ys, as sure as I
live."

My frank statement with regard to my finances seemed to attract the
attention of the merchant who laughed and said:

"Well, who are you, anyhow? Where do you live?"

I told him that I was Doctor Blank; that I lived in Rensselaer county
on a small place of my own; I raised fruit and vegetables for market; I
cured cancers, dropsy, and other diseases when I could; sold medicines
readily almost where I would; and was in Albany once or twice a week.

"Measure and cut off the carpet," said he to the clerk who was following
us, "and put it in the Doctor's wagon"

The bill was about a hundred dollars, and I drove home with the carpet.
It was nearly six weeks afterwards when I went into the store again, and
greeted the proprietor. He had seen me but once before and had totally
forgotten me. I told him I was Doctor Blank, small farmer and large
medical practitioner of Rensselaer County.

"The devil you are! Why, you're the man that bought a carpet of me a few
weeks ago; I was wondering what had become of you."

"I'm the man, and I must tell you that the carpet doesn't look well;
but never mind--here's a hundred dollars, and I want you to receipt the
bill."

"Now," said I, when he returned the bill to me receipted, "the carpet
looks firstrate; I never saw a handsomer one in my life."

"Well, you are an odd chap, any how," said the carpet-dealer, laughing,
and shaking me by the hand. Almost from that moment we were more than
mere acquaintances, we were fast friends. In the course of the long
conversation that followed, I told him of my trouble with the hardware
man--how I had sold him the recipe; that he had failed, from ignorance
to conduct the business properly, and had sued me for damages.

"I know the man," said my new friend; "let him go ahead and sue and
be benefited, if he can; meanwhile, do you keep easy; I'll stand by
you."

And stand by me he did through thick and thin. The hardware man sued me
no less than nineteen times, and for pretty much everything--damages,
debt, breach of contract, and what not. With the assistance of a
lawyer whom my friend recommended to me, I beat my opponent in eighteen
successive suits; but as fast as one suit was decided he brought
another, almost before I could get out of the court room. At last he
carried the case to the Supreme Court, and from there it went to a
referee. The matter from beginning to end, must have cost him a mint
of money; but he went