OR, WITH BRAINS, SIR. 231 



visit at present, Mr. Nelson. In a few days, I think you 

 may venture out for a walk in the middle of the day. You 

 must not think of returning to your desk for some time. 

 To tell the truth, I have come this afternoon to say that in 

 my opinion you had better never return to your counting- 

 room at all. Nature has now given you one fair warning. 

 This illness, if you read it rightly, is sent to inform you 

 that she objects to your occupation. You must heed her, 

 and give it up." 



" Well, doctor, if I did not know you to be a man of 

 sense and education, I should say you were getting quite 



wild. The thing is impossible. What can I do, if I leave 

 the office?" 

 " That is more than I know ; but I do know that you must 



throw up your business, or shorten your life by about twenty 



years. Your desk will as surely kill you as any other 



slow poison." 

 "You may be right," said my husband, after a pause. 



" I have even thought of this myself at times. But what 



can I do ? Where and how can we live ? " 



"How you can live is more than I can tell. Where is 



plain enough. You must live out of town or die. v Come, 



take my advice, sell out and move into the country." 



" A very pretty idea, doctor ; but in the country I should 



quietly starve. I may as well stagger along as I am for a 



