N
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher,
?XA COUNTY 2'i? REPUBLICAN PARTY.
TWO DOLLARS rEI AH2fT2u, '
VOL. II.
RIDGWAY, PA., THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1872.
NO. 2.
POETIi Y.
' ' At'JTT TABITII V.
DT OLIVER WRSDBLL BOLMEi.
WhaLvor I do and what.v.r I my,. .
Aunt Tabltha Ulli me that Isn't th war i
When she was a girl (forty summon ago)
Aunt Tabltha tolls me they never did so.
Dear annt I If t only would tnko horadvlco I
But I like my own way, and I find It so nice I
And besides I forget half the things I am told ;
But they all will come back to me when I am old.
If a youth passes by, It m iy happen, no doubt,
He may ohanoe to look In as I chance to look out :
She would never endure an Impertinent stare
It 1 horrid, she says, and I mnstn't sit there.
A walk In tho moonlight has pleasure, I own,
But it Isn't qnlte safe to be walking alone ;
Bo I tako a lad's arm Just for safety, you know
' But Aunt Tabltha tolls ma they didn't do so.
flow wicked we are, and how good they were then 1
They kept at arm's length those dotostable men ;
What nn era of virtu, she lived in I But stay
Were the men all such rogues In Aunt Tabitha's day f
If the men were so wicked, 111 ask my papa
How he dared to propose to my darling mamma :
Was he like tho roat of them Ooodneae I Who knows t
And what shall I say If a wretch should propose f
I am thinking If Anut know so little of sin,
What a wonder Annt Tabitha's aunt must have been I
And nor grand-aunt it scarea me how shockingly
sad J .
That we girls of to-day are so frightfully bad I
A martyr will save tin, and nothing else can ;
Let mo porish to rcscuo some wretched young man I
Though when to the altar a victim I go.
Aunt Tabltha'U toll me she never did so I
Atlantic MmtMv.
TJTE STORY-TELLER.
MORTGAGING THE HOMESTEAD.
BY SlltS. R. B. EDSOX.
They were a grave-looking group
that wore gathered in Dean Lindsay's
best room that lovely Juno morning.
First there was Dean Lindsay himself,
always a prominent figure anywhere,
from his tall, muscular form, and bold,
resolute face. At his right, their eibows
leaning on tho table, whereon lay writ
ing materials, with sundry folded and
creased papers, sat two men, one of them
idly toying with a pen which ho held in
his hand. Ho was a slight, dark
skinned man, with short, bushy hair anil
whiskers the latter of tho mutton-chop
stylo and both of the color denomina
ted " pepper and salt," He had a bright,
alert face, and clear, bluish-gray eyes,
and his namo was Mark Seldon, and his
calling attorney at law.
Tho man at his sido afforded the
strongest possible contrast. Ho was tall
and loosely built, with a slight stoop in
the heavy shoulders. He had a florid
complexion, with small, sloepy-looking,
palo-bluo eyes, a bcaidloss face, and
long, lank, sandy hair, pushod behind
his ears, said ears being modulod on a
generous plan, as regarded sizo, and, if I
may use tho expression, placed in the'
most favorable possiblo light to show
advantageously. And, as ho carried his
head a little down, they gave him the
appearance of listening covertly, with
out seeming interested. This man's
name was Wilson Amos Wilson, and,
though you might not think it from his
dress or general appearance, a rich man.
I mean, of course, rich for his locality.
Ho might not have been rich for New
York, but for Dalton, a small, western
township, he was a perfect Croesus.
Besides those, thero was a small col
ony of young Lindsays, in assorted
sizes, the largest of which, pretty Delia
Lindsay, stood behind her mother's
chair, her arm thrown over her shoulder
in a pretty, protecting way. Mrs. Lind
say had been an invalid since Harry's
birth, four years, and Delia was practi
cally at the head of tho household. It
was, moreover, no light thing to be at
the head of this household. There were,
besides herself, seven children, which,
with her father and mother - and Paul
Leicester, who had boen with her father
for the summer, just eleven in the fami
ly. Added to this was tho cure of a
dairy of a dozen cows, and added to this,
tho fact that the state of their finances
would not admit of their kocping a ser
vant. And this question of finances
brings mo to tho real" subject of my
story,
" "You'll excuse mo, Wilson, for being a
little down-hearted about this thing,"
Mr. Lindsay said, with a faint, depre
cating smile. " It seems like signing
away my heart's blood to give a stranger
a claim on tho old homestead !"
A slow red burned itself through
Amos Wilson's cheek. " I wish you
wouldn't speak of me as a stranger,
he said, hastily, with an involuntary
glance at Delhi, which no one but Paul
Leicester saw.
" I meant any one not a relative, Mr.
Wilson," replied Lindsay, soberly.
You know I had hope of help from my
cousin in New Orleans. I mentioned it
to you."
Mr. Wilson listened, and nedded
thoughtfully.
" Well, tho fact that I have applied to
you shows that that hope has failed me,
and so we'll say nothing more about it.
Perhaps you had better write tho deed,
now, Mr. Seldon."
Mr. Seldon bowed pleasantly, dipped
his pen in the ink, and for a while tho
faint scratch of the pen on tho paper,
and the loud ticking of the kitchen
clock, were the only sounds in the
house . -
Mr. Lindsay leaned his faco on his
hand and looked steadily on the floor,
tho slight twitching of tho muscles about
te uiquth being the only sign qf emo
tion one could discover, Mrs, Lindsay,
white and tili as a statuo, her faoe a lit
tle drooping, sat a few foet at the left
of her husband, while Delia retained
her old position by hor mother's chair, a
troubled shadow in the soft, brown eyes,
and over the sweet young face, Harry,
awed and perplexed, hid his face in the
folds of her dress, while in a little group
at the open window were gathered the
rest of the children. L -. .
How unnaturally still it was ! How
in contrast to the freshness and bright
ness of the sky and air ! Looking from
the open windows one saw long reaches
of softly-undulating prairie, bathed in
golden light ; whilo away to the right a
blue, sparkling river, sentineled with
cottonwoods and Bycamoros, and ovor
hung with palo, translucent mists,
flashed and rippled between its volvety
banks.
No wonder Dean Lindsay shrank
from the thought of this fair heritage
being compromised; but there was no
help for it, and ho had got to make up
his mind to think of it as no longer really
his, but subject to Amos Wilson's author
ity. Ho could hardly keep from groan
ing aloud as he ran over in his mind tho
half Bcore or moro of fine farms which
belonged to Wilson, all of which had
first been mortgaged to hira, as his was
being now, to raise the necessary money
to keep them from being given up alto
gether. And then, one after another,
they had been given up, and Amos Wil
son was tho possessor. Would hit go in
the same way Y Would there be a few
years of struggle with ill-luck blight,
and drouth, and mildew and then his
wife and children be homeless Y He
started with a nervous shudder and
glanced up. Amos Wilson was leaning
a little forward, looking steadily at
Delia, with a strange fire lighting his
Blcepy eyes.
" Tho deed is ready for your signature,
Mr. Lindsay," Seldon said, briskly,
" yours and Mrs. Lindsay's."
His voice broko tho weird spell which
had seemed to hold them, and Paul Lei
cester got up from his seat by the kitch
en door, and camo and stood by tho ta
ble while tho deed was signed, and tho
money seven hundred and fifty dollars
counted out and given to Mr. Lind
say, who, in turn, handed over the mort
gage of tho homestead to Mr. Wilson.
Then he turned abruptly and went out.
Mr. Selden looked after him with his
quick, bright eyes, but no ono else ap
peared to notice it as being anything
unusual that a hired man should in
trude his presence upon such on occa
sion. And now that business is over, I will
take the opportunity of saying a word
about this samo Mr. Paul Leicester.
First, ho was a stranger in Dalton ;
i. e., ho had been thoro but little over
two months, having come early in April.
Ho had seemed so anxious for employ
ment, and offered to work so cheaply
withal, and upon such easy tonus not
asking for payment until Christmas
that Mr. Lindsay had thought it best to
tako him. Ho could not work the largo
farm alone, and he was specially anxious
to do a good deal this season, to try to
recover himself.
Mr. Leicester was not very much used
to farm work, it was quito evident, but
ho was so ready to learn, and so quiet
and persistent about everything he un-
undertook, that Mr. Lindsay was de
lighted with his bargain. He was ex
tremely reticent at first, but by degrees
he had grown more free, and once or
twice had surprised them with such a
genial now ot wit and spirits that Mr.
Lindsay had declared himself unablo to
see what sent him there a man of his
abilities.
And now a word in regard to Mr.
Lindsay's embarrassments. For three
consecutive seasons the harvests had
been extremely light in his section,
scarcely paying for tho outlay of money
and labor, to say nothing of profit. Then
tho expense ot living was considerable,
for ten persons require no small amount
of food, to make no mention of garments,
that will wax old. Added to this was a
long and severe illness, lasting all win
ter, and running him behind to such an
extent that ho saw no other way to go
on with his work than to hire money.
This it was next to impossiblo to do, and
after some pretty severe struggles with
his pride, he so far overcame it as to
write to Julian Richardson, a second
cousin, living in New Orleans, and re
puted very wealthy. Ho had never
seen him, but had heard that ho was un
married, and somewhat eccentric. And
so in this strait he ventured to appeal to
him. He wrote tho first letter in Feb
ruary, but it was unanswered. After
waiting in a state of nervous anxiety
and suspense two or three weeks, ho
wrote again. This time his letter was
returnod, after being opened, but with
out a line or word in amswer. He strug
gled "along a month or two moro, and
then ho wont to see Amos Wilson, with
tho final rosult I have heretofore de
scribed. The days slipped away like golden
sands, and tho summer grew in beauty
and brightness to Delia Lindsay. The
sunshine fell into her heart as soft-'
ly as it lapped tho green, blossomy hills.
The daily drudgery of toil bocamo sud
denly lightened and illumined by this
samo golden glow, and the world grew
dear, and life looked only a sweet and
beautiful dream.
Into this supremo atmosphere one day
a sudden cloud broko. If it had been
no largor than a man's hand," for weeks,
she had not disqovered it, and was, there
fore, totally unprepared for the great
darkness that came upon her. She had
returned from a long ramble over the
prairie, her hands loaded with blossoms,
and stood by the door, describing their
names and habits to Paul Leicester,
whose grave' face was softened into a
rare, tendor smile, whenever the pretty
brown eyes and wild-roso cheeks wero
lifted to his face.
" Delia, my dear, I want you a mo
ment," her father said, coming out into
tho entry.
Without a word she followed him in,
the blossoms still in her hands, and
some of them dropping to the floor as
she walked..
t Come in this way, my child," Mr.
Lindsay said, passing before her and
opening the door into the parlor, where,
sharply outlined against the sunset sky,
stood Amos Wilson, his back to the win
dow, and his great, ungainly form show
ing in bold relief against the light.
Somehow tho feeling of depression
which had so weighed her down on the
day when the homestead was mortgaged,
cuate upon her again, and she iult the
color leaving her face, and felt her lips
growing white and rigid.
Mr. Lindsay closed the door care
fully and came forward to his daughter's
side.
" Delia," ho said, struggling to appear
calm, " Mr. Wilson has dono mo the
honor to ask my permission to pay his
court to my daughter. 1 have told him
that my girl is tree to answor for hor
solf what Bhall it be, Delia Y"
Delia cast one quick glanco into her
father's faco, and saw all its eager hope
and anxiety. Then she turned to Amos
Wilson, who had taken a step forward,
and was looking at her sharply from un
der his low brows, his palo eyes burning
with faint opaline tints. Involuntarily
she shuddered and drew, back.
" I do not love Mr. Wilson, father."
she said, faintly.
"But you can learn to love him,
Delia 'f" ho asked quickly, his lips
twitching nervously.
" No, father, I cannot," she answered,
this time firmly. " I thank Mr. Wilson
for the honor ho has dono mo, but I do
not love him, and you do not ask me to
marry a man I do not love, father Y"
" No, my child, I do not ask that," ho
said, gently, but with a chord of sadness
and disappointment in his voice.
Poor Delia I how suddenly the cloud
had descended and enveloped her. With
a heavy heart she crept softly out and
left the two . men together. Sho know
what her refusal had meant to her fath
er. She knew the load which chafed
and fretted him so, might have been
lifted with a simple movement of her
lips, and yet she had not sho could not
give it ! Dropping her blossoms as
she went, sho hurried out to a little ar
bor of wild vines in tho garden, and
there, alono with the pitying twilight
and the stars, sho sobbed out tho first
bitterness of her regret and pain. ' Sho
heard Mr. Wilson como out and go
away, and then, a little after, heard a
step in tho garden a step that sent tho
blood in a fierce, sudden torrent to her
heart, and then to her cheeks.
"You are not repenting so soon, Del
la Y" and Paul Leicester came and took
the wet flushed face between his cool
palms, tenderly.
" O, I couldn't marry that man ! why
should he ever think of such a thing Y"
Delia asked, pitifully. " And father"
She stopped abruptly, but ho felt how
hot her cheeks grew against his hand,
and know what she would havo said.
" He is rich, littlo Delia."
" I know it," with a littlo choking
sob.
" And am only your father's laborer :
and yet I havo dared love the samo lady.
What do you suppose sho will say to my
presumption, if she refuses this rich man
so cavalierly ':"
"Yout O O, Mr. Leicester! don't
mock mo," ami she broke down in anoth
er flood of tears, and Mr. Leicester com
forted her with a great many fond words,
which wouldn't look half as delightful
and charming in print as .they really
were, from tho fact that oertain things
aro universally pronounced " silly," un
less one happens to bo ond of the dra
matis jermue then, they aro better and
more to bo desired than the wisdom of
Solomon.
By and by it grow chilly, and the
damp mists camo up from tho river, and
Mr. Leicester said, Delia must go in,
though she, foolish child, would havo
tarried thero, gladly, nor thought of
damp or chill, if it had boen January
instead of August, it he was only there.
" I want to seo your father, too, Del
la," he said, and so they went in.
Mr. Lindsay sat by the kitchen table,
his arms crossed and leaning on it, and
before him, scattered about, sundry
bills, papers, etc. He looked up, then
made a motion to gather them up. Mr.
Leicester drew Delia's arm through his,
and came quickly forward.
" Mr. Lindsay, I love your daughter
and sho loves mo," ho said, in a steady,
assured voico. " I know Mr. Wilson
would be more acceptable to you, but I
think you are too much- of a gentleman
to object to mo on property grounds. I
think we can manage to live Delia
and I somehow. What do you say to
us Y"
Mr. Lindsay glanced from the radiant,
blushing face of his daughter, to the
strong, quiet ono beside her, and, though
it cost hiin a little pffort, he said, cheer
fully: " I will add my blessing, if that is
what you ask. God knows that my
child's happiness is more to mo than
money a thousand times !"
Paul Leicester's face softcnod into a
rare smilo. " You aro a bravo man,
Dean Lindsay," he said warmly, his eyes
kindling, " and you shall never bo sor
ry for having trusted me."
Mr. Leicester begged for an early
wedding-day, and soon won Delia to
his sido by his eloquence and persistence.
" It was as well, perhaps, now as any
time," Mr. Lindsay thought, and also
yielded. And Mrs. Lindsay had too
long leaned upon and deferred to Delia
to think of objecting to anything the
asked, and so it was arranged for the
last week in September. Two weeks
before tho time Mr. Leicester said it
would bo nocossary for him to be away
a week, and, without mentioning his
destination, he took his departure. Tho
week passed, then ten days, and ho
neither came nor wrote to them. And
thon it lacked but one of tho day fixed
for tho wedding, and Delia grew ner
vous, and Mr. Lindsay angry. But the
afternoon brought the truant, who, with
a bright smile, said he was delayed by
business.
"By the way," he added, taking a
folded paper from his pocket, and tossing
it to Mr. Lindsay, " I saw Mr. Wilson as
came along."
"The mortgago deed!" exclaimed
Lindsay, looking perplexed.
" Yes. It's no more than fair I should
make you some present when yeu have
so gonerously given me this dear girl,"
putting his arm about Delia.
" But I don't understand. I I"
" Thought I was a poor fellow," fin
ished Leicester, smiling. I know you
did, and I will add that I have been to
considerable trouble to give you that
impression learning farming for in
stance ! Do you remember that, Dean Y"
he , asked, abruptly,",, tossing "tf" letter
upon the tabtoV 'It was the first t letter
he .had. written' to his cousin""in New
Orleans !"
Mr. Lindsay rose to his feet, white
and trembling.
" You are not he you are not Julian
Richardson !" ho gasped.
" I am very much afraid I am that
' eccentric personage,'" he replied.laugh
ing. " I believe I was christened Julian
Paul Richardson. When I received your
lottor I concoived the idoa of visiting
you, incog. Your second letter deter
mined mo, and, I must confess, I am
thoroughly delighted at the success of
my experiment, he added, with a bright
smilo upon Delia, who clung to his arm,
palo with wonder and excitement.
" You see, Dean, I desired to know if
you wore worth helping it's a foolish
hobby of mino, always and thero was
no other practicable way. I think we'll
not have to trouble Mr. Wil' on again,
my good cousin 1 For, as I told you
onco before, I think we can manago to
live some woy Delia and I can we
not, my darling Y"
And for answer Delia hid her faco on
his shoulder and cried, woman fashion.
Just a Question or Two. .
An exchango thus descants upon print
ing office bores, hitting tho mark so fair
ly on the head, we cannot fail to appre
ciate, endorse and copy. Hero aro a
few of tho innumerable questions which
printers are called upon to answer :
Do you print both sides of the paper
at onco Y
How long docs it take to make a news
paper Y
Suppose you write everything you
print, don't you Y
. Why are those boxes of different sizes,
and how do you know whero to find a
certain letter 'r1
Cani't you print a picture of anything
you want to Y I should think you could.
Why can't you Y
(After printing some horso bills for a
man not long ago, he found fault with
them becauso tho ' cut' was not liko his
horse. On unother occasion, a gentle
man camo to us with tho information
that he had left his horso in front of tho
office, and ho wanted a picture of it
taken and some bills printed).
If you print one hundred bills for $3,
I suppose you will let rue have four for
twelve cents Y
I should think it would bo fun to bo
an editor you don't do anything but
sit down and read newspapers and sto
ries all day Y
Do you throw away your typo after
you have printed upon it once Y
You don't care if I take a handful of
this typo, do you ?
It can't bo very hard to set typo all
dav is it. now '(
vivu , i uuip you print someming r
I wish you would print my name for
mo; it wouldn't be much troublo to
print off just one namo.
What is this for Y what do you do
with that? what makes that look so
funny Y what aro yau going to do now ?
what for Y why Y what makes you keep
so still Y You don't care if a fellow just
talks, do you Y
By tho time a man goes through with
this list of questions, his company be
comes so monotonous that ho cannot fail
to porceive its effects upon tho listeners,
and ho walks off with tho impression
that wo havo treated him unkindly and
impolitely.
AH tho abovo is to tho point, and
when the questioner takes tho hint
and leaves of his own accord, we feel
serene.
But then, when, as occurred with us
tho other duy, a man comes in with a
32-pago pamphlet, with the backs torn
oft', and insists on us piintinghim a copy
of that same, backs and titlo-pago in
cluded, for ten eentt, becauso that is all
tho original copy cost him, wo feel dis
posed to explain to him tho quickest
method of getting down stairs, free of
charge.
,1 V ' 1 L ' l
Necessity of Sleep.
There aro thousands of busy pooplo
who die every year for want of sleep.
Sleeplessness becomes a disease, and is
the precursor of insanity. We speak of
sleep as the image ot death, and our
waking hours as the imago of life. Sloep
is not like death ; for it is tho period in
which tho waste of tho system coasos, or
is reduced to its minimum. Sleep re
pairs the waste which waking hours
have mado. It rebuilds tho system. Tho
night is the repair-shop of the body.
Every part of the system is silently over
hauled, and all the organs, tissues and
substances aro replenished. Waking
consumes and exhausts ; sleep replaces
and "repairs. A man who would bo a
good worker must be a good sleeper. A
man has as much forco in him as ho had
provided for in sleep. Tho quality of
mental activity depends upon the quality
of sleep. Men need, on an average,
eight hours of sloep a day. A lymphatic
temperament may require nine ; a ner
vous temperament six or seven. A lym
phatic man is sluggish, moves and sleeps
slowly. But a nervous man actsquickly
in everything. He does more in an hour
than a sluggish man in two hours ; and
so in his sleep. Every man must sleep
according to his temperament but eight
hours is tho average. Whoever by work,
pleasure, sorrow, or by any other cause,
is regularly diminishing his sloep, is de
stroying his lifo. A man may hoi out
for a time, but the crash will come, and
he will die. Thore is a great deal of in
tomperanoo bosides that of tobacco,
opium or brandy. Men are dissipated
who overtax their system all day, and
undersleep every night. A man who
dies of delirium' tremens is no more a
drunkard and a suicide than the minis
ter, the lawyer, the merchant, tho editor,
or tho priuter, that works excessively all
day and sleeps but little all night. 11.
IK. Beecher.
A witness in court who had been cau
tioned to give a precise answer to every
question, and not to talk about what he
might think the question meant, was in
terrogated as follows : " You drive a
wagon Y" " No, sir, I do not" " Why,
sir, did you not tell my learned friead so
this moment Y" ' " No, sir, I did not."
" .Now, sir. I put it to you on your oath :
Do you drive' a wagen Y" " No, sir."
" What is. your occupation, then ?" -1
drive a horso."
Sulphite of Soda as a Remedy for Small
rox.
(From the SclentlSo American.)
We -publish below a very interestinar
lottor upon this subjoct, tho writer of
1.1 1. j i? . n
w ii tun uusires nis name to do suppresseu,
as ho does not wish to tletract from the
forco of his statements by creating an
impression that ho is puffing a nostrum
from personal motives. ThQuerh per
sonally unknown to us, wo havo formed
a high opinion of the candor of this
writer, both from tho communication
itseif and tho private letter that accom
panied it.
1 ho statements mado are m the high
est degree remarkable. Small pox has
so long boon considered an incurablo
diseaso, not to be arrested by any hu
man moans when onco its virus has en
tered tho circulation of those unprotect
ed by vaccination or previous attacks
of the samo complaint, that tho an
nouncement of even a single successful
cure will arrest public attention at
once.
Tho remedy named, suhihitc of soda.
has been growing in favor for somo
timo as an antidote for blood poisons,
which act seemingly like ferments ; and
wo have ourselves witnessed apparently
happy effects produced by its use in
complaints supposed to arise from such
poisons. Its value in this class of dis
eases has been so far demonstrated that
it has been made an officinal remedy.
It we are to credit tho statements of
our correspondent, a most astonishing
effect upon tho small pox poison was
produced by something, which, if it was
not the so Joe titlphis, ought to bo most
earnestly sought. Wo aro not aware
that any spontaneous resolution of this
terrible diseaso ever has taken place, of a
character that could bo mistaken for tho
cure ascribed to tho action of tho drug
under consideration. The drug produces
in proper doses no effects to bo feared,
and therefore can be mado the subject of
experiment without danger to patients.
Its merits, therefore.as a small pox rem
edy ought to be at onco thoroughly
tested, and if it should be found that tho
euro alluded to was probably an effect of
tho crude petroleum employed to an
noint tho body, or tho result of a cause
unknown, tho fact that a cure is alleged
should stiiuulato investigation into tho
real cause. It is, wo believe, very raro
that an unfavorable prognosis, based
upon tho aeuteness of pain in tho head
and back in attacks of small pox, fails
to bo verified. In tho particular case
described, these bad symptoms woro
strongly marked, yet tho patient, the
next day after tho character of tho com
plaint was deemed established by tho
eruption, was convalascent, and in a few
days recovered without the formation of
a single pustule.
1 hero is, ot course, tho possibility that
thero was a mistako in diagnosis, and
that the diseaso was not really small
pox, yet this seems rather improbable.
Tho hope that a cure, for such a scourge
as small pox, may bo discovered prompts
us to call particular attention to tho
letter of our correspondent ; and we
most sincerely wish that tho supposed
efficacy of this simpto remedy may bo
demonstrated to be a verity.
A REMEDY I'OK SMALL POX, BY ONE WHO
IIA9 TRIED IT.
The following was written several
months ago, but was not forwarded, as
the press has been teeming with small
pox " cures" which aro generally so evi
dently worthless that I hesitated put
ting my little communication among tho
prescriptions; feeling .almost sure it
would meet with no moro attention
than is accorded to tho many, placed
daily before tho prudently incredulous
reader.
But I find it impossiblo to resist tho
conviction on my part that to withhold
any longer from tho public my know
ledge of a remedy or mode of treat
ment: for variola and its modifications,
would bo criminal, as well as weak, in
view of my confidence as to a successful
result.
Some years ago I had a case of vario
loid, in my family, contracted from ac
tual contagion, but not from strictly
immediato contact with variola. Tho
patient, my daughter, a child nino years
old, carried a muff to church, the day
after her mother had loaned it for a
short time to a young lady friend in tho
cars. This lady had just recovered, ap
parently entirely, from small pox con
tracted from her brother, who had re
t urn ed homo from the army convalescent,
but during the period of active desqua
mation, after a recent and almost fatal
attack of small pox.
Precisely ten days after my daughter
carried tho muff, on tho eve of the tenth
day, sho was quite ill from a complica
tion of symptoms. The next morning I
noticed a number of spots on her skin,
alarmingly suggestive of variola. Not
having had any experience of such a
case I consulted a friend, a physician,
who at once pronounced her disorder
varioloid. Ho thought, too, that it
would prove a severe case, as the symp
toms, namely, fever, back ache, head
ache, nausea, and tho general appear
ance of the eruption, warranted such a
diagnosis.
I took the caso pretty much into my
own hands, as I had at onco resolved to
pursue a line of treatment entirely dif
ferent from that usually employed in
such cases. Some time in the year 18G1,
I read in a number of tho Scientific
American pi that year), that a new rem
edy, discovered by a French chemist,
namely, soda tulphice, was attracting
great attention in certain quarters from
its success in the treatment ot ulcera
tion, etc., and more particularly by its
having cured entirely several well-at
tested cases of hydrophobia. Its many
valuable properties were fully discussed,
verified, and freely endorsed by the
Fronch College of Surgeons, and were
in substance what is now given in am
ple detail in the " United States Dispen
satory," 1871, thirteenth editorial article
" bodu) sulphis.
. After some delay. I obtained a bottle
rof tbi8'modicine, and'made use of it ac
cording to the notice of its properties,
as occasion gave opportunity and always
with satisfactory results.
To resume tho subject of my case of
varioloid. I administorod to my patient
15 grains of the tcxht tulphice, dissolved
in milk well sweetened, every three
hours. I also had her entire body oiled
effectually with crude petroleum applied
with tho bare hand.
Tho next morning tho eruption was
abselutely killod and dry ; and tho dis
ease broken up, to tho wonder and, I
need scarcely add, tho great relief of all
interested. As no pustules had had time
to form, not tho least trace of tho erup
tion remained ; and in a few days my
child was as well as ever.
When tho "seventeen year locust"
abounded in this region, it was found
that tho sting of tho malo locust was so
poisonous as to produce serious' and, in
some cases noted, even fatal effects. A
servant girl in a my family trod upon a
locust, ond tho sting had to bo with
drawn with tweezers. Tho girl scream
ed with agony, and said it was " worse
than forty beo stings." I gnvo her about
15 grains of tho sodm tulphice, and kept
tho wound wet with a cloth dipped fre
quently in a mixture of equal parts of
spirits ammonia, alcohol, and strong
water solution of tho sothr tulphice. Al
though her foot had swollen amazingly
before I had timo to prepare my reme
dies, yet it stopped swelling at onco af
ter the first doso ond application. A
sharp pain-went through the foot occa
sionally, but in a few hours tho swelling
and pain were entirely gone.
When my interest was first excited by
tho article referred to, concerning the
sodtB tulphice, I urged a prominent drug
gist to send for it. Ho consented, stat
ing, as far as I remember, that I should
havo to wait some timo for it, as ho
should have to order it through a Lon
don house. I received it in duo time,
labelled as above.
I havo, sinco that first supply was ex
hausted, mado use of tho American pre
paration, tho sulphite of soda ; but I
prefer the foreign (French) article, as
the Auiorienn contains a larger percent
age of sulphuric acid, and is, in fact, a
hyposulphate. However, this now offi
cinal preparation is equally efficacious.
I used the sohe tulphice with perfect
success, in cases of ulceration end as a
wash for scrofulous discharges of tho
eyes and glands, at tho samo timo ad
ministering it internally, in doses vary
ing from 10 to 30 graius, three times a
day.
I would strongly urge tho uso of tho
crude petroleum in connection with tho
todm titlphis, for variola ond all its modi
fied forms ; and in tho treatment of
measles, scarlatina, or any eruptive dis
ease, whatever its naturo may bo. Tho
beneficial effect of oiling tho skin is well
known.
Tho " crudo oil" I use is that sold hero
in Pittsburgh under tho namo of " Kiers
Petroleum." Several varieties of crudo
petroleum can bo got, on inquiry, that
uro so clear and puro as to bo available
for many purposes without reiinimr. Of
this article thero is, fortunately, no scar
city. As the latest edition of the " United
States Dispensatory" may not bo within
reach of all interested, I subjoin, from
my copy ( 18 1 1 1 a portion ot what is said
of tho remedy swhe tulphice under tho
description of tho article, pp. 820, 827.
" Sulphite of soda, (soda sulphU). This
salt was first adopted as officinal in tho
present edition of tho 'United States
Phormacnpcoia.
" Medicinal uses. Sulphite of soda
has been used in cases of yeasty vomit
ing with remarkable success. The mat
ter vomited in these cases has a yeasty
appearance on tho surface, and is gener
ally found to contain when examined
by the microscope two microscopic
iungi called sarcuia veiuriculi and torun
cercvisue. 1 ho diseases, m which these
medicines (tho sulphites') havo boon re
commended, aro purulent infection, of
whatever origin ; malignant pustules ;
hospital gangrene ; erysipelas ond other
cxanthematous fevers ; malarial and
miasmatic fevers ; and in lino, oil dis
eases which may bo supposed to depend
on absorbed poisons not acting on the
tissues, but by a species of fermenta
tion " Also, in controlling suppurative ul
cers, and all suppurative affections of
tho mucous membranes, asot thethroat;
the bronchial tubes, through inhalation
by tho atomizer ; tho urinary passages ;
and tho alimentary canal ; and in any
case whero thero is reason to think that
the local affection is sustained by zvmot
ic influence or invisiblo organisms, (par
asitic, vegetable or animal; ; and in any
diseaso in which purulent infection of the
blood may bo produced by tho same
cause. They almost act as spocifics in
such Cases.
" At certain stages of cancerthey
operate in the same way, by obviating
1L. . , i L -1.1 i .A! M
tun eueeis ui puLiiu lerinemuuons.
Dr. Farnsworth says, in an article on
the influence of drugs upon lartas and
insect lifo in standing water : " A so
lution of soda sulphite destroyed the in
habitants of the water in one glass, in
two hours, etc. By comparing tho ef
fects of the different drugs, the Dr.
shows that the soda sulphito takes rank
with the highest in efficiency.
Thus wo have evidonce that the soda
sulphite is an agent (just beginning to
bo appreciated) that can be relied on in
exterminating noxious parasitio life ;
also animalcules, that produce or follow
upon various diseases : as a remedv for
ulcers and sores, for nausea, and vomit--
ing ; tor eruptive diseases j for poison
ous stings and bites ; and at tho same
time possessing no injurious properties
whatever, when made uso of, internally
or externally, in reasonable proportions
ana quantity, .
True Friendship. It is one of the
severest tests of friendship to tell your
friend of his faults. If vou are antrry
with a man, or hate him, it is not hard
to go to him and stab him with words
but so to love a man that you can not
bear to see the stain of sin upon him,
and to speak painful truth through
loving words that is friendship. But
few have such friends. Our enemies
usually teach us what we are at the
point of the sword. " Faithful are the
wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an
onemy are doceitful."
Facta and Figures.
They toll us of a railway in Kentucky
wheroon tho locomotives are assisted up
steep grados by a yoke of oxen.
A blushing bride at North Platte
handed her marriage certificate to the
conductor, instead of hor ticket, and was
horrified to hear the announcement that
it wasn't good.
Cleveland oil refineries in the winter
run their refuse oil under the ice in tho
harbor. Tho Plaindealer placidly re
marks " that is why tho lako water tastes
so badly now."
A firm of button makers in Birming
ham, England, surprised their workmen
New Year's Day by dividing among
them a proportion of the profits of their
business. The amounts ranged from 1
to i per head.
A little four-year-old of Bristol went
to Providence the other day, and in the
depot was accosted by a Quaker lady,
who asked, " How old art thou, little
girl Sho looked up in tho face of the
Quakeress and replied: "I'm not art
thou I'm littlo Jennie."
By tho death of a rich undo in New
Orleans, Miss Nollio Mellon, lately em
ployed in a millinery shop in East Sagi
naw, Mich., has fallen heiress to a for
tune of $200,000. Miss Mellon for sev
eral years has supported her widowed
mother by her own exertions.
A Sheboygan (Wisconsin) woman en
tered a saloon tho other evening whore
her husband was carousing, and attor
expostulating with a broomstick to the
barkeeper and two or threo other men
in the place, soundly whaled her hus
band, ond then led him home by tho
collar.
The Chicago Ttmea says of tho strinerent
law recently enacted by the Legislature
ot Illinois : " It s a nice law, this new
tcmperanco statute. You can get
drunk, larrup your wifo and knock
smithereens out of tho furniture, ond
then mako tho man who sold you the
virus pay all tho damage"
A firm in Sheffield, England, has just
succeeded in rolling tho largest armor
plates ever made. The plates aro in
tended to protect the turrets of tho great
war ship Devastation, which is being
built at Portsmouth. Each plato weighs
twenty-four tons and measures twenty
feet in length, nino feet in breadth, and
eight inches in thickness.
The most reinarkablo achievement in
surgery which wo have seen recorded of
late was that of the Delaware wood
chopper, who cut off two of his toes and
carried thorn several miles in his pocket,
and then had thorn tied on again. It
tho story bo truo tho sovored member.
grew hrmly to tho stumps, leaving only
a slight scar, and aro now as useful and
ornamental as evor.
Thoro is a French astronomer, Planta-
mour by namo, who has conjured up a
terriblo comet that is to strike this earth
on tho 12th of August next, and knock
it utterly out of timo. Wo aro truly
sorry for this, for we had somo cherished
Elans that wo cannot possibly carry out
eforo that time. However, it occurs to
us that wo have hoard of this direful
chimera before, and that it has failod to
keep one or more appointments for ex
tinguishing this globe. Wo shall cher
ish tho hope that it will prove mtracta
bio this time, and that Plautamour can
not induce it to work out his malignant
purpose.
The Chicago Post's Plains correspon
dent writes : " I never saw so many
Indians in my life. I should think there
were a million at least. I won't take
off an Indian ; though several of them
will get taken off before spring if
ueneral I aimer moves westward. 1 hey
are dressed mostly in blankets and bear s
grease, ihey are a confiding people.
Yesterday a squad of thirteen came into
our tent, and tho oldest availed himself
of the right of seniority by sitting down
on our hot box-stove, which he mistook
for a valiso. lie was very much surpris
ed, and the quartermaster has been is
suing laudanum poultices ever sinco.
In Texas a lively competition seems
to bo going on in tho production of
weighty infants. Waco County first put '
in a claim for tho championship because
it could show a baby eight months old
that weighed thirtypounds, whereupon
Montgomery County camo forward with
a promising fellow only six months
old who weighed thirty-five pounds.
" Pooh ! " says Robertson County, " those
babies are well enough, but Mrs. Dr.
Poole, of this place, has a baby that
weighs thirty-nine pounds at six months
old." The other counties havo not been
heard from, but we presume the finest
specimens of elephantine babyhood still-
" Dlusn unseen.
The Pure Milk Movement is still kept
up in Boston. Before a private moeting
of ladies and gentlemen recently hold to
consider the subject, tho liev. J. E. Hale
stated (and ho is perfectly responsible
for his statements) that tho middlemen
or contractors do what they please with
tho milk before it reaches the consumer j
that they do please, in the first place, to
tako off all the cream ; that they add
water and a mixture of burnt sugar to
give color, and then of salt and plain
sugar to rectify the flavor ; that the pop
ular taste has become so perverted that
this vile moss is preferred to the genuine
fluid ; that this spurious milk causes a
fearful mortality among children. Mrs.
Caroline IL Dall submitted a report
from a sub-oommittoe, setting forth an
alarming mortality among the young
from the use of impure milk, and stating
that the profit of the contractors - was
nearly 100 per cent. Dr. Jarvis corrobo
rated former statements regarding the
infant mortality. The Rev. Mr. Angier
cited the example of two families in
New York, both known to him, one of
which was fed upon pure and the other
upon adulterated milk. The members
of the first " were manly, healthy, robust,
happy," and those of the other thin,
dyspeptio, cadaverous." The plan adopt
ed by the meeting is to b.uy milk direct
ly of the producers, to bo supplied reg
ularly on city routes by an Association,
thus taking the business as much as pos
sible out of the hands of the middlemen.