Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. I.djvu/178

 am I feeling pretty well. You are doing now what so many others do; you say I must have rest, and yet you at the same time compel me to go into company!” It was of no use. I could not gainsay my physician; go I must, and that to a party, given by one of the most elegant ladies of Boston, at about twelve o'clock at night. It was too much! And that is the way they kill strangers in this country. They have no mercy on the poor lion, who must make a show and whisk his tail about as long as there is any life left in him. One must really be downright obstinate and stern, if one would be at peace here. And I feel as if I should become so. It is said that Spurzheim was regularly killed with kindness by the Bostonians.

But to return to my evening. That nervous depression again returned and I passed two distressing hours, and envied the Indians and all free people who lived in the open, wild woods. When again at home, I was seized by the dread of one of my sleepless nights, and of the wretched day which was certain to succeed it, when life would seem to be the heaviest of burdens although I might not be otherwise ill. When therefore I now felt my hands burning as in fever, I recollected some homœopathic globules which my friend Downing, who is himself a homœopathist, had given me when I was very much excited, and which had calmed me wonderfully. Of these I took a few, and—I slept better that night than I had done for many weeks. As early therefore as possible the following day I went out among my acquaintance in Boston, inquiring after a homœopathic physician. A kind, handsome, elderly lady, Mrs. C. (the mother of three tall sons), promised to send her physician to me. Accordingly when, about noon, having returned from a walk, I entered my sitting-room, I beheld there a tall old gentleman with a pale and strongly marked countenance, high forehead, bald temples,