wont to express it, her mother had begun to dose and drug her as
early as at the age of twelve or fourteen years. And what had been thus
early begun, had been continued till she was twenty-four, when she
married Mr. L. But she was feebler, if possible, at twenty-four, than at
fourteen, and believed herself under the necessity of taking medicine in
order to be able to sit up a part of the day and perform a little
light, but needful, family labor, such as sewing, mending, etc.

When I first had a seat at their family table, it was by no means
uncommon for Mr. and Mrs. L. to begin their meal, as soon as "grace" was
over, with Stoughton's bitters, or some other supposed cordial, or
strengthener of the appetite. As I not only refused to join them, but
occasionally spoke a kind word against the custom into which they had
fallen, the bitters at length fell into disuse; and it was found that
their meals could be digested as well without the stimulus, as with its
aid.

But I was much less successful in preventing the torrent of medicine
from producing its wonted ---- upon this family, at other times and
seasons; for which Mr. L.'s business furnished such facilities. But you
must not think of Mrs. L. as a mere tyro in this business of compounding
medicine, nor in that of administering it, especially to herself. From
the apothecary's shop of her husband, as well as from other sources, she
selected one thing after another, not merely for the time, but for
permanent purposes, till it was almost difficult to say which had the
best assortment, she or her husband. And she not only had it on hand,
but she took it, as freely, almost so, as her food and drink.

More than even this should be affirmed. Had she at any time flagged in
this work of self-destruction, she would have been brought up again to
the line by her mother. For though the latter resided at a considerable
distance, she paid Mrs. L. an occasional visit, and sometimes remained
in the family several weeks. Whenever she did so, little was heard of in
the usual hours of conversation,--especially at the table,--but Sarah's
stomach, Sarah's nerves, and what was good for Sarah. It was enough to
make one _sick at the stomach_, to witness the conversation even for a
single day; and above all to be compelled to join in it.

She was there once, in the early spring, and remained until the ground
was fairly settled. No sooner could she get into the woods, and come to
the naked surfa