A Showman's Sick Child

Doctor Lernoni was one of the irost courtly and atfable of tho Paris physicians. He was once ealled upon by au athletic, ruddy personage, who cerlainly seeined iu no iudividual need of tho distinguished doctor's advice ; the lattnr, too, in kind eifort to reassure the embarrassod visitor, addressed him with his usual pcliteuess and coudescension. 11 Monsieur, I au the proprietor of a menagerie," said the squaro-shouldered man, " and one oí' in y chüdren is siok - " " ÉxttCtly, uiy friend. Of what uatu'e is the d saos6 ': " " He ran a splinter into his thigk ; it is viry ugly, llonsieur, but I am rich enough to pay well." " Very weli, niy man," replied the doctor, uuable to suppress a stnïle at the siniplicity of his visitor, " we wili talk of that after a while. Teil me öxplioitly what is the matter with your ohild." " Monsieur, the splinter is fe-tored in his thigh, and lio will not let any one touch it ; he is headstrong, for all lie is very gentle. It will be nectióary, I know, to perform a slight operation ; but ho is violent and headstroug about it" " Leave his violenco to me. How old is he f " " Four yenrs only. But lam afraid ho will bite or suratch you if you attompt to touch it. You must administer ch.oroform. " " Not at all, my good mun Your clild can uot bo very dimgerous in the exercitie oí his temper if hu is only four jóaxa oid" " But lie is lurge for his age - " " No ; I will go with you to see your lioy. It were foliy to administer chloroform in such a case." ' But, monsieur, you do not know him so well as I," coutinued the man, iinportunately. " 1 pray, I beseech you to take the chloroform all the same, iu case you should ueed it." To dispel the aniety of the nervous man, Doctor Lemoni carried with hiui the rtquirod anwsthetic, ar.d shortly arrived at the house of the beast-tamer. "I have put him up stars, doctor, where the poor fellow would be undisturbed. Ascend with me, please." They mounted a kind of loft. The doctor having entered the showman fol[owed, and, closing the door behind him, quickly locked it. The former, turuing iii some surprise, descried a full-growii [ion slowly approaching them, with an unquestionably wicked and menacing snarL The beast-tamer grew pale ; and when ie addrossed somo soothiug brute langu;ige to the animal, his voice trembled. The doctor becamo ghastly pale and covered with a cold sweat. " For heaven's sake, doctor, be quick ! " whispcrod tho beast-tamer, hoarsely ; "he is ugly to-day.' ÍSt.íll showing his white tetth, the lion crouched in the attitude preparatory to t spring. The doctor dashed the chloroform which he held into the animal's face. The latter recoiled and bogan to droop under the effects of the drug. This permitted a still further administration of it, till he was finally stretcbed powerloss bufore them. The operation required was then made upon the wound, and the proper restoratives applied. Neither the doctor, nor showman spoke a word until they had descended the steps. ' Monsieur," said the showmun, " you have saved, by your wonderful présence of miud, a lite whose valué is incalculable to mo. Permit me to offer you my gratef ui thanks and to give you your fee." And he handed the other a hundrod-franc note. " Thank you, Monsieur Domteur," replied the physician, "and when you again have need of services for a similar oase, I pray ycu - " "I will certaiuly oall you in." " No, no, that is not what I inteñ'ded - pray summoii some other doctor."