COMMUTER'S WIFE 15 



graph and notes of "J. Oldham, chirurgien," and a 

 verse from his pen : 



Reader ! (where Lite is in the Right) 

 Peruse in grateful strain, 

 And where Dodoneus is Erroneus 

 Correct him clear and plain. J. O. 1799." 



Evidently Oldham had differed so much from the 

 author that his corrections were both clear, plain, and 

 plentiful. Though valuable from father's stand- 

 point, it was a volume safely within the limits of his 

 purse, and the day of its selling he settled back in 

 his chair determined to hold the book against the 

 field. 



It was a stormy February day, and there were only 

 two or three bidders of the class that buy on general 

 principles, who dropped out after a little, leaving my 

 father's terse bid to be echoed by one other in a dis- 

 tant corner. The price began straightway to climb 

 hand over hand. What would Aunt Lot say ? 



Finally the hammer fell, and father flushed with 

 victory gave his name as the purchaser ; the voice in 

 the corner did likewise. The seller paused, saying 

 that there was a mistake somewhere, and proceeded 

 to put up the book again. 



I could see that father was going to be stubborn, 



