short time since, I had a very sore stomach. It got out
of order, I think, in consequence of eating too much. I
broke off, went a day without nothing to eat; eat less now,
and feel well. When Mrs. ---- was here, she told me she
thought I might eat all I craved. I did so, and suffered the
consequences, though I cured myself.

"There is a place here in the woods where raspberries are so
thick that people get six quarts at a time. Apples are
nearly ripe. Pears will soon succeed them.

"Yours truly,

"SAMUEL."

Two weeks later than the above,--a little more than six months after the
discontinuance of the epileptic attacks,--I received a letter from
Samuel's guardian, in which he wrote as follows:

"We have continued the same course of diet as at your house;
in short, have carried out your views perfectly as possible.
Notwithstanding all this, he (Samuel) has lost flesh and
strength; and, for the last few weeks, has fallen off
greatly, in mental and physical vigor. He has run down in
flesh to eighty pounds, is pale as this paper, coughs
considerably, especially at night, yet does not expectorate
very much. He had a spell of spitting blood, some five or
six weeks ago, raised perhaps a gill. I do not think that it
debilitated him very much at the time."

Not far from this time Samuel was taken from the farm, and subjected to
various changes in his habits, which were unauthorized, and which
probably proved injurious. He took a large amount of cream,--an article
which had not before been allowed him,--also a little fresh meat at his
dinners. Instead of going without his breakfast, as before, he now
appears to have taken breakfast; and in some instances, at least, to
have used not only large quantities of cream at this early hour, but
animal food likewise. There was a strong and increasing belief among his
friends, that his food was not sufficiently nutritious, and that he was
suffering for want of materials for blood; whereas the error lay in the
other direction. His stomach and other digestive organs were overloaded
and depressed by the large amount of nutriment he had for some time
received. But more on this hereafter.

He now appeared to be falling into what is called a galloping
consumption, of which he died a few weeks afterward. There should have
been a post mortem examination; but, from various causes, it was n