South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-06-20
A gentleman taking an apartment,

A gentleman taking an apartment,
told the landlady,
Il assure you, madam, | never left a
lodging but my landlady shed tears
Il hope it was not, sir, because you
went away without paying
THE LOVE POWDERS.
(From the Diary ola N. York Physician
About the year 1915, a rather stout,
coarse looking man, apparently some
25 years of age, came to my Office, and
wished to speak to me de.-He was
Dutchman from up the river, and
spoke our language rather imperfectly.
Having got me aside, he stated his
case with very great solemnity. He in.
formed me that he was in love with a
certain young woman Of his neighbor.
hood who unfortunately did not return
his affection. This, he assured me, was
not owing to any disposition on her part,
for she was willing to love him if she
could !; and in order to overcome the
natural repugnance she felt towards
him, would consent to any feasible
means.-A love powder was that which
most naturally suggested itself to his
mind ; and he had now called to pro.
cure one.
Il would have got il of our toctor to
home,' said he, 'but ] was afeard it
might leek out zame how or anoder, and
den should be a laughin shtog to de
whole down. 70 as was cumming to
New York, tough, | might as well
kit it here. Wat will you ak for one
shtroDg love powder, wat will do de
business for de garl, and make her lofe
me like de tyvel all out.
AT first I endeavored to reason with
him on the folly oftrying TO excite love
by means of powders, philtres, potions,
and the like. But l found my argu.
menis thrown away. I then endeavor-
ed to laugh him out of his project
But my ridicule, like my arguments, fell
harmless to the ground.
Finding him resolved on having the
love powder, come what would, con-
cluded to give him something which
would satisfy him. accordingly put
up two powders of tartar emetic, of S
grains each (; telling him it was necess
sary he should take a powder as well
as the girl, in order to produce the de,
sired effect.
'But l be in lofe now, toctor,' said
he, 'and does not need any of de bow
der to make me lole more as | do now.
What for should dake it dena'
You must take it, said !, otherwise,
the powder would have no effect upon
the girl
But den I shall have to bay for dwo
powders instead of one.'
sNo, l will only charge you for one.'
then gave directions TO dissolve the
powders in water, and TO take one
himself and give the other to the girl at
the same time and that they should
be shut up together in the same room
at the time of taking the powders, and
so on for three hours thereafter !; when
assured him, they would produce q
remarkable effect.
The fellow went away, well pleased
with the favorable termination TO his
love suit /; and | thought ittle,more on
the subject, except occasionally to laugh
to myselfat the physical effec, the love
powders would be likely to produce on
the amorous Dutchman and his Dul-
cinea. How far they were likely to
produce the desired effect, 1 could not
ofcourse determine but that the re.
suit would not finally prove injurious
to the health Of either parties, 1 was
well satisfied.
1t was somewhat like a year after
this, that, walking one day in the street,
I came plump upon my PATIENT
Startled like Macbeth at the ghost Of
Banquo, l would have avoided him
and for this purpose | lodged into the
-Hotel just opposite. But fear
often brings about the catastrophe
which il seeks to avoid and The cons
sciousness OF guilt conjures up danger,
where in reality none was to be appfe-
| hended.
/ My motives were undoubtedly sus-
picious, and the Dutchman detected