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THE SKIPPER'S STORY.
"WELL, what's the news below ?" asked the Doctor of his housekeeper, as she came home from a gossiping visit to the landing one afternoon.
"What new piece of scandal is afloat now ?" "Nothing, except what concerns yourself," answered Widow Matson, tartly.
"Mrs.Nugeon says that you've been to see her neighbor Wait's girl--she that 's sick with the measles--half a dozen times, and never so much as left a spoonful of medicine; and she should like to know what a doctor's good for without physic.

Besides, she says Lieutenant Brown would have got well if you'd minded her, and let him have plenty of thoroughwort tea, and put a split fowl at the pit of his stomach." "A split stick on her own tongue would be better," said the Doctor, with a wicked grimace.
"The Jezebel! Let her look out for herself the next time she gets the rheumatism; I'll blister her from head to heel.

But what else is going ?" "The schooner Polly Pike is at the landing." "What, from Labrador?
The one Tom Osborne went in ?" "I suppose so; I met Tom down street." "Good!" said the Doctor, with emphasis.

"Poor Widow Osborne's prayers are answered, and she will see her son before she dies." "And precious little good will it do her," said the housekeeper.
"There's not a more drunken, swearing rakeshame in town than Tom Osborne." "It's too true," responded the Doctor.