The doctor then gave Mrs. Davenport some directions in regard to the management of the wounded finger. Having thus fulfilled his professional duty, he branched off to the topics of village news, as was his wont, remarking to Mr. Davenport:
“Friend Walker met with a pretty serious loss last night.”
“What loss? I’ve heard nothing about it,” replied Mr. Davenport.
“Heard nothing about the fire!” exclaimed the doctor, with surprise. “Why, his barn was burned flat last night, with everything in it.”
“Is it possible?” exclaimed Mr. Davenport.
“Yes,” continued the doctor; “and his oxen, and one of his cows, and all of his hogs, were burned to death. Then his barn was full of hay—about twenty tons. It’s quite a sad loss to the old man, and he’s almost crazy about it.”
“O, I am sorry for the old gentleman,” said Mrs. Davenport, with much feeling. “It’s a great loss, at his time of life, and he has seen so much trouble, too.”
“But where were we, that we knew nothing about this before?” inquired Mr. Davenport.
“O, I don’t wonder at that at all,” replied his wife. “You know his house is over a mile from us, and there’s quite a hill between us, so that a fire in his neighborhood wouldn’t show very plain here.”
“How was it with his horse? I suppose he was in the pasture,” said Mr. Davenport.