A curious story is told, and vouched for, respecting the manner in which
Dr. and Rev. Thomas Dawson obtained a rich and pious wife. This gentleman
combined the two professions of preacher and doctor. If, during divine
services, he was called upon to prescribe for an invalid, he wound up his
sermon, requested his audience to pray for the sick, and repaired
forthwith to administer to the body. I presume the congregation to whom
the reasonable request was made did not take it in the same light as did
an "M. D." of whom we heard, who made a point to be called out of church
every Sabbath.
Once the minister, who had a bit of humor in his manner, stopped on a
certain occasion in his "thirdly," and said, "Dr. B. is wanted to attend
upon Mr. ----, and may the Lord have mercy upon him."
The doctor was so enraged at this "insinuation" that he called upon the
parson, and demanded an "apology to the congregation, before whom he felt
he had been grossly slandered."
The parson agreed to this proposal, and in the afternoon he arose and
said,--
"As Dr. B. feels aggrieved at my remark of this morning, and demands an
apology, I hereby offer the same; and as that was the first case, I trust
it may be the last in which I am ever called upon in his behalf to
supplicate divine intervention."
But to return to Dr. Dawson. Amongst his patients was a Miss Mary Corbett,
said to be one of the wealthiest and most pious of his flock, whom, on his
calling upon her one day, he found bending in reverence over the Bible.
The doctor approached, and as she raised her eyes to his she held her
finger upon the passage which occupied her immediate attention. The doctor
bent down and read the words at which her finger pointed--"Thou art the
man."
The doctor was not slow to take the hint. Thus he obtained a pious wife,
she a devout husband.--_See "Book About Doctors."_
A great deal has been reported respecting the "off-hand" manner in which
Abernethy "popped the question" to Miss Anne Threlfall. The fact of the
case is given by Dr. Macilwain. The lady was visiting at a place where the
doctor was attending a patient--of all places the best to learn the true
merits of a lady. He was at once interested in her, and ere long there
seemed a tacit understanding between them. "The doctor was shy and
sensitive; which was the real Rubicon he felt a difficulty in passing; and
this was the method he adopted: he wrote her a brief note, pleading
professional occupation, etc., and requesting the lady to take a
fortnight in which to consider her reply." From these facts a great
falsehood has oft been repeated how he "couldn't afford time to make
love," etc., and that she must decide to marry him in a week, or not at
all.
He was married to her January 9, 1800, and attended lectures the same day.
[Illustration: "POPPING THE QUESTION."]
"Many years after, I met him coming out of the hospital, and said,--
"'You are looking very gay to-day, sir.'
"'Yes,' he replied, looking at his white vest and smart attire, 'one of
the girls was married this morning.'
"'Indeed, sir? You should have given yourself a holiday on such an
occasion, and not come down to lecture.'
"'Nay,' he replied, 'egad, I came down to lecture the same day I was
married myself.'"--_Memoirs of Abernethy._
[Illustration]