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VoLVII. L'; Now Bloomlield, Tuesdixy, September 10, 1873. TVo. 37.
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How She was Cured.
66
"VTOW I am going to toll you just
JL 1 what my husband said to me this
morning, Doctor, -word for word," and the
invalid, Mrs. Stephens, lay back again on
the sofa pillows, tho very picture of mis
ery. The family physician, who was called
ou an average to the Stephens mansion
three hundred and sixty times a year, drew
a chair close to the couch, and waited
quietly for his patient to open her book of
complaints.
"Last night, you sec, Doctor, I had an
ill turn, and he wanted to come for you ;
but when I got bo that he dared to leave
mo, he concluded then we'd better lot you
sleep."
"Much obliged to Aim," said the Doc
tor, with a little sarcastic emphasis on the
personal pronoun.. " Last night was the
first undisturbed night's rest I have enjoyed
for a week."
Mrs. Stephens continued : "This spell
was the same as I bad the last time you
were sent for, Doctor"
"A slight nervous attack," broke in tho
physician, " nothing more."
"Well,, it don't make any difference
what you call it, it was mighty hard to
bear ; but lot me tell you what my husband
said first, Doctor, before we go into symp
toms. When he was going down to break
fast, he says to me, ' Kate, what shall I
send you np ?'
" Says I, ' I don't want anything in the
world but a good, strong cup of tea. Tell
Bridget to send it up in the little tea-pot.'
I saw, Doctor, that he didn't move after I
said this, so I turned and looked up at him,
and such a picture of rage and disgust I
never saw lu my life. Finally, says he,
' Tea 1 tea ! tea 1 its nothing but tea from
morning till night.' Kate,' says hef' you
are the color of a chinaman now. Why
don't you order a good piece of beefsteak,
and a slioe of brown bread, and a cup of
chocolate ; that would be a sensible break
fast 1"
" But John," says I, " you forgot that I
am sick and have no appetite." I was all
ready to cry, but I was determined that he
shouldn't have the satisfaction of seeing
the tears fall.
" Forget," says he ; "forget I". I wish to
Heaven 1 could forget ! Its nothing but
grunt and groan from one year's end to tho
other ! I have lost all patience with you,"
says he. " When wo lived in part of a
house, and you did your own housework, I
you were as well and as happy as anybody,
and oo man ever bad a pleasanter little
home than John Stephens ; but what have
I now to leave, or come back to?" and
this, Doctor, is what he ended np with.
"Kate," says he, "you are nothing
more nor less than a drunkard 1 and in the
night of God, more culpable than most of
the men who stagger through the streets ;
because the majority of those poor devils
have some sort of an excuse for their con
duct, and you baven'tjtbe slightest. You
have a luxurious home, a husband doing
bis level best to make you happy every
thing under the light of the sun to please
you, and yet you will persist in swilling
tea." Yes, Doctor, twilling was the word
he used boo 1 boo 1 boo I Oh dear me I to
think I should ever have lived to have
heard such dreadful language out of my
husband's mouth ; and then says he ' and
making me as miserable a wretch as walks
the earth." ' '
"Pretty plain talk," Interrupted the
Doctor, with a shrug of his broad shoul
ders." "Oh yes," sobbed the victim, " and so
awfully coarse and unkind. If I had bad a
jjell, and died there before his vory face, I
don't believe be would have cared a snap
of bis finger. I toll you, Doctor Ellis,
there is such a thing as a man's getting
hardened."
"Evidently," replied the physician, with
a laconicism absolutely painful.
"But my husband has nothing in the
world to trouble him but just my poor
health ; and I am sure I can't help that."
This remark was more In answer to her
companion's tone and manner, than the
one single word that had accidentally
escaped his lips, and this tho Doctor
felt.
" Anybody would think, by the way he
goes on," continued the irate .woman,
"that I enjoyed myself with spasms, and
cramps, and fainting fits.. Anybody would
think it was a pleasure to me to feel, every
time I see a funeral procession, as if the
hoarse was going to stop at onr door next
Oh yes I such a life is vory enjoyable, very,
indeed."
Doctor Ellis took no notice of these last
words ; the man's eyes grow luminous, and
his whole face declared that he considered
himself master of the situation; and if Mrs.
Stephens had not been so entirely taken
up with her own ailments, mental and
physical, that honest countenance would
have betrayed him.
" You say," he began, Bottling himself
in the large easy chair, and assuming a
strictly professional air, " that your hus
band has nothing to trouble him but your
health ; how do you know that, Mrs.
StepTions?"
" How ? why how do I know anything ?
By the evidence of my senses. Don't I
know that John Stephens has a splendid
business that looks after itself, a magnifi
cent income, and money enough to live on
the bare interest, as well as a family need
to livo, if he never entered his office again
while he has breath?"
" But money isn't everything, Mrs. Ste
phens," proceeded the physician, with a
calmness almost mephistophelian. " There
are other troubles beside money troubles.
How about health, madam ?"
"Health?" 'repeated the lady with a
smile, she intended to be sarcastic to the
last degree. "Hoalth? Doctor Ellis 1
Why, there isn't a healthier or a sounder
man than my husband in the whole United
States. He eats more In one meal than I
do in three months."
" There is nothing the matter with your
husband's stomach, Mrs. Stephens." Dr.
Ellis shaded his face with his hand, and
waited further developments. Mrs. Ste
phens mistook this attempt at forced con
cealment for emotion, and immediately
assumed a sitting posture, brushed her
hair away from her forehead, and looked
piercingly into her companion's face.
" Why do you accent the word 'stomach'
so strongly, Doctor Ellis ?" she inquired in
anxious tones. Mrs. Stephens was for
getting herself, and this tho Doctor bailed
as an excellent omen.
" Only that I might make you under
stand that a man's digestion could be most
unexceptionable, and yet he bo far from
sound in other directions."
" Then you mean to tell me that my
husband is sick ?"
"I do."
" Perhaps you will go still further, ' and
say dangerously?"
" If you desire it."
"Ob, Doctor Ellis, how cold and unfeel
ing you are 1 I should think you ought to
know by tow time," and just here Mrs.
Stephens broke down entirely, and sobbed
as if her heart would break.
" Ought to know what, Mrs. Stephens?"
inquired the Doctor, with uncalled-for de
liberation. " You ought to know to know that
my my husband's health and life are of a
good deal more consequence to me than my
own."
"Ah, indeed," interrupted the physi
cian, with an elevation of his buBhy eye
brows, Immensely suggestive of a contrary
opinion, as well as several excellent rea
sons for Bald opinion.
Doctor Ellis, will you be kind enough
to tell me what's the matter with my hus
band?" Mrs. Stephens was now on her feet
team all wiped away, eyes flashing with
resentful spirit, and only a little quiver of
the lip, to show how deep a wound the
kind heart in her bosom had sustained.
There she stood, leproaohful, defiant, de
termined, womanly. Tho Doctor was
delighted, and such an honest face it was,
that he carried round with him from door
to dtjor, from sunrise to sunset, every day
in the year, that it was a mighty hard
matter to keep it from an immediate be
trayal of the whole purpose.
"Mrs. Stephens," said he, "you have
no cause to be alarmed. If I can only get
your co-operation in this business, I foel
certain that I shall bo ablo to make a well
man of your husband in a fow months, at
the longest; but, as true as I sit here be
fore you, I cannot do this alone."
" Why have I not been Informed of this
before?" broke in Mrs. Stephens, imperi
ously. " Who was there to inform you, madam?
Your husband does not know his condition,
and I should really like to be told when
you have been sufficiently calm to hoar all
that was necessary for you to know ?"
" But, Doctor Ellis, I should think you
ought to have understood that my own
health and comfort aro nothing, compared
to my husband's." Mrs. Stepehus was
weeping again. " There is no sacrifice I
would not make for him."
" Curious creatures '." muttered tho Doc
tor ; " delightful bundles of contradictions !
How the mischief should I know, Mrs.
Stephens, how much you care for your
husband ? I am sure you have spent the
last half hour complaining about him. Is
that the way women generally testify their
regard for their husbands ?"
"Oh, don't, Doctor Ellis, please don't,"
pleaded the terrified woman. " I will never
complain again never if you will only
let me know what I can do for him. Do
you know, Doctor, I had begun to think
lately that something must be amiss with
him, he was growing so irritable. Poor
dear 1 bow wicked and thoughtless I have
been."
" This, then, is the trouble. I shall take
it for granted, madame, that you know
something about physiology, and can fol
low me without difficulty 1"
"Oh yes yes, for mercy's sake, go on."
" Very well; I find that tho pericardium"
"The pericardium ?" repeated Mr. Ste
phens. " You know what that is, I suppose ?"
Evidently Mrs. Stephens' anatomical
knowledge was limited. She shook ber
head in despair. . " Something about the
heart, Isn't it ?" she asked at last.
" Yes, the pericardium is the membra
neous sao that holds the heart. Well,
sometimes this sac it is no matter about
particulars, Mrs. Stephens," and Doctor
Ellis suddenly came to a stand still.
" It is enough, though, for me to say
that we are both passably anxious that
this heart should remain where it belongs.
Mr. Stephens must be amused, no wants
the opera, the lecture, the social circle,
entertaining books a happy home music
You play and sing, do you not, Mrs. Ste
phens?" " Oh yes I UBcd to," and Mrs. Ste
phens' tones were so pitiful now that big
Doctor Ellis really and truly was obliged
to wipe both his eyes and his nose. Before
he was aware, the lachrymal duct had got
the upper hand. " Well, try It again' ; get
a teacher, and go to practicing."
" But how am I going to manage my
spasms ?" sobbed the lady.
"Well, perhaps between us both you
using your will power, and thinking of
your husband, going out with bim, and
taking care of him and I doing my best in
my way, we may be able to subdue them ;
but you must remember this madam do
not let Mr. Stephens have the faintest sus
picion that you think anything is the mat
ter with him; and above all don't treat
him like an invalid. Just amuse him, and
all that you kno w, just as you used to
when you were first married."
Another series of sobs from Mrs. Ste
phens. The Doctor arose to go. Ilia patient bad
entlrelyorgotten that be had left no pre
scription. " About tea, Doctor?" she asked, as ho
prepared to leave. " Do you think it very
hurtful?"
" As au occasional tonic, I have no ob
jection to tea ; but as a daily beverage,
madam, it is an invention of the devil.
Good morning."
John Stephens sought his homo that
evening with a heavy heart. Ilis wifo be
believed a confirmed Invalid, or hypochon
driac it mattered little which ; one was as
bad as the other. His remonstrances and
pleading had proved of no avail ; and he
was doubtful' even whether bis wife loved
him. He opened the door softly with his
latch-key. This had become habitual ;
seldom did the gentleman show himsolf to
his wife until after the dinner bell had
summoned the family to the dlul ng-room.
A strain of musio met aud transfixed
him on the very threshold. Abbot's beau
tiful song was being rendered, and his wife
was the musician. He was just In time to
hear,
" The eyes that cannot weep
Are Hie saddest eyes of all" '
For a full year this charming voice had
been as silent as the grave.
" Company, perhaps," he muttered. Cu
riosity overcame him. He opened the
parlor door and peeped in. There was
Mrs. John Stephens, becomingly attired,
all alone, and as enthusiastic over the fine
rendition of a pieco of music as he bad ever
seen hor.
"What does this mean Kate?" he
asked, with outstretched armes. .
" That I have given up tea, and am go
ing to try bard and be well 1 I guess my
voice will all come back, John."
"I guess so," he replied, folding ber
tight to his heart.
Three months after this, the cure was so
radical, that Doctor Ellis made a clean
breast of the whole thing.
A RAT CATCHER.
riMIE reporter of the Baltimore American
L gives the following curious account of
a professional rat-catcher in that city :
In a small two-story frame houso on
Cross street, near Johnson, there lives a
man named James Reedy, a professional
rat-catcher, and the only one in tho city.
Mr. Roedy is a bright looking English
man, about forty-five years of age, and he
has pursued his present calling for twenty
eight years the last nine years being
spent in this city, where he says he has
mot with great success in his business.
On being questioned as to the manner in
which he destroyed rats, ho stated some
very curious facts. After showing the re
porter a varied collection of English birds,
noticeable among which was a tame jack
daw, who kept up an incessant croaking
during the whole interview, as if anxious
to relate some very interesting story, Mr.
Reedy stepped into the largo yard that
surrounds the dwelling, for the purpose of
exhibiting bis principal auxiliaries in the
annihilation of rats, namely, the ferrets.
These animals are from twelve to fifteen
inches in length, with bright, sparkling
eyes, with a slondcr body that can pass
wherever a rat can. Their bodies are
covered with dark fur, in color nearly ap
proaching a briudlo. They are perfectly
docile, but their quick, wiry movements
remind one vory much of the common
American weasel. Mr. Reedy has twelve
forrets, all of which he has imported from
England, at a cost of from $35 to (50, ac
cording to their training. The oldest and
best cost 50, and was bought on the
Epsom Downs, last summer, by Mr.
Reedy. This ferret is the only one that
will obey the call of its owner, the others
not being properly trained. It takes six
months or over to train a young ferret so
that it can be used in the business. The
ferrets are kept in close, warm hutches,
and fed twice each day with raw meat and
milk, except when their owner intends
using them, then they are not allowed
food for twelve hours before they are put
to work hunting rats. After leaving the
ferret hutches aud examining a coop con
taining a number of beautifu 'Albino rats,
with fur as white as snow, and bright pink
eyes, we arrived at a long row of dog
kennels, the inhabitants of which all rush
ed out to the full length of their chains,
and greeted us with a perfectly deafening
chorus of howls, there being seventeen of
those animals in and about the kennels.
With the exception of a fine pair of surly
looking bull terriers, the whole collection
consisted of Scotch and English black and
tan terriers. These dogs are all fed three
times a day, and have comfortable bed
ding - placed in their kennels every . even
ing. Mr. Reedy says that when he re
ceives au order from some one to rid their
places of rats, he charges them from $5 to
$10, according to the magnitude of the
undertaking, and then binds himself to
not only make the place perfeotly rat
proof, but also to keep it in that condition
for one year. He then takes two of his
best black and tan terriers, and an old sky
terrier named "Blop." " Blop's person
al appearance is most miserable, as iu ad
dition to being minus one eye, and the
larger portion of his caudle appendage,
bis whole head and body Is covered with
hundreds of scars and wounds, received in
battle with the fierce rodants, that he
takes such a delight in slaying. Yet,
notwithstanding " Blop's" wretched per
sonal appearance, his remaining eye
sparkles wif.h vim, bis head is cocked
knowingly on one side, and his diminutive
remnant of a tall vibratos with joy when
ever the mnglo word "rat" is mentioned.
With those three dogs, six ferrets, and a
boy armed with a long piece of flue fishing
nut, Roedy repairs to the vermin-afiUcted
house. The principal boles are first stop
ped up with brick and tin, only two being
left open ; into one of these the ferrets are
put, and they at once begin their search.
Reedy then leavos the boy and two dogs to
watch the holes, while himself and " Blop"
explore evory room in the building. On
entering a room, " Blop" smells carefully
over the floor,and around the wainscoting
and if there are no rats there, the room is
loft, and the man and dog pass on to an
other ; but if there should be rats seoroted
between the floors or in the walls, " Blop"
makes their presence known by whining
and shaking bis dilapidated tail in a fear
fully agitated manner. Reedy immediately
knocks on tho floor, and gives a peculiar
whistle, and a ferret is there in a moment,
and tho rat has deoamped almost as soon.
They are in this way driven from ono room
to another, and finally come out of the
holes loft open, and becoming entangled in
the meshes of the net that has been placed
across the middle of the room, they aro
speedily killed by the boy and tho dogs.
The ferrets are then taken out and fed,
while tho old holes are securely covered
with tin. Reedy claims that although
there may bo dozens of rat holos In a
house, there is always one bole the rats
use in going out for water, and this holo is
always the one before which tho net is
placed. Ho also states that thero are never
as many rats in the house as people sup
pose, and that it is very seldom that be
finds more than twonty-flve in ono dwell
ing. After making bis first visit, aud kill
ing all the rats, be roturns once every
month and examines the promises, in case
others may have settled there during his
absence. He states that no rat can hide
from a ferret, and at the approach of the
animal they will immediately hunt other
quarters. Mr. Roedy states that he finds
abundance of work in his line, both in the
city and in the country, whore he does
great service by ridding the farmers' barns
and grain-sheds of vermin. IIo also re
moves rats from ships and other vessols,,
but he states that in the latter cases the,
rats will take refuge in the bilge water in
the hold, and the ferrets having an aversion
to water, cannot bo mado to follow them,
and In consequence of .this fact, it is rather-up-hill
work.
tST In old militia times, ' Goffstowi,
Hillsborough county, N. H., was the ren
dezvous when the military of tho sur
rounding country assembled annually for
drill. It was au occasion which drew to
gether young and old for 'many milos
around, aud its parades, sham fights, per
sonal encounters, gambling, drinking, and
uproariousness, made " Goflstown.muster"
a familiar name to all who ever dwelt in
the central or southern portions of tho
State. Very early in the morning of one
of those eventful days an aged couple liv
ing some miles away, started on foot for
the parade-ground. To shorten the dis
tance they took a short cut through the
old burial-ground at Goffstown Center,
from which they t merged as Sam W
was passing along the highway. Sam was
bound for tho " muster," aud had taken
an early start so as to lose none of tho fun.
Arriving at the graveyard, Sam looked to
wards it and saw the old man and his wife
coming over the stilo. Iu the early dawn
he could distinguish just enough to see
that they were very old, aud coucludod at
onoo that they were members of the silent
tomb, awakened by the unusual stir. So
waving them from him with his hands be
ho shouted, " Go back, old man ; go back 1
This isn't tho general resurrection ; it's
only the Goffstown muster."
tE Tho Reading Eagle tolls this: Ono
of our colored fellow citizens is again in
trouble. He has long admired a colored
widow living in the next block above, but
being afraid to come out boldly and reveal
his passion, went to a white man of his ac
quaintance, tho other day, and asked bim
to write the lady a lotter asking her band
iu marriage. The friend wrote, telling tho
woman, In a few brief lines, that the size
of her feet was tho talk of the neighbor
hood, and asking her if she couldn't pare
them down a little. The name of the col
ored man was signed, and be was to call on
ber on Sunday night for an answer. A
few days after, the writer of the letter mot
the nogro limping along the street, and
asked him what the widow said. The man
showed him a bloodshot eye, a scratched
nose, a lamo leg, and a spot on the scalp
where a handful of wool has beon violently
jerked out, and he answered in solemn
tones, " She didn't say nuflln an' I didn't
stay dar mor'u a minute I"
t3P A Blacksmith iu an Ohio village,
elves notice that "no horses will be shod
here on Sunday, except sickness and
aeatu."