n by a crowd assembled in an adjoining store. It was a
rainy day, and the crowd would doubtless be much larger than usual. Now
my love of approbation was excessive; so great as at times to defeat
entirely its object. So in truth, it proved on the present occasion.

When I was ready to go forth on my journey, I mounted my horse and
attempted to place my right foot in the stirrup. At this critical
instant the gaping multitude in the grocery, presented themselves in
quite a formidable column at the door to see the young doctor on his new
horse. Their appearance threw my mind off its balance to an extent that
prevented me from well-balancing my body, and with every possible
exertion I could not get my feet firmly fixed in the stirrups. To add to
my trouble, my horse was in haste and trotted off high and hard before I
could muster presence of mind enough to check him. I rolled this way and
that, till at length, down I came headlong. My hat went one way, and my
whip another. A great shout was at once raised by the spectators, but
being cured by this time, of my excessive diffidence, and not at all
hurt, I could soon join in the laugh with the rest. I could most
heartily adopt my old maxim, "It is an ill wind that blows nobody any
good;" and I had learned by my fall at least, one thing, at least for
the moment; viz., my excessive regard to human approbation.
Thenceforward, I rode as I pleased.

But before I enter upon the details and particular confessions of my
professional career, it is needful that I should say something of those
changes which were made about this time in my physical habits, by means
of which I gained at least a temporary victory over my great enemy, the
consumption. For it must not be supposed that because I could sit on a
horse and ride six, eight, ten, or twelve miles a day, or work in the
field or garden half the day, I was out of danger. I had, indeed, gained
important victories, but there remained very much land yet to be
possessed.

Of my abandonment of all medicine, I have already told you. But I had
also greatly changed my dietetic habits. During my excursion of the
fifth of July, and subsequently, I had lived almost wholly on what might
have been denominated the starvation system. The case was this: I
started with less than five dollars in my pocket, and with too much
pride to borrow more. That my money might hold out, therefore, though I
took care to secure a good, clean bed by nights, even at