of striking them with sticks, but that to him the practice of sticking spikes of metal into the flesh of dumb animals, that were willing and could be trained to do their utmost for man, appeared, to say the least of it, senseless and cruel.
“However,” he went on, “I suppose that you are getting tired, so I shall leave you to Vandalia. Charming young lady that, eh! Just the kind of girl I should like to nurse me if I were sick. Pity your friend from Atazatlan was allowed to see you! I was away at the time, otherwise she would have been spared the trial of seeing you at a disadvantage; however, she will be glad to hear of your prospects of recovery. Ah! your food; what about your food? Why, you have not yet tasted the last that was sent in! You have no teeth! Well, in the meantime you must do the best you can without them, and live somehow. Terrible fever, that, to have left you so bare! Never knew any one to have it so bad before; something peculiar in the system. Might benefit by it in the end. What did you say? Is it common in Neuroomia? No! Almost unknown here. Now for your medicine. Here! swallow this. That’s right,—head a little this way. Be still. Don’t disturb yourself. Will look in again.” And the doctor was gone.
