"That was just what my system wanted." Yet, if he felt, for a little while, better as regarded his bodily sensations, the act did not leave him more comfortable in mind.

His instinctive consciousness of having done wrong in yielding to the desire for brandy, troubled him.
"I shall have to break up this habit entirely," he remarked to himself during the morning, as his thought returned, again and again, to the subject.

"I don't believe I'm in any particular danger; but, then, it troubles Mary; and I can't bear to see her troubled." While he thus communed with himself, his friend Ellis dropped in.
"I meant to have called earlier," said Ellis, "to ask about your sick child, but was prevented by a customer.

She is better, I hope ?" "Oh, yes, much better, thank you." "What was the matter ?" inquired Ellis.
"She is teething, and was thrown into convulsions." "Ah! yes.

Well, I never was so startled in my life as by the appearance of Mrs.Wilkinson.And the child is better ?" "When I came away this morning, I left her sleeping calmly and sweetly; and, what is more, the points of two teeth had made their way through the red and swollen gums." "All right, then.