172 History of Gutta-Percha Willie,

 

“No, no,” persisted Willie. “The heart you’ve
got to do with zs the man himself. So of course
the doctor’s heart is the nearer to the man.”

Mr Shepherd laughed a low, pleasant laugh.

“You’re quite right, Willie. You’ve got the best
of it. I’m very pleased. But then, Willie, doesn’t
it strike you that after all there might be a closer
way of helping men than the doctor’s way ?”

Again Willie thought a while.

“There would be,” he said, at length, “if you
could give them medicine to make them happy
when they are miserable.”

“Even the doctor can do alittle at that,” returned
Mr Shepherd; “for when in good health people are
much happier than when they-are ill”

“Tf you could give them what would make them
good when they are bad then,” said Willie.

“Ab, there you have it!” rejoined Mr Shep-
herd. “ That zs the very closest way of helping
men.”

. “But nobody can do that—nobody can make a
bad man good—but God,” said Willie.

“Certainly. But He uses medicines; and He
sends people about with them, just like the doctors’
boys you were speaking of. What else am / here
for? I’ve been carrying His medicines about for
a good many years now.”

“Then your work and not my father’s comes
nearest to people to help them after all! My