manifested in the foundation of early charitable and educational movements, established him as true and loyal to the colony in which he lived and laboured so long. a Welshman, in some measure addicted to stimulants, was the most skilful surgeon and queerest fellow of his time. In Chirurgery he reputedly outstripped his contemporaries, and it is undeniable that he could hold his o w n in competition with any of the Victorian surgeons of to-day. A s a general medical adviser he secured m u c h confidence, and, in cases of a critical nature, where a consultation was deemed advisable, he was usually named by other practitioners. There was a waywardness of disposition about him outside his practice, unaccountable upon any other theory than that his system was charged with frequently intermittent gushes of humorous impulse—gases, which if not vented in what would seem little short of absurd prankishness, would end in spontaneous explosion. Like others of his brethren, he was a frequenter of the Melbourne Club, then the focus of every nocturnal kill-time that could be conceived, yet not satisfied with the co-enjoyments provided. he organized amusements on his o w n account, not very original, but they pleased him all the same. H e would, single-handed, operate on door-knockers and bell-pulls, whilst- a by-play of his was, by the aid of the powers of-darkness, to affix to the door or window of the residence of some other medico, a board or large placard, painted or daubed with the significant indication—"Mangling done here." Once he played a trick upon Mr. Edward AVilson, of The Argus, and though there was not much in it, it occasioned an immense quantity of cachinnation. Late one evening, T h o m a s had conveyed to an undertaker in Queen Street, an intimation that Wilson had unexpectedly departed this life in the course of the day, and for reasons needless to specify, he was to be buried at an early hour the next morning, when a coffin, hearse and mourning coaches were to be in waiting. T h e m a n of funerals should not have been easily gulled by so clumsy a ruse, yet he swallowed the order unsuspectingly, and was up to time with all his gloomy pharaphernalia. T h e vehicles paraded through Collins Street, and halting opposite The Argus office, one of the " gentlemen in black" entered, and politely intimated the purpose of his mission, but he had no sooner done so than he was astounded by the appearance on the scene of the living individual of whose corpus he was in quest. Wilson did not at all relish the notion of a premature interment, and cut up rather roughly in the beginning, but the joke quickly told on him, and readily entering into the spirit, he heartily joined in the general laugh, which was all the remuneration accorded to the undertaker for the expense and trouble incurred. It was said that T h o m a s was considerate enough to pay for the bespoke coffin, but whether he did or not, it was doubtless utilized tofitsomeone else. U p o n another occasion, after the doctor had dined, he indulged in a solitary pedestrian trip through the city. Cabs were then beginning to put in an appearance on the streets, and the wayfarer, either actually or seemingly inebriated, staggered up' to a newly-installed cabby, when something like the following brief dialogue ensued :—
DR. DAVID JOHN THOMAS,
Doctor: Cabby : Doctor: Cabby :
" I say, m y good fellow, do you know Dr. T h o m a s ? " " N o Sir." "Well then, do you know Dr. Wilkie?" " N o sir."
Doctor: " W h a t ; do you really mean to say you do not know either of those two fellows ? I fancied every stone and tree stump in Melbourne was acquainted with their personal appearance. By Jove, you must be a new chum, and no mistake." Cabby: "Just so, your Honour; I only landed in Melbourne last week." Doctor: "Well, then, look you here, I a m Dr. Wilkie, and I have 'grogged' so much that, as you see, I a m hardly able to stand. In this condition I a m not game to face h o m e to-night, so I shall sleep at Dr. Thomas's, and I want you to drive m e to his house in Bourke Street. I will show you the place. At two o'clock to-morrow you will call at Dr. Wilkie's, in Swanston Street, when I will pay you double fare. D o you understand?" Cabby : " Aye, aye, Sir. Right you are. Here, let m e help you into the trap, and we'll be at Dr. Thomas's in quick sticks."
