4 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



with flocks and herds, but I did not expect to real- 

 ize my visions until I came on earth a second time. 



I would never have given up my profession 

 voluntarily ; but when it gave me up, I had 

 to accept the dismissal, surrender my ambitions, 

 and fall back upon my primary instinct for di- 

 version and happiness. The dismissal came with- 

 out warning, like the fall of a tree when no wind 

 shakes the forest, but it was imperative and per- 

 emptory. The doctors (and they were among 

 the best in the land) said, " No more of this kind 

 of work for years," and I had to accept their 

 verdict, though I knew that " for years " meant 

 forever. 



My disappointment lasted longer than the acute 

 attack ; but, thanks to the cheerful spirit of my 

 wife, by early summer of that year I was able 

 to face the situation with courage that grew as 

 strength increased. Fortunately we were well 

 to do, and the loss of professional income was 

 not a serious matter. We were not rich as 

 wealth is counted nowadays ; but we were more 

 than comfortable for ourselves and our children, 

 though I should never earn another dollar. This 

 is not the common state of the physician, who 

 gives more and gets less than most other men ; 

 it was simply a happy combination of circum- 

 stances. Polly was a small heiress when we 

 married ; I had some money from my maternal 

 grandfather; our income was larger than our 

 necessities, and our investments had been fortu- 



