Doctor Goldsmith

by James Baldwin

　　

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There was once a kind man whose name was Oliver Gold-smith. He wrotemany de-light-ful books, some of which you will read when you areolder.He had a gentle heart. He was always ready to help others and to sharewith them anything that he had. He gave away so much to the poor thathe was always poor himself.He was some-times called Doctor Goldsmith; for he had studied to be aphy-si-cian.One day a poor woman asked Doctor Goldsmith to go and see her husband,who was sick and could not eat.Goldsmith did so. He found that the family was in great need. The manhad not had work for a long time. He was not sick, but in distress;and, as for eating, there was no food in the house."Call at my room this evening," said Goldsmith to the woman, "and Iwill give you some med-i-cine for your husband."In the evening the woman called. Goldsmith gave her a little paper boxthat was very heavy."Here is the med-i-cine," he said. "Use it faith-ful-ly, and I thinkit will do your husband a great deal of good. But don't open the boxuntil you reach home.""What are the di-rec-tions for taking it?" asked the woman."You will find them inside of the box," he answered.When the woman reached her home, she sat down by her husband's side,and they opened the box; What do you think they found in it?It was full of pieces of money. And on the top were thedi-rec-tions:--"TO BE TAKEN AS OFTEN AS NE-CES-SI-TY REQUIRES."Goldsmith had given them all the ready money that he had.

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