He was unable to give me much of his time during the
day; for he was one of those valuable men who are paid, not by the year,
month, week, or day, but by the minute. His wife and daughters, however,
made much of me, and introduced me to their friends, who came in shoals
to call upon me.
One of these persons was a lady called Mahaina. Zulora (the elder of my
host's daughters) ran up to her and embraced her as soon as she entered
the room, at the same time inquiring tenderly after her "poor
dipsomania." Mahaina answered that it was just as bad as ever; she was a
perfect martyr to it, and her excellent health was the only thing which
consoled her under her affliction.
Then the other ladies joined in with condolences and the never-failing
suggestions which they had ready for every mental malady. They
recommended their own straightener and disparaged Mahaina's. Mrs.
Nosnibor had a favourite nostrum, but I could catch little of its nature.
I heard the words "full confidence that the desire to drink will cease
when the formula has been repeated * * * this confidence is _everything_
* * * far from undervaluing a thorough determination never to touch
spirits again * * * fail too often * * * formula a _certain cure_ (with
great emphasis) * * * prescribed form * * * full conviction.
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