Absence Of Mind

Doctor Josiah Campbell, who lived fur mnny years on the Western Reserve iu Ohio, w;is a ekillful physician, but wit bal one of lbo most eeeeutric and ubricnt ininded peraous iu the world, except Margarjet, liis wife, and alio was fully his equul. Ono summor morninj; tbs Doctor vas caught out in a trcminidous showt!!, which dreiíehed hiui to the skiu. It soou cleiired off, however, and Doctor Josiah rode info his own yurd, wbere lit took tbe dripping saddle i'rom liis horse and et bitn go ailrilt uto ttie pasture The Baddlo lie placed on a 8'out log of wood which was elevatad noine four foot from tlie grouud on two poats, whero the doctor had 'ueguu to buiíd a platform to dry hia peuchus on. Alter having got liis caddlo fixei] so it would dry, be took tho biidle, and putting tli ti bits over the end of the log, ho lied out tbe reins, and lii tobing thern to tbe boni of tbe udclle, wout i to obaoge bis wet elothes and get break fast. Joaiab, Jr., and Margaret, Jr., wero :iway Irom home on a visit, und so the two Beniora sut down to the moroiog meal. Wlicn tbcy wore nbout balt through, Jim Atwood, a farmor who lived about eight miles piütant, cazae in teliing tbe doctor he wislied be would go over lo his house, as ho reokoned be might be wanted ovur tbere, and then went off to tbe village in a buriy, altar ÊOU'e ucccsi'iiy "fixeii!"." When the dootor finished liis mea!, bo took bis saddle-bags and out he wont uto tho yard, where he deliberste-ly iiiounted la;! saddle and set out iu imagiuutiou for Jim Atwood'a For a loug time ha rode on in silence, witb birt eyes riteutly fixod on Baohan'a Practice, whicli lay open beiore hiin. - At length he begiin to feel tho effectH of the liorco rays of mi.l-day sun, and on looking up from Ins book hu diseoverod a house close bv himlpnn whioh be sunj; out lustily for a diink of water. Aunt Margaret, who bad bieo for the last two hours vry busy iu thu garden, Koon made her uppearaooe wiib a pitcher of milk, and after tbe thirsty strangi-r had taken a long diaught, tht-y entero. i into an animated oonversatinor, tbe Doctor lnunuhing out into rapturoua .raist;s of tbe sceDery ahout tbe place, the Deatness of the buildings, tho fine nrebard of poacb and applo trees; umi the lady, who bad caught a glimpse of tbe s:ic!diö bagü, maiie a groat many inijuiries about tho health o' tbe neigbborbood, &o. The Doctor finally took his leave of tho lady, assuriny her that he would o all on birt return and have Borne furtlu r convcrsati.)ii wiih lier, as she rcoiindod bini :-o niuch of his wife, who, be is sure, would bo very happy to maku her acqaaiutanoer. Tho lady turncd to enter the house, and tbe Doctor had just atliereil up tbe ri'ins, when Jim Atwood dashed u[ to the gato with his borau all in u latber of foam. "Whát on enrth are 3'ou doing, Dootor ?" yelled Jim ; got off that log and come along." Tbe Doctor was greatly astonished at first, but after a few minutos it got through bis luiir that be bad been all the niorniiig ridmg a beeoh log in bis own dooryurd.