Litchfield enquirer., 1832-09-27

had brought large travelling cloak with him (
from the carTiage-this he took, spread over
the seat, and she sat down. The other female |
was then handed 10 and took seat apparent
" beside her mistress, for she kept at too great
a distance, and was too attentive, to be COM
paniOn. The gentleman and his servant then
stepped into the boat, and took seats ALSO
The two Oarsmen then each put his shoulder
to the Prov, pushing off the skif. and jumping
into it at the same moment. They flourish
ed their oars, made the water splash, and in a
few minutes the skif was rapidly diminishing
its size in the direction Of Fort Lee. The
harsh, monotonous grating of the oars on the
gunwale, at each returning stroke, was dis
tinctIy heard, long after 1t could scarcely be
distinguished floating on the water. All was
soon lost in nights gloom.
The carriage which had carried them out
returned slowly TO town, but it having no
lights it was Impossible 10 ascertain its exact
number. Does the corporation permit car
riages or hacks to drive in dark or moonlight
nights without lamps so that their numbers
may be seen? Will you, Mr.. Editor, solve
this mysterious affair TRUTH.
Ans,Oer.-The parties were joined together
in the holy band of wedlock. and after three
days negotiation. have now fair prospect Of
being received into favor by the young lady's
parents. They should not have withheld it
when formally soGcited.-Ed. C.. g. E.
Spurred Rye.-Rye is liable to be diseased
by an insect deposiiing its animalcula in the
grain, which causes it 10 sprout and produce
an excrescence like cocks spur. of a hard
texture. When ground down with the -four,
or used in distillation, it proves mortal poi
son; and at times has proved presidential
scourge of Europe it has heen equally fatal
10 America, and is supposed 10 have been the
chiefc Of the plague in London. In181l
and 1912, a great number of lives were lost
! from the spurrcd rye being used as food, and
liquor distilled from the rye. The great NOR
tally was chiefly confined to New York add
Vermont. Upwards of twenty thousand
! victims fell sacrifice to the ravages prOduc-
ed by that dreadful poison. Meeting after
meeting Of the faculty took place, to endeav-
! or to discover the cause; and after the most
mature deliberalion it was discovered by DR..
Hosack and his party, that it was poisonous
miasii1a floating in the air, confined to certain
prescribed limits and affecting certain pre-
sons, more particularly those who were in the
habit Of drinking gin; the best apology for
their ignorance of the true cause, the ergot
or spurred rye. What made their report The
more ridiculous was, that there was Mt that
time a fine, clear, black. hard frost, and the
healhiest weather that could be imagiucd.-)
Many Of the members were skcpticaI and
could not believe the report; they thought
that owing to the fine weather it was in,pos- !
sible for the contagion to exist in the air Il
others were OF the same opinion with the !
doctors. One ofthe ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS wrote
and requested me to go to Albany, where the
disorder was then raging, and wished me to
nFlf a1np mr. ~ n ~
ing calamity. On my journey from New
York to Albany, where the legislature ofthat
state was sitting, ! stopped at place called [
kinderho0k, and being cold, contrary to NV {
usual practice. drank glass of gin. I had
not drank It many minutes before it affected
me as If had been taking something boiling
nor into my stomach. Although immedi-
ately took an emeiic. which produced the
most active effects. the poison had taken so
hrniy hold Ut my constitution that nav
nroat and rectun were extremely paipful.--l
had cold perspiration towards morninas
with pain in my bones and head, whereas I
was IN perfect health before I drank the gin.
accused the tavern-keeper OF putting poison !
ia the gin; gentleman of the town who
heard me and had observed that the habitual}
gin drinkers IN the place had died, seconded !
me in my charge. The iandol d declared he !
1850 "NN sVACStGU 10 az SuG ObStlIIe"
ry. Upon our applying, the distier was
much alarmed at our charge Of his putting
poison in the gin; and added it would be bis
ruin It the report got abroad. in consequence
ofthe great mortality. He took voluntary
path that he put nothing but the pure grain
INTO his gin. and invited us to see the grain inl
he still house loft. We found II on inspec.
ion badly cleaned and probably one tenth of
spurred rye. or rye yitiated BY being infest-
90 with the clavus or ergOt. I was quite as
lonished when saw it, particularly as it was
30 well described by DR.. Darwin as being a
pestiiential scourge in various parts Of Eu-
rope, producing what is called by DIR. Mason
Good, in his history of medicine, mdew NOR
tifcation; in America it was yulgarly called
the dry rot. One Of the skep,ical of the fac
uty. ON being requested to analyze the article,
and report on the subject, took few Of his
acquaintances snme distance into the couu. |
try totiine at his fathers farm. where an OPP !
portunity offered 10 prove whether the ergot
was injurious or not, for large quantity Oft
that had been separated from the rye was
given to the pigs; and from its fatal effects
las 1t caused their death the next day) the
father became a convert 10 the opinion.--(
Wh'tto'O' on the Causes Of Inflammation. Sc.
CeH0rs.-Cellars. particularly in the coun-
try, are the most obnoxious apartments in
our dwelling houses. They are crammed
with the winter stock Of vegetables, potatoes.