CHAP. IX.] A Severe Interrogator. 153 
Among his better-class visitors was a gentleman who fre- 
quently came in as he passed, and carefully examined the 
specimens. He sometimes gave Edward half a crown, and 
would not take any change back. The gentleman was an 
inveterate and persistent interrogator. His questions were 
usually of a personal character. But Edward had by this 
time prepared a bag of forgetfulness, into which he put all 
the disagreeable things that were said to him; and, once 
there, he remembered them no more. Edward believed 
that his visitor belonged to the medical profession, and 
that he was connected with a neighboring dispensary.* 
One day the visitor arrived, and, without looking at the 
specimens, he went directly up to Edward, and asked, “ Well, 
how are you getting on?’ ‘“ Very poorly,” was the answer. 
“And no wonder!” said the visitor. “How?’ “How!” 
he almost shouted, ‘‘ because the people here don’t believe 
in such a thing. I am sure of it, from what I know and 
have heard myself.” 
“ But if they would only come!” 
“Come? that’s the very thing. It seems they'll not 
come. And although they did, what satisfactory evidence 
is there that what they see is the result of your own unaid- 
ed and individual labor? You are quite a stranger here. 
You should have had some persons of high standing in the 
city to take you under their patronage—say the professors 
of both colleges, or the provost and town-council. Ob! 
you needn’t shake your head and look at the floor. It 
would have been much better.” 
“T never considered myself in a position,” said wand, 
“to ask such a favor.” 
“Then you'll not succeed here unless you do something 
of the sort.” 
“In that case, then,” said Edward, “Til be plain enough 
to tell you that I never will succeed.” 
* Tt was afterward found that the visitor was Dr. Cadenhead, one of 
the principal physicians and oculists of the city. 
a 
