wyers,
judging on the _ex uno disce omnes_ principle and hastily, you should
remember that all solicitors need not necessarily be rogues because one
of their number has a somewhat evil reputation. Sharpe is rather a
black sheep according to all report; still, my son, in connection with
such rumours we ought to bear in mind the comforting fact that there is
a stratum of good even in the worst dispositions, which can be found by
those who seek diligently for it, and do not merely try to pick out the
bad. Who knows but that Sharpe may have his good points like others?
But, to return to our theme--the vexed question as to which should be
your occupation in life. As you have decided against the church and the
law, giving me your reasons for coming to an adverse conclusion in each
instance, pray, young gentleman, tell me what are your objections to the
medical profession?"

"Oh, father!" I replied laughing, he spoke in so comical a way and with
such a queer twinkle in his eye, "I shouldn't care at all to be only a
poor country surgeon like Doctor Jollop, tramping about day and night
through dirty lanes and sawing off people's sore legs, or else feeling
their pulses and giving them physic; although, I think it would be good
fun, father, wouldn't it, just when some of those stupid folk, who are
always imagining themselves ill wanted to speak about their fancied
ailments, to shut them up by saying, `Show me your tongue,' as Doctor
Jollop bawls out to deaf old Molly the moment she begins to tell him of
her aches and pains? I think he does it on purpose."

Father chuckled.

"Not a bad idea that," said he; "and our friend the doctor must have the
credit of being the first man who ever succeeded in making a woman hold
her tongue, a consummation most devoutly to be wished-for sometimes--
though I don't know what your dear mother would say if she heard me give
utterance to so heretical and ungallant a doctrine in reference to the
sex."

"Why, here is mother now!" I exclaimed, interrupting him in my surprise
at seeing her; it being most unusual for her to leave the house at that
hour in the afternoon, which was generally devoted to Nellie's music
lesson, a task she always superintended. "She's coming up the garden
with a letter in her hand."

"I think I know what that letter contains," said father, not a bit
excited like me; "for, unless I'm much mistaken, it refers to the very
subject about which we've been talking, Allan