He was once called from his bed, in a bitter night in December, to extract a tooth for a person, who lived several miles from town, and after swearing at the messenger for his untimely call, and grumbling that the man could not send to him by daylight, he consented to go. Arrived at the house, the doctor unpacked his instruments, and placing the light so that he could see, he requested with no smooth palaver that the patient would point out to him the troublesome grinder. After sundry contortions, and exclamations, during which the docter manifested no very patient spirit, the mouth was opened, and the tooth hastily examined.

"Do you think you can take it out, doctor?" asked the nervous sufferer, holding his hand upon his jaw, and turning his eyes away from the instruments. "Yes!" answered the doctor very shortly.

"Are you quite sure, doctor ?" continued the for

mer.

"Yes!" answered the doctor again.

"And will it hurt me much, doctor?"

"Yes!" responded the doctor, adding this time a twitch of his head to his emphatic tone, that made the patient quietly lay back his head, and open his mouth.

The doctor bent forward his body, put in the turnkey, adjusted it upon the tooth, and was just about to turn it, when the patient springing back exclaimed, in a agony, that he could not have it out."

tone of

66

out!"

Oh, doctor, I never can! I never can have it

"Why not?" asked the doctor.

"Because I am sure it will kill me! Oh I cannot ! I cannot !"

"Well, sir," answered the doctor, assuming a look of savage ferocity, which one who had never seen him in anger, could not have believed his usually bronzecast countenance capable of, "Well, sir, you shall have it out! Do you think I am coming out of a warm bed, all the way up here, this night, cold enough to freeze a Russian, to be teased and thwarted in this way? No! Sit down, I tell you, sir, and have it out peaceably, or I'll make you !"

It is needless to say that the patient made no further resistance, and that the troublesome member was forth coming in a twinkling; and the doctor soon back to his quiet bed.

Dry, sarcastic, and yet

There too was always found our country lawyer, jolly Julius Johnson. No mean pettifogger he, but a man endowed with talents of the highest order, and yet whose business to a stranger would seem to be, to smooth with his jokes and conundrums the ruggedness of every man's daily road. ever goodnatured, he was the life of the dinner table. How vividly I recall the boast he one day retorted upon his host, who had been pushing him hard with jokes, and who had but the moment before lost a trifling bet of a quantity of ashes, which the hostess said were her own. Rising with great gravity, as his turn came, he gave, "Our Host,

His friend's reputation he covers with gashes,
And gambles away his respected wife's ashes."

He was one of those few, who could be witty without being offensive, and though ever seemingly approximating improperly in his allusions, he was always really chaste; like la belle Fanny, balancing between decorumns and their opposites, he strictly kept the line, from which to deviate would be destruction. Wherev

ver you found him he was the same merry, joke-loving companion, moving your mirth to excess, and battering at your ribs till they shook, nothing loth to be so shaken. I never saw him really serious but once, and that was at his wedding ceremony, when having lived for long years a happy Bachelor, he was at last to become the sober Benedict. Even then the serious face lasted but through the service, and the good night message he sent to one of his friends, was long the subject of untiring merriment.

To understand it, it is necessary to say, that a fine old gentleman, a friend of Johnson, was in the habit of telling a ludicrous story of a farmer, who, some days before his marriage came off, had been clearing a large piece of heavy timbered land and as the season was rainy, he was in great trouble lest he should be unable to burn it over thoroughly,-a process necessary to a good crop the succeeding year. Indeed the fear of losing his labor had troubled him greatly, so that during the ceremony, and afterwards, while the clergyman was exhorting him on the duties and respon

sibilities of married life, his thoughts were occupied only with his newly cleared ground.

"A very important act, Mr. Lee, is this," said the clergyman standing before the bridegroom, "A very important thing in your whole life, and one which I hope you have carefully considered, and duly weighed. may become to you a source of great comfort and satisfaction, or it may render you miserable. You have my best wishes, Mr. Lee, for your success in what you have now undertaken.

It

"Thank you," responded the bridegroom," it is very important, but I think I shall succeed, if I get a good burn."

Though feeling really the seriousness of the marriage vows, and disposed to regard it in a proper light, Johnson had not forgotten the story; so that after the ceremonies were over, and the son of his old friend was making his evening farewell, he whispered to him, casting at the same time a most inimitable expression toward his beautiful and blooming bride, " don't forget to tell your father, that I think I shall get a good burn."

The dinner over, the preparation for the coming festivities commences. These are of various kinds throughout the town, as the habits of different families may dispose them. The more sober, see the Pastor and taste of his old sparkling cider; some gather in a neighbor's dwelling, and find rich jokes over the cracking of hickory-nuts and eating of the good dame's pre

serves; some patronize the ball in my landlord's spacious chamber, and seek "no sleep till morn" in the excitement of the dance; while others find, in the social chat of home, but seldom visited, more pleasure than abroad.

If there is snow on the ground, however, everything assumes a different aspect. No sooner is dinner passed, than a project is on foot to drive over to some country neighbor's, ten or fifteen miles off. The horses are all in requisition ; the largest sleighs are procured; the colts are attached to the cutters; and the whole family start off for a merry sleigh-ride. Two hours, at most, are sufficient for the drive, and cheerful faces and warm fires are waiting your arrival. Then comes the merriment of the evening. The young folks hastily arrange the dance, and while partners are procured, and places selected, old Peter Peterson, who has played for fifty years to sires and children, tunes up the violin. Contra dances, cotillons and jigs, come each in their turn, and while the old people crack of marriages and courtships, births and burials, in the corner, or go with the housekeeper to cheese-press and pantry, the others merrily foot it till called to supper. Then comes the clattering of knives and forks, the cracking of the lively cider, the merry laugh, the broad jest, the quick repartee; then the games which country folk only know how to enjoy,— some to the rattling gammon, some to the sober whist; others play at hunt-the-slipper, or magic music, or blindman's-buff; and sports, rough and boisterous perhaps,