. Such kindness, and especially such
paternal care, never fail to make their impression.

"Love, and love only, is the loan for love."

At this early sympathizing period, had I been more faithful, I might,
perhaps, have saved her. But I was remiss--disposed to delay. I waited,
a thousand times, for a better opportunity. I waited till the favorable
moment--ay, the _only_ moment--had passed by.

Physicians often err here. God gives to many individuals the most
unbounded confidence in medical men; and this remarkable provision of
his has a deep meaning. It is not, however, to the intent that they
should abuse the influence thus secured to them, by filling their
patients' stomachs with pills and powders; but for such purposes,
rather, as have been indicated by the general tenor of the foregoing
remarks. It is that they may give them wise paternal counsel and sound
physiological and pathological instruction.

Such counsel and such instruction were indeed given to Miss L., but not
to that extent which the nature of the case required, and which a little
more moral courage and Christian plainness would have secured. She was
worth saving, and I might, perchance, have been the honored instrument
of saving her, and of thus rendering to society a most valuable service.
That vital energy of hers which was expended in watching over her own
internal feelings, might have been rendered a much more profitable
investment.

But the account is closed and sealed, to be agitated or questioned no
more till the inquisitions of the last day. Let such considerations and
reflections as this remark suggests to the human mind have their
intended effect. Let us ever increase our zeal and watchfulness, that we
may avoid such a course of conduct as makes confessions meet, or
needful, or even salutary.

CHAPTER LXIII.

A GIANT DYSPEPTIC.

There have been giants in the earth, in nearly every age, if not in
every clime--giants mentally, and giants physically. Of course they may
have been rare exhibitions, and may thus have elicited much attention;
and some of them have attained to quite a memorable place in history.

There have been and still are, on the earth, giants of other
descriptions. We sometimes even meet with giant dyspeptics. Dyspepsia,
at best, is formidable, many-headed, but not always gigantic. If
gigantic size, in this case, were the general rule, what we now call
giants would, of course, cease to be regarded as such.