wn country: he also told my father that he should
send one of his clerks to accompany them and see that they _did_ go
there.

On our way home we called on Dr. Newcastle, our old friend and
physician, and after describing the circumstances of the Mortera family,
asked him to call and see Celestino in the evening. The doctor was a
fine-looking man, with a profusion of silvery white hair and beard, a
deep thinker, blunt and sincere of speech, and full of dry wit that made
every one laugh but himself. His footman (a colored man) was once
overheard to say, "Berry strange man, my massa! berry sing'lar man! I
say to him, 'I can't walk fast in dese yere boots, sar--dey's too
short.' 'Oh,' he says, ''tis but the cutting off a piece of your toes,
Caesar, and de boots will fit well enuff.' Him berry sing'lar man. One
day I hear, through de open window of a lady's house, him say to her,
'For what did you send after me, madam?' and she say, 'I feel a leetle
'stericky again dis morning, doctor: what can you pescribe for me?'
'Pescribe!' says my massa with a sort of short laugh: 'why, dat you go
to de top of de house wid a brush and dustpan and sweep de stairs all de
way down, and make all de beds, and leave off drinking strong coffee;'
and a berry fashionable lady too, as dey tell me after. When de doctor
get into him carriage he talk to himself, and give him short laugh."

After an introduction to Signora Mortera, the doctor turned his
attention to Celestino, who lay on the sofa pale and agitated: "Bless my
heart! what a handsome lad! what splendid eyes! Ah! hm! hm! poor fellow!
hm!" and he cleared his throat. "Let me feel your pulse."

As Celestino turned and gazed on him with mute surprise the doctor
proceeded with his examination in complete silence, and then began
discoursing about the weather and politics.

"But, doctor," said my mother, "you have told us nothing about the boy?
What is your opinion? what shall we do for him? what do you prescribe?"

"Whirr! whirr! how many questions! I prescribe for him a course of early
rising, accompanied by long prayer and fasting. If he shows an
inclination for exercise, give him a rosary. Take away juvenile books,
and give him the _Lives of the Saints and Martyrs_. Let him
remember the days of fasting and abstinence. Why, bless me! the boy is
nothing but heart and brain. He must be kept cheerful and
well-nourished. Let him be in the open air when it is pleasant. I will
prescribe a lit