which illustrates the tremendous professor of moral philosophy still
further. "One summer afternoon, as she was about to sit down to dinner,
her servant requested her to look out of the window, to see a man
cruelly beating his horse. The sight not being a very gratifying one,
she declined, and proceeded to take her seat at table. It was quite
evident that the servant had discovered something more than the
ill-usage of the horse to divert his attention, for he kept his eyes
fixed on the window, again suggesting to his mistress that she ought to
look out. Her interest was at length excited, and she rose to see what
was going on. In front of her house (Moray Place) stood a cart of coals,
which the poor victim of the carter was unable to drag along. He had
been beating the beast most unmercifully, when at that moment Professor
Wilson, walking past, had seen the outrage and immediately interfered.
The lady said that from the expression of his face, and vehemence of his
manner, the man was evidently 'getting it,' though she was unable to
hear what was said. The carter, exasperated at this interference, took
up his whip in a threatening way, as if with the intent to strike the
professor. In an instant that well-nerved hand twisted it from the
coarse fist of the man as if it had been a straw, and walking quietly up
to the cart he unfastened its trams, and hurled the whole weight of
coals into the street. The rapidity with which this was done left the
driver of the cart speechless. Meanwhile, poor Rosinante, freed from his
burden, crept slowly away, and the professor, still clutching the whip
in one hand, and leading the horse in the other, proceeded through Moray
Place to deposit the wretched animal in better keeping than that of his
driver." Another of his "interferences" occurred during vacation time,
in the south of Scotland, when the professor had exchanged the gown for
the old "sporting jacket." "On his return to Edinburgh, he was obliged
to pass through Hawick, where, on his arrival, finding it to be
fair-day, he readily availed himself of the opportunity to witness the
amusements going on. These happened to include a 'little mill' between
two members of the local 'fancy.' His interest in pugilism attracted him
to the spot, where he soon discovered something very wrong, and a degree
of injustice being perpetrated which he could not stand. It was the work
of a moment to espouse the weaker side, a proceeding which naturally
drew down upon him the hostility of the opposite party. This result was
to him, however, of little consequence. There was nothing for it but to
beat or be beaten. He was soon 'in position;' and, before his unknown
adversary well knew what was coming, the skilled fist of the professor
had planted such a 'facer' as did not require repetition. Another
'round' was not called for; and leaving the discomfited champion to
recover at his leisure, the professor walked coolly away to take his
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account