THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBES 3 



is the pleasantest item of family history, one upon 

 which we lay the greatest stress in speaking of 

 the departed glories of the family. 



Now had I been able to indulge my strong de- 

 sire to live the life of a farmer, I have no hesita- 

 tion, in view of my recent experience, in saying 

 that I would have made the worst specimen of 

 an agriculturalist the world has ever seen, and 

 so perhaps my venerable father wrought better 

 than he knew when he indicated in his convinc- 

 ing manner the road which I was to travel. True 

 enough, I might have made a greater success as 

 a musician, a sign-painter, or a seller of patent 

 medicines, but I stuck to the law. 



It is a very curious fact that, although I had 

 in common with the rest of my family a decided 

 objection to hard work and drudgery of any kind, 

 and although office-work came terribly hard to 

 a boy who had spent his early years in the open 

 air, yet after a time the regular hours, the in- 

 teresting nature of my business, and the acquaint- 

 ance with all kinds of people began to exercise 

 a fascination over me that resulted perhaps in 

 too great attention to business affairs, and the 

 observance of too long hours in my office. 



In consequence of this, and in direct violation 

 of all traditions of my family, I became some- 

 what used up from over-work, and consulted a 

 physician, who, with strange and terrifying in- 



