240 THE DOCTOR AND HIS WIFE 



foundly learned in the profession ; still I became, to some 

 extent, indoctrinated with its mysteries. I did not like it ; 

 and when the necessity for some active employment came 

 looming up in the distance, I chose a different calling, and 

 at six-and-twenty, commenced the study of my present pro- 

 fession. This did not occur until after I had been married 

 some three years. I lived in the country then, or rather, sum- 

 mered there, in a beautiful little village in the interior of the 

 State, in a pleasant, old-fashioned house, which my father 

 built, and which, as I was his only heir, I supposed of course 

 I owned. Some half a dozen miles from the village was a 

 fine trout stream, to which my wife and myself used occa- 

 sionally to go on a fishing excursion. On such occasions 

 we went on horseback, as the road was somewhat rough, 

 and my wife was as much at home in the saddle as I was. 

 This, I repeat, was a good while %go, and we were both a 

 score of years younger than we are now. Well, I started 

 out alone one day to visit this trout stream, anticipating a 

 good time with its speckled, and usually greedy inhabitants. 

 I say I was alone, and yet there was with me, all the way, 

 and all the iime, one who can talk, reason, philosophise, un- 

 derstand things as well as you or I ; and one, to all 

 appearance, as much and distinctly human as you or I." 



" Impossible !" exclaimed Smith, " we can't go that, Doc- 

 tor. I can't stand my quarter of that." 



"Foolish man !" continued the Doctor ; "I say I was 

 alone ; let me demonstrate my proposition. BLACKSTONE says, 

 and what he says every lawyer will concede is the end of the 



