anite," replied the other.

They arrived at the bakery.

"O Doctor," said Mrs. Reisen, proffering her hand as he entered the
house, "my poor hussband iss crazy!" She dropped into a chair and burst
into tears. She was a large woman, with a round, red face and triple
chin, but with a more intelligent look and a better command of English
than Reisen. "Doctor, I want you to cure him ass quick ass possible."

"Well, madam, of course; but will you do what I say?"

"I will, certain shure. I do it yust like you tellin' me."

The Doctor gave her such good advice as became a courageous physician.

A look of dismay came upon her. Her mouth dropped open. "Oh, no,
Doctor!" She began to shake her head. "I'll never do tha-at; oh, no;
I'll never send my poor hussband to the crazy-house! Oh, no, sir; I'll
do not such a thing!" There was some resentment in her emotion. Her
nether lip went up like a crying babe's, and she breathed through her
nostrils audibly.

"Oh, yes, I know!" said the poor creature, turning her face away from
the Doctor's kind attempts to explain, and lifting it incredulously as
she talked to the wall,--"I know all about it. I'm not a-goin' to put no
sich a disgrace on my poor hussband; no, indeed!" She faced around
suddenly and threw out her hand to Richling, who leaned against a door
twisting a bit of string between his thumbs. "Why, he wouldn't go,
nohow, even if I gave my consents. You caynt coax him out of his room
yet. Oh, no, Doctor! It's my duty to keep him wid me an' try to cure him
first a little while here at home. That aint no trouble to me; I don't
never mind no trouble if I can be any help to my hussband." She
addressed the wall again.

"Well, madam," replied the physician, with unusual tenderness of tone,
and looking at Richling while he spoke, "of course you'll do as you
think best."

"Oh! my poor Reisen!" exclaimed the wife, wringing her hands.

"Yes," said the physician, rising and looking out of the window, "I am
afraid it will be ruin to Reisen."

"No, it won't be such a thing," said Mrs. Reisen, turning this way and
that in her chair as the physician moved from place to place. "Mr.
Richlin',"--turning to him,--"Mr. Richlin' and me kin run the business
yust so good as Reisen." She shifted her distressed gaze back and forth
from Richling to the Doctor. The latter turned to Richling:--

"I'll have to leave this matter to you."

Richling nodded.

"Where is Reisen?" asked the Doctor. "