Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-06-24
Prom the Fall River Patriot.
"A Serpent Tongued I'm FAINT.

A serpent Tongued Infant.
TTERros, (R. ID May p, ls37.--I embrace the
earliest opportunity to make you acquaaied with such
OF the facts as have come TO my knowledge, relative
TO the Serpent Tongued Infant" Of which We had
casually heard, just previous TO nay departure for
Block Island Quite unexpectedly, day before yes
terday, found myself In the very nelghborhood of
thIs strange and maynard productioH Of nature. NJ
curiosity you may well suppose was greatly excl-
ted, and confess elt intense anxiety to examine
for myself an object which began TO excite so much
interest in the neighborhood of us occurrence. Mr.
T, a worthy old gentleman IN the vicinity for
mer acquaintance of mine, whom accidentally met
kindly offered TO accompany me TO Dir. WIS the
father of the unfortunate child. We reached there
about o. clock this morning, and received very
cour,eously by Mr.. W and his interesting Young
wife. After agreeable introduction my aged friend
stated the OBJECT OF our VISIT and the desire had man
Tested to their unfortunate little child of whom
had just heard. Mr.. w informed us that for
several weeks he had in almos, every instance, de-
clined admitting strangers, he thought their pre-
sence had an unfavorable effect upon the child but
lhad come considerable distance out of my way, he
was disposed TO gratlfy my WISH the especially
as he thought might give him advice in rela-
ton to the course he ought in future TO pursue. We
were then invited into adjoining ROOM in one corner
OF which we behed, tied In a small low chair a most
horribly emaeiated little child apparently about two
years old.
l am aware that shall totally fail in giving Won any
thing like an idea of the miserable object before US.
Imagine if you can, infant, a mere child of about
the age above supposed, reduced very skeleton,
hairless, and covered with parched and shriveed
skin, dark and uneiastic the corresponding stuc-
ture in the wthered octagenaran. Its little red fiery
eyes, rolling restessly the deep recesses of its
feshy sockets, sent forth horrd flashes of Indignation
when the door to its apartment was thrown open.
The little sufferer opened his mouth and in the place
of its tongue and for tongue, serpents head and
neck were thrust out, vibrating and kissing with an
intensity peculiar to the more varieties Of
that repulsve species of animated nature! l could
not for several minutes muster courage approach
the object of my curiosity. was fixed TO the spot
which at first occupied, while the serpent-headed
tongue continued to dart forth and recede with the
quckness Of thought its little forked and fiery tongue
Al the same time playing about the lips and nostrs
Of the child eQuang in velocity the lgh thing flash
Mr.: W., the father gradually approached the
child all the time speaking very soothingy to it, and
in a few minutes succeeded in procuring quet-the
head receded the lips closed over it. and the infant
exhibited the aspect only of extreme emaciaon. But
the momentI moved towards the child, even but
single step, the mouth would open, the head sud-
denly dart forth, and the same dreadful spectacle
have already imperfecty described, would be again
presented. The father, however beckoned me to
approach, which did, and never shall forget the
tremendous kissing which came from the serpent
head ed tongue of the little sufferer.
1t was several minutes before quleude could be pro-
duced, and the slightest motion on my part
would cause an instantaneous protusion of the
slightly organ, more less intense according TO the
fears of the child. had several fair opportunities Of
seeing the strange member and will endeavor TO give
You description Of it. It's color is dark copper,
shining and in places inclined streaks Of green
Its eyes jet black and when the light strikes
them favorably no diamonds ever send forth
brilliant scintillatons Of light! bright yellow ring
encircles the neck, and really has much the appear
ance Of gold. The mouth of this serpent headed
tongue is quite large, and always slightly open
when the head was protruded beyond the lips. lis
forked tongue as have already said, was necessarily
in motion.
We stayed in the room just 80 minutes, during the
latter part Of which time the child became very quiet
and took freely ofmlk, its usual food The father
ba hndk afpnsu
and once when it fastened upon one of his fingers,
much swelling and soreness followed, indeed he was
only relieved by copous bleeding. He informed me
also that the child eat voracously of milk and some
times other kinds of food, but that preferred the
former. The child is of the female sex. He stated
further that several eminent physicians and surgeons
had been TO the child, and that it had been recon-
mended by one, the eminent DR.. w. that the tongue
beextlrpated. conceded in this opinion, and advised
that the Doctor be called upon to perform the opera
ton The father Mr.. W is about 20 wears old
and the mother should Judge about p. She is very
beautiful, has been married about years, and this Is
their first and only child. / have omitted names in
this hasty sketch at the request of the parties
cerned.
FASHIONABLE EpucATIoN.--Up at cight-prayers
always read by Miss Julictta Trmmias whose grand.
mother was aunt TO the Curate of Crpplesdon-fnc
voice, sweet delivery, and as slow q slug, breakfast
at nine-no nonsense about nerves-never let them
touch tea-pure milk and waer-the COW and the
puMp-eut for an hour relaxation in the shrubbery-
nj ten schoo-evey thing parcelled out method IS the
only mode of managing the mind, seven minutes and
halter gcogiaphy-dtto for knotng hearth-rugs-
quarter of an hour for French-ten minutes for as
tronomy-ditio for the of the globes-a quarter Of
an hour for Italian and twenty minutes for mathe-
mates, then to learn lessons dinner al two.
very pretty proceeding" said Cuhbert; a little
OF every thing, and not too much of any thing"
Exactly So" said Mrs. Brandyball. "Then till
half past three the play ground-in again fifteen mi
nutes for musc-slx minutes for algebra-nine mi
nutes for drawing-a quarter of an hour for English
history-slx minutes for HYDRAULICS under the nspec-
ton of Dr. p; and nine minutes and half for ethics
and moral philosophy-gutar twenty minutes, flor
those who learn l0-Newtons principal and dancing
an hour and half-the play ground agan.-London
Mem Monthly Nag.
WEIGHT or THE HUMAN DIFFERENT
M Queteet, Of Belgium shows
lst That the weight of the male infant, at birth, is
nearly lbs avoirdupois; while that of the female is
not quite 6tbs.
"a. That the maximum weight Of (li0D Of the
male - attained at the age of 40; while that of the
female NEARLY l24bs is not attained till so: from
which ages they decline afterwards the male TO 1871
lbs, the female to l09bs-ncarly a stone.
Sd. That the full grown adult is twenty times as
heavy the newborn infant,
4th That the rate of growth varies in the first
year. the child triples its weigh; afterwards the
Al aIo in