Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-06-29
A TRAvELER's 'sORIGINALS."


the aid Of a village doctor TO a companion,
found we had fallen in with a fine speci.
men OF The class wno glad of this alter
wards, but much annoyed At the time by The
impossiblity of extracting from him The
slightest Information as to my friends state
and prospects in regard to her health. 1
detained him in conversation day alter day
to no purpose, and varied my questions with
as much American ingenuity as could
command but all in vain. He would nei-
Ither tell me what was the matter with her,
nor whether her illness was serious or trI-
fling, or whether il was likely TO be long
or short He would give me no hint which
could enable me TO form any plans, or TO
give INV distant friends an idea whether or
when they might expect TO see us. All tnut
he would say was. Hope your friend VIII he
better y "hope she will enjoy better health !"
will make better" "inust Try TO improve her
health :" and so on was informed that
This was all that should extract if the i'll
ness were to last a twelve month. He took
blue paper with some white powder in it
out of one pocket, and white paper with
some other powder out OF another pocket;
smiled some at random into smaller papers,
and gave directions when they should be Ia
ken. & my friend speedily and entirely recov.
cred. never was so completely in the dark
about the nature of any illness | saw, and
am completely in the dark still. lancy
hear now the short, sharp, concerted tones
of the doctor. doggedly using his power of
exasperaling my anxiety. Such was not
his purpose, however The country doc
tors themselves and their patients believe
that they cure with far more certainty than
any other doctors the profession are proba-
bly, convinced that they owe much to the
impliei il faith of their charge, and are resolv.
ed 10 keep up this faith by being impenetra'
Bile, allowing no part of their practice 10 be
made n subject of discussion which can pos
sibly be rendered mysterious. The chief
reason OF the success Of country doctors is,
doubtless, that they have 10 treat chiefly dis
eases of locul prevalence, about which they
employ long experience and practised sa-
! gacity, without having much account TO give
OF their method Of proceeding.
After being thus served up, personally and
as specimen of his class, DR.. Gilbert cannot
! be very severely judged for publishing what
I he was so unwilling TO tell the lady. He
says
"It's true, didn, tell her, although she
almost pestered my life out TO be informed.
bore il all, and equivoco,cd and evaded.
and oil from motives Of delicacy. TO spare
the woman's feelings II she has been so
very much concerned to know and is vet in
the dark, will eniighten her darkness
| Her friend was in the first Stages Of deiiri-
um Hemcns ~
! Extraordinary instance of Gambling
Ii is well known upon the western waters.
! that the iremen and other hands employed
upon the boats spend much Of their idle time
! in playing cards. OF the passion for gam
| ing thus excited. an instance has been mar
rated TO us upon the most credible authori-
~. which surpasses the highest wrought
lotions OF the gamblers fate. A colored
fireman, on board a steam boat running be-
tween this and New.Orleaus, had lost all
his money at poker with his companions
He then staked his clothing. aud being still
unfortunate. pledged his own freedom for a
small amount, losing this the bets were
doubled and he finally. at one desperate haz-
ard, venlured his full value MS slave, and
laid down his free papers TO represent the
stake. He lost, suffered his certificates 10
be destroyed, and was actually sold by the
winner TO slave dealer, who hesiiated no,
to take him at small discount upon his as
sessed value. When last heard Of by one
who knows him. and who informed us oil
the fact, he was still paying in servi,ude the
penalty Of his criminal folly Cincinnati
Express.
A Prudential Consideration We have the |
pleasure Of the acquaintance of a very dis
tinguished officer. whose lady having died
in one OF our colonist, and expressed a wish |
10 be buried in England, was accordingly
desposited ia cask of Ium for the purpose |
ofiransporting home, bu, who remained in
the celer of said distinguished officer even
after his second marriage, the detention be.
ing occasloned by his expectation that the
duty on the spirit imported into England, |
in which the dear departed was preserved, |
would IN few years, be either lowered or
tuken of altogether. Strange as this may
seem, it is true. English paperI
Ro66ing a HuSband-Some four wears
ago, David NJ. Corlander married here. and
removed to New Orleans, where he em.
parked IN the fur business Leaving his
wife Mary, he went TO Missouri for furs, and
while absent Mark Saunds became very in,
innate with Mrs. Corlander, lived with her
some tlme and induced her to pack up all
her husbands property, and elope with him
to ST. Louis. Thence they came on TO this
city, orderingthe iurs they had packed in
boxes, worth from 500 10 $1,000 TO be for.
warded on to them here. The husband,
hnding his wife and property gone, pursued,
arrived here and had the good fortune 10 OBJ.
a. .,t 4 T.