AN OSLER ANECDOTE

摘要

Osler was once called from Baltimore to see one of his students ill with typhoid fever. He found his wav to a planter's house in Virginia. It was an old derelict shadow of its former splendour, with broken shutters and gates off their hinges. The grandfather (for the boy was an orphan) turned every convertible thing into drink. After seeing the lad Osler had to wait all day for the night train back to Baltimore. So he found his way to the library and browsed aroun(d the shelves. Presently the granddaughter, a charming intelligent girl of eighteen, came in and said: "If you're interested in old books, we've got some much older than these in the attics." There he found stuffed into barrels priceless first editions including Bvron, Shelley, and Keat's (Endymion and Lamia "in blue wrapers"). The volumes comprised practically the whole early history of the house of John Murray. These were the yearly consignments of books which wealthy planters were wont to order from England. Osler told the girl of their great wealth. She, with tears in her eyes, begged him to say nothing to the grandfather, as he would sell them for drink. Eventually, through Osler's good offices, Putman's bought the books at so fair a price that the old home was restored and the family fortunes comfortably re-established.