Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 July 1870 — Absence of Mind. [ARTICLE]

Absence of Mind.

Doctor Josiah Campbell, who lived for many years on the Western Reserve, in Ohio, was a skillful physician, but withal one of the most eccentric and ab-sent-minded persons in the world, except Margaret, his wife, and she was fully his equal. One summer morning the Doctor was caught out in a tremendous shower, which drenched him to the skin. It soon cleared £off, however, and Doctor Josh rode into his own yard, where he took the dripping saddle from his horse and let him go adritt into the pasture. The saddle he placed on a stout log of wood which was elevated some four feet from the ground on two posts, where the doctor had begun to build a platform to dry his peaches on. After having got his saddle fixed so it would dry, he took the bridle, and, putting the bits over the eDd of the log, he stretched out the reins, and hitching them to the horn of the saddle, went in 10 change his wet clothes and get breakfast. Josiah, Jr., and Margaret, Jr., were away from home on a visit, and so the two seniors sat down to the morning meal. When they were about half through, Jim Atwood, a farmer who lived about eight miles distant, came in, telling the doctor he wished he would go over to his house, as he reckoned he migLt be wanted over There, and then went off *o the village iff) a hurry, -aft ' cloctor finished his meal, he - -Took his saddle-bags and out he went into the yard, where he deliberately mounted his saddle and set out in imagination for Jim Atwood’s. For a long time he rode on in silence, with his eyes intently fixed on Buchan’s - ractice, which lay open before him. At length he began to fee) the effects of the fierce rays of a mid-day'sun, and on looking up from his book he discovered a house close by him, upon which he sung out lustily for a drink of water. Aunt Margaret, who had been for the last two hours .very busy in the garden, soon made her appearance with a pitcher of milk, and after the thirsty stranger had taken a long draught, they entered into an animated conversation, the Doctor launching out into rapturous praises of the scenery about the place, the neatness of the buildings, the fine orchard of pewh and apple trees ; and the lady, who had caught a glimpse of the saddle-bags, ruudoa great many inquiries about the health of the neighborhood, etc. The Doctor finally took his leave of the lady, assuring her that he would call on his return and have some further conversation with her, as she reminded him so much of his wife, who, he wassure,would he very happy to make her acquaintance. The lady turned to enter the house, and the Doctor had just gathered up the reins, when Jim Atwood dashed up to the gate with hB-liorse all in & lathes of foam. “What on earth are Vou doing, Doctor?” yelled Jim; get off that log and come along.” The Doctor was greatly astonished at first,, but after a few minutes it got through his hair that he had been all the morning riding a beech-log in his own dooryard.