LAUDAMY, CALAMY, AND PROVIDENCE.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2644, 28 January 1908, Page 7

LAUDAMY, CALAMY, AND PROVIDENCE.

I On one occasion when Sir Walter Scott was journeying in the north of England, he stopped at a little town where one of his attendants was suddenly taken ill, and the doctor bad to be called. He was a newcomer to the town, but when he made his ap- ! pearance as a grave, sagacious-look-ing personage, dressed in a black suit and shovel hat, Sir Walter recognised him at once as a blacksmith who had formerly practised as a veterinary surgeon elsewhere. I "Can this possibly be John Lun- ' die ?" said Sir Walter. "In troth it is, your honour," he ; replied. I "Why, you were a horse doctor once. Now, it seems you are a man doctor," exclaimed Sir Walter. "How jdo you get on ?" i "My practice," John answered, "is j very sure and orthodox. I depend entirely upon two simples—laudamy and calamy." "Simples with a vengeance !" cried Sjr Walter. "But don't you ever 1 happen to kill any of your patients ?' ' "Whiles they dee and whiles no," he replied ; "but it's the will o' : Providence. Onyhow, your honour, j it would be lang before it made up for Flodden."