June 1838, and by that time I had become such a
firm believer in the efficacy of Brandreth's Pills, that I hardly
stopped long enough to speak with my family, before I hastened to the
"principal office" of Doctor Brandreth to congratulate him on being the
greatest public benefactor of the age.

I found the doctor "at home," and introduced myself without ceremony. I
told him my experiences. He was delighted. I next heartily indorsed
every word stated in his advertisements. He was not surprised, for he
knew the effects of his pills were such as I described. Still he was
elated in having another witness whose extensive experiments with his
pills were so eminently satisfactory. The doctor and myself were both
happy--he in being able to do so much good to mankind; I in being the
recipient of such untold benefits through his valuable discovery.

At last, the doctor chanced to say that he wondered how I happened to
get his pills in Natchez, "for," said he, "I have no agent there as
yet."

"Oh!" I replied, "I always bought my pills at the drug stores."

"Good Heavens!" exclaimed the doctor, "then they are were all
counterfeits! vile impositions! poisonous compounds! I never sell a pill
to a druggist--I never permit an apothecary to handle one of my pills.
But they counterfeit them by the bushel; the unprincipled, heartless,
murderous impostors!"

I need not say I was surprised. Was it possible, then, that my
imagination had done all this business, and that I had been cured by
poisons which I supposed were Brandreth's Pill? I confess I laughed
heartily; and told the doctor that, after all, it seemed the
counterfeits were as good as the real pills, provided the patient had
sufficient faith.

The doctor was puzzled as well as vexed, but an idea struck him that
soon enabled him to recover his usual equanimity.

"I'll tell you what it is," said he, "those Southern druggists have
undoubtedly obtained the pills from me under false pretences. They have
pretended to be planters, and have purchased pills from me in large
quantities for use on the plantations, and then they have retailed the
pills from their drug-shops."

I laughed at this shrewd suggestion, and remarked: "This may be so, but
I guess my imagination did the business!"

The doctor was uneasy, but he asked me as a favor to bring him one of
the empty pill boxes which I had brought from the South. The next day, I
complied with his request, and I will do the doctor j