of them, been centred upon this uncouth little
animal. She left, quite broken down, in her carriage, and it was only
after her departure that I saw an envelope sealed with a large red
seal, and lying upon the blotting pad of my desk. Outside, in pencil,
was written: 'I have no doubt that you would willingly have done this
without a fee, but I insist upon your acceptance of the enclosed.' I
opened it with some vague notions of an eccentric millionaire and a
fifty-pound note, but all I found was a postal order for four and
sixpence. The whole incident struck me as so whimsical that I laughed
until I was tired. You'll find there's so much tragedy in a doctor's
life, my boy, that he would not be able to stand it if it were not for
the strain of comedy which comes every now and then to leaven it.

"And a doctor has very much to be thankful for also. Don't you ever
forget it. It is such a pleasure to do a little good that a man should
pay for the privilege instead of being paid for it. Still, of course,
he has his home to keep up and his wife and children to support. But
his patients are his friends--or they should be so. He goes from house
to house, and his step and his voice are loved and welcomed in each.
What could a man ask for more than that? And besides, he is forced to
be a good man. It is impossible for him to be anything else. How can
a man spend his whole life in seeing suffering bravely borne and yet
remain a hard or a vicious man? It is a noble, generous, kindly
profession, and you youngsters have got to see that it remains so."

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