Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-07-30
THE MECHANICS HOME.


New York mechanic, as an experiment 1t
seems to me that it may be interesting and USE
full, but may be mistaken in both. An author
has the same partiality for his works that pa
rent has for his children; his babes are all beau
ties, and his geese all swans. Still, when Tread
in print what have written-when my child is
dressed up in other clothes-l think | can look
at it with more impartiality. Will the reader
take this little sketch on trust, and leave me
time to decide whether shall write another!
AS an editor, my whole life was one of COM
munion with the people. / read for them, studi-
ed for them, wrote for them. Still, we had but
little personal acquaintance. 1t was like two
persons getting acquainted by writing letters.
True, mixed with them as often as / had the
opportunity. / met them at places of amuse-
ments, at balls, and public meetings, and dinners,
and celebrations, and festivities of all sorts.-
But the world has other faces than those it
wears on holidays, and these my present profess
sion gives me chance of seeing. | am forming
a personal acquaintance with society. see
men in their hours of deepest sorrow as well as
liveliest JOY. study humanity in all its devel-
opment from the structure of bone to the cause.
and effect of moral emotion. 1t seems to me,
that, without violating single propriety, may
take this observation of use, in those hours of
leisure when resort to the pen, with something
of the same feeling as actuated the worthy tai
low chandler, who, in selling out his business,
in which he had grown very rich, stipulated that
he should have the privilege of coming into
town and assisting on melting days.
Well shall try. If l fail, the effort need not
be repeated. If | succeed to my own satisfac-
tion-for how can | Judge of yours! / shall
have opened new placer in this newspaper Cal
ifornia, in which | am digging that others may
have whatever precious metal comes to the light.
But to my story.
One evening, in the early part of the winter,
the door-bell rang with energy, and the servant
announced a man who wished to see me. A
"man' is one thing, with servant, gentleman"
another, a person" something different from
either. The man stood in the hall, but won-
dered why he had not been called a gentleman
| was puzzled where to place him myself. His
dress was very neat, but plain, and rather coarse
His linen, that badge of refinement, was white,
in perfect order, and almost elegant. Every
thing about him seemed substantial; but moth
ing gave clue to his position in life. In all
outward seeming, he was simply man. When
he spoke to me, his address was simple, clear,
direct, and with certain air of self-reance, the
furtherest possible from vulgar bluster.
"Doctor," he said, Z" wish you would 90 and
see my child. We fear he is threatened with
the Group"
put on my hat and prepared to accompany
him; for if the case were as he supposed there
was no time to lose. In this disease a single
hour may make lfes difference.
In moment we were in the street and walk
ing briskly up one of our broadcast avenues
The child, he said, had been playing out of doors,
had eaten heartily at supper, gone to sleep, and
walked up short time since very hoarse, with a
croaking cough. This case was a pretty clear
one, and hurried my walk still more, and in a
few moments we were at the door. We went
up, up, up, to the fourth story. The last flight
Of stairs was carpeted, and a small lamp at the
top lighted us up. An excellent and very dura-
bic kind of mat lay at the door. You will see,
in time, why give these little particulars.
| entered the opened door, and was welcom-
ed by rather pretty and remarkably tidy wo-
man, who could have been nobody in the world
but the wife of the man who had summoned
me.
81 am glad you have come so soon," she said,
In soft, pure accent "Lttle William seems
so distressed that he can hardly breathe;" and
the next moment, as we passed through mar
row passage where he lay, heard the unmista-
kable croupy sound, that justly carries such ter
ror to the parents heart.
4" Is it the Group, Dotcorp asked the father,
with voice of emotion, as bent over the child
"a iine boy, three years of age.
cit is certainly the Group" said, /" and pref
ty violent attack. How long is it since you tho't
him sick %
mot above an hour" was the calm reply.