I told her this morning that she was looking pale, just by way
of preparing her."

"Mrs. St. Felix, you must excuse me, but you've no right to interfere
with my practice. I prescribe physic when I think it necessary, and Jane
is perfectly well at present, and shall not have any."

"And you've no right to interfere with my household, doctor. If I
choose, I'll physic Jane, and the dog, and the cat, and the kitten,
which I reckon to be the whole of my establishment, all four of them on
the same day. Tell me, doctor, how much ipecacuanha will make a kitten
sick?"

"Mrs. St. Felix, I am not a veterinary surgeon, and therefore cannot
answer."

"Veterinary! Well, I thought they only doctored horses."

"I beg your pardon, their practice extends further, as I can prove to
you. I was once at the establishment of one in London, and I observed in
a large room about a dozen little lap-dogs all tied up with strings. The
poor little unwieldy waddling things were sent to him because they were
asthmatic, and I don't know what all; and how do you think he cured
them?"

"It's for me to ask that question, doctor."

"Well, then, he told me his secret. He tied them all up, and gave them
nothing to eat, only water to drink; and in three weeks they were
returned in as beautiful condition, and as frisky as young kids. Nothing
but diet, Mrs. St. Felix."

"I should rather think it was _no_ diet, doctor. Well, I do declare,
I'll tie up Jane for three weeks, and see if nothing but water will cure
her complaints. Well, Mr. Jack, why don't you take the tobacco to Ben?"

"Oh! he's in at supper now; there's no hurry," replied I; "and I like to
hear you talk."

"Well, there'll be less scandal in your remaining to hear us than there
would be if we sent you away, anyhow. How's little Miss Virginia, sister
to Poor Jack."

"She's quite well, and wants to come and see you, only mother won't let
her."

"Many thanks to your sister for her compliment; and not forgetting your
mother for hers, also. So your mother has given up 'making _lay_ on
reasonable terms'?"

"'Cause people wouldn't come."

"And that is a sufficient reason, even if she had not another; which is,
that she's never out of hot water without boiling more. Doctor, you're
as mute as a fish. You told me how to cure Jane and the dogs, now tell
me what's the dose for a cat and a kitten?"

"A ha'p'orth of liver, cut into small pieces."

"There'll be no difficulty in getting that d