University of Virginia Library

CONSEQUENCE.

The doctor now felt all the dignity of a landholder rising
within him. He had a little of the German pride
of territory in his composition, and almost looked upon
himself as owner of a principality. He began to complain
of the fatigue of business; and, was fond of riding
out “to look at his estate.” His little expeditions to his
lands were attended with a bustle and parade that created
a sensation throughout the neighbourhood. His
wall-eyed horse stood stamping, and whisking off the
flies, for a full hour before the house. Then the doctor's
saddle-bags would be brought out and adjusted; then,
after a little while, his cloak would be rolled up and
strapped to the saddle; then his umbrella would be
buckled to the cloak; while, in the mean time, a group of
ragged boys, that observant class of beings would gather
before the door. At length the doctor would issue forth,
in a pair of jack-boots that reached above his knees, and
a cocked hat flapped down in front. As he was a short,
fat man, he took some time to mount into the saddle;
and when there, he took some time to have the saddle and
stirrups properly adjusted, enjoying the wonder and admiration
of the urchin crowd. Even after he had set
off, he would pause in the middle of the street, or trot
back two or three times to give some parting orders which
were answered by the housekeeper from the door, or
Dolph from the study, or the black cook from the cellar,
or the chambermaid from the garret window; and there
were generally some last words bawled after him, just as
he was turning the corner.

The whole neighbourhood would be aroused by this
pomp and circumstance. The cobler would leave his
last; the barber would thrust out his frizzed head, with
a comb sticking in it; a knot would collect at the grocer's
door, and the word would be buzzed from one end
of the street to the other, “The Doctor's riding out to
his country seat.”