Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1921-07-06
The
"Chirurgeons"
BY WILLIAM FALL
ID. lg2l, Western NEWSPAPER Unionl

looked out OF the windows or 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. ..s. Sc. 81 <s.,s -fs-+-'e--
"Muriel, dear" he said, IF 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 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
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, it 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 surgeons!" exclaimed
Muriel in amazement.
Eyes, 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 it, 'chirurgeons.' suppose King
ton, but I'm sure l don't know what
King George will use them for.
| guess he'll knight them and. send them
home.'
They kept 1t out 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
| newspaper men.
| won't you let us know what is the
matter with the king?' pleaded the
| youngest reporter ingenuously, as the
puzzled medics looked around in be-
| wilderment.
mot a world" exclaimed Mr..
Blake angrily. Gentlemen, this is all
mistake. There's nothing the mat
ter with his majesty. This is purely
political visit"
THE kings playing golf on his
links" piped up the inevitable small
boy. II saw him through the hedge"
Then it'll be an operation" groan-
ed the station master.
Blake and his surgeons started up
| the road.
AT last they left the road, and. trav-
| ersing a field, halted before hedge
! of hawthorn. behind which could be
| seen a golf green, stretching away up
to where Balmoral castle stood in the
| midst of its parks and woods. There
| the doctors, who had been in quiet
| consultation, halted.
Mr.. Blake" said the leader, a dig
nified, elderly gentleman, before we
| go step farther we must insist on
knowing just why you have brought us
| to Balmoral, and what your authority
is. We respectfully decline to ap-
| proach through a gap in a hedge.
II told you l would pay you fifty
| pounds apiece" shouted Blake aDgri-
| ~.
my dear SIR" said the eldest, in
| smooth, professional voice, 'if you will
come back home, I am sure we can
! bring him to your bedside"
my bedside? You think I'm crazy?"
| demanded Blake
AS he shouted something whizzed
| over his head, and two men came up
| to the hedge.
"Slced, sir!" exclaimed one Of the
| players. It'll be in the long grass,
| think"
II want to see the king!" yelled
Blake, as the players stopped.
AT your service, sir" answered the
| other, short man with a pointed
beard and prominent eyes. At the
| sight of him the doctors closed round
Mr.. Blake, attempting to pull him
down.
Listen, your ma jesty," shouted the
American. I'm not crazy. I've bought
Fyles Abbey, and I've brought ten sur
geons to pay my yearly rental. 1t
says SO in the deed. 1t was Lord
Tyneside's place. Don't ! have to-
bring you ten surgeons?"
"Ah! Fyles Abbey! Very interest
ing. No, sir, you've misread your deed.
It's surgeons, not surgeons; but as
surgeons don't frequent English wa
tiers so much as they used to when
the grant was made, the practice has
become obsolete. Good morning, gen.
tlemen."