"On my arrival on the steamer Penobscot at Boston, the lady met me, and, according to arrangement, took me to see 'her physician.' His office was on Chambers Street, left side, a few doors from Cambridge Street, Boston. The doctor was an elderly, pompous individual, who wore gold spectacles, an immense fob chain, and chewed Burgundy pitch. Let this suffice for his description. Poor man! for if his own theology is true, he has gone where Burgundy pitch will be very likely to melt. Excuse this passing tribute to his memory, my dear reader. "Notwithstanding my friend's lavish praise of her doctor, the first sight of him failed to inspire me with confidence. I was introduced, and the doctor swelled up with his own importance, and said, impressively,-- "Those physicians--amiable men, no doubt--who have treated your case-ah have been all wrong in their diagnosis-ah." This was his prelude, as he counted my pulse by a large gold watch, which he held conspicuously before me. "Your kind friend and benefactress has saved your life-ah, by conducting you to me before too late-ah." He stopped to watch the effect of this bid for a high fee before proceeding. "Ah, sir, had you but come to me first-ah, you would now be rejoicing in perfect health-ah; whereas you have narrowly escaped death and eternal torments-ah." He again took breath, looking very solemn. "But, sir, I never heard of you before this lady wrote to me," I said. "True-ah. I do not advertise myself. The veriest quack may advertise-ah. Your case is very dangerous. _Hepatitis, cum nephritis_-ah," he soliloquized, shaking his head very wisely, while my friend nodded, as if to say, "There! I told you so. He knows all about it." "Yes, very dangerous-ah. But take my medicines; my pills--hepatica-lobus, and my neuropathicum-ah, and they will restore you to health and happiness-ah, in a few weeks-ah;" and he rubbed his palms complacently, as if in anticipation of a good fat fee for his prescription. "Will they cure this?" I asked, turning my head, and placing a finger upon a tumor on the right hand side of my neck. "O-ah, let me see." And so saying, he took a brief survey of the protuberance, and coolly remarked that it was of no material importance. As that was, to my mind, of great consequence, I was dumbfounded by his indifference to its importance. Selecting a box of pills, and a vial of transparent liquid, the doctor presented them to me with a flourish, saying, in his blandest manner,-- "All there; directions inside-ah; ten dollars-ah." "What!" And I arose in astonishment, gazing alternately at the doctor and my friend, but could not utter another word. I was but a country greenhorn, you know, and quite unused to city prices. My friend took the doctor aside, when, after a moment's conversation between them, he returned, and said that "in consideration of the recommendation of the lady, he would take but five dollars-ah." I paid the bill, and, quite disgusted, took my departure.