OR, WITH BRAINS, SIR. 320 



" As far as I can discover," remarked Mrs. Jones, " they 

 got all their ideas from books." 



" Oh ! no, not all. If we had followed the books alone, 

 and not used common sense and some out-door practice, 

 we should have failed miserably." 



" And yet," said the doctor, " without book I fancy you 

 would have accomplished but little. It was evidently 

 books, brains, and " 



" Yes ; books, labor, and brains carried you through." 



"Their case," said Mrs. Jones, "reminds me of Sir 

 Joshua Reynolds' apt reply when asked what he mixed his 

 colors with : c With brains, sir.' " 



" You flatter us, Mistress Comfort." 



" Comfort ! What a pretty name ! " 



" Come, Julia, don't run off on a side-track. Let us stick 

 to the turnips and lettuce. Now Nelson, we are ready to 

 hear more. It is wonderfully interesting, as good as a 

 novel." 



" Better than most novels," remarked Comfort ; " for it is 

 all real." 



"Yes," said I, coming to the defence of the doctor's wife. 

 " Comfort is a nice name, and becomes the wearer, for she is 

 a dear, comfortable body as ever you met." 



"Please, Mr. Nelson, give us more lettuce and some cu- 

 cumbers. I need something cool after that." 



