say there is no doubt that the
word is surgeons, or as the spelling
has II, 'chirurgeons.' I suppose King
Henry used them to cure his indiges-
ton, but I'm sure / don't know what
King George will use them for. I
guess he'll knight thum and send them
home"
They kept 1t cut Of the newspapers,
but everybody in London was talking
about the kings illness on Thursday
afternoon, even before the train, bear
ing eleven gentlemen pledged to strict.
est secrecy, rolled into Balmoral sta.
ton. Upon the platform stood the
station master, with an army Of
men.
Wont you let rs know what is the
matter with the .king?" pleaded the
youngest reporter ingenuously, as the
puzzled NEEDLES looked around in be-
"Not a word!" exclaimed Mr..
Blake angrily. Gentlemen, this is all
a mistake. There's nothing the mat.
ter with his majesty. This il purely q
political visit"
THE kings playing golf on his
Inks" piped up the inevitable small
boy. Il saw him through the hedge"
Then It'll be an operation" groan.
ed the station master.
Blake and his surgeons started mn
the road.
At last they left the road, and, trav.
ersing a field, halted before a hedge
Of hawthorn. behind which could be
seen a golf green, stretching away up |
10 where Balmoral castle stood in the
midst of Its parks and woods. There
the doctors. who had been In quiet
halted
Mr.. Blake" said the leader, a dig.
1ihed. elderly gentleman, before we
20 step farther we must insist on
moving Just why you have brought us
70 Balmoral, and what your authority /
g. We respectfully decline to an
'roach through q gap In a hedge.
Il told you would pay you Atty
pounds apiece" shouted Blake angri.
y.
MY dear sir" said the eldest. In a
'mooth. professional voice, "ff you win
,ome back home. / am sure we can
'ring him to your bedside"
my bedside? You think I'm crazyr"
demanded Blake.
As he shouted something whizzed
'ver his head. and two men came M
o the hedge.
"Sliced. Nr" exclaimed one of the
'layers. 'Tt1l be in the long grass.
hink."