"'What's the matter with you?' he growled.
"'O Mr. Huxter!' she said, clasping her hands, 'I knew that drinking would be the ruin of you.'
"'Then you're a fool,' he said. 'Drinking a little now and then don't do me any harm; but you're a woman, and have no more sense than a kitten.'
"'You don't believe me, look at your nose,' said his wife.
"'What's the matter with my nose?' asked old Huxter, a little surprised.
"'Look at it, and you won't be surprised at my words.'
"With that Huxter did look, and when he saw his nose glaring red, he was pretty well frightened, I can tell you. He had no more suspicion than his wife that any one had been playing a trick upon him, and he was afraid that his nose would always be so. He got frightened and went to bed, and then asked his wife to go for the doctor."
"Did the doctor tell him how it was?"
"No; he thought it would do him no harm to be frightened a little; so he lectured him about his habits, but told him that he thought he could cure him this time by using a warm lotion. It was nothing but warm water, with something put in to stain the water and make him think it was something else; but Huxter did not know that, and was very grateful to the doctor for relieving him.
"The fright had such an effect upon him that he didn't drink anything for a whole week. Then he began again, and got bolder by degrees, till now he's as bad as ever."