272 Farmer'' s Miscellany, [Oct., 



" Yes," replied Watson, looking for the first time into the door 

 of Dr. Bollraan's office, " what of them? " 



" There is not much of them, but they trouble me some." 



"How?" 



" By their noise and nonsense." 



" If I worked here I guess I should make about as much noise 

 as they do: at any rate I don't think I should take notice enough 

 of them to be disturbed by them." 



During this colloquy, a singular biped entered the shop. He 

 was quite a natural historian, being familiar with the dwelling- 

 place of every mink, muskrat and ground-hog in the parish. He 

 could have destroyed them all in a week, but he was as careful 

 of them as if he were their acknowledged proprietor, killing only 

 the increase, thus keeping the original number good. His object 

 in visiting the shop was to get a wagon mended on credit. He 

 was never known to pay a debt but once, and that was by mis- 

 take. 



He listened to the colloquy above recorded, and learned the 

 state of feeling on the part of Allen towards the young scions of 

 medicine. He took his cue from it, and proceeded as follows to- 

 wards the attainment of his object. " Them fellows will make 

 smart doctors over there, wont they? " said he to Allen, after 

 Watson had withdrawn. 



"Why?" said Allen. 



" Because they will be so full of knowledge through and 

 through. You see the place to stow away knowledge is the 

 head; now most people take it in at the eyes or ears, which are 

 hard by the stowing place, but them fellows take it in at the 

 toes, so that it runs clean through them. See them now, there 

 they are at it. The books is on the table, and their feet are on 

 the books. They are sitting in low chairs, so that the knowl- 

 edge entering their toes may run down into their heads. They 

 ought to take out a patent for their new mode of studying." I 

 have already remarked that he succeeded in getting his cart 

 mended upon credit. 



Allen might now be seen occasionally towards the evening of 



