he Lake Village tailor from whom I had borrowed the
overcoat which I had even then on my back. I was about to thank him for
his kindness to me when he took me aside and said reproachfully:

"Doctor, you wore away my overcoat and this is it, I think."

"Good heavens! didn't John Blaisdell pay you for the coat? He told me he
would; its little enough out of what he owes me."

"He never said a word to me about it," was the reply. I told the tailor
the circumstances; I did not like to let him to know that I had then
about seven hundred dollars in my pocket; I wished to appear poor
as long as there was a chance to collect any of my Meredith and Lake
Village bills; so I offered him three dollars to take back the coat. He
willingly consented and that was the last of the "Blossom" business with
the Blaisdells.

I was bound not to leave this part of the country without revisiting
Windsor, and I went there, stopping at the best house in the town, and,
I fear, "putting on airs" a little. I had suffered so much in this
place that I wanted to see if there was any enjoyment to be had there.
Satisfaction there was, certainly--the satisfaction one feels in going
back under the most favorable circumstances, to a spot where he has
endured the very depths of misery. After a good dinner I set out to
visit the prison. Here was the very spot in the street where, only a few
months before, I, a ragged beggar, had divided my mere morsel of money
with the poor woman from Rutland. What change in my circumstances those
few months had wrought. I had recovered my health which bad food, ill
usage, and imprisonment had broken down, and was in the best physical
condition. The warden's old coat and pantaloons had been exchanged for
the finest clothes that money would buy. I had a good gold watch and
several hundred dollars in my pocket. I had seen many of my old friends,
and knew that they were still my friends, and I was fully restored to
my old position. My three years' imprisonment was only a blank in my
existence; I had begun life again and afresh, precisely where I left off
before I fell into the hands of the two Vermont milliners.

All this was very pleasant to reflect upon; but do not believe I thought
even then, that the reason for this change in my circumstances, and
changes for the better, was simply because I had minded my business and
had let women alone.

When I called on Warden Harlow, and courteously asked to be shown about
the priso