The Gouty Shoe
JAMES SMITH used to tell, with great glee, a story showing the general
conviction of his dislike to ruralities. He was sitting in the library
at a country-house, when a gentleman proposed a quiet stroll in the
pleasure-grounds:--
Stroll! why, don't you see my gouty shoe?
Yes, I see that plain enough, and I wish I'd brought one too; but they
are all out now.
Well, and what then?
What then? why, my dear fellow, you don't mean to say that you have
really got the gout? I thought you had only put on that shoe to get off
being shown over the improvements.