Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-08-01
From the N. Y. Sunday Times.
THE MECHANICS HOME.

ucICSttHS duu usttuf, But may Ue HIS
taken in both. An author has the same
par,iality for his works that a parent has
for his children; his babes are all beau
ties, and his geese all swans. Still,
when | read in print what | have writ
ten--when my child is dressed up in
other cloihes-I think | can look at it
with more impartiality. Will the read
er take this little sketch on trust, aud
leave me time TO decide whether / shall
write another! es
As an editor, my whole life. was one
Of communion with the people. Tread
for them, studied for them, wrote for
,hem. Still, we had but little personal
acquaintance. Itwas like two persons
getting acquainted by writing le,lers.--
True, / mixed with them as often as /
had opportunity. l met them at places
of amusements, at balls, and public meet
ings, and dinners. and celebrations, and
festivities OF all Sorts But the world
has other faces than those it wears OH
holidays, ano these, my present profess
sion gives me chance of seeing. l
am forming personal acquaintance with
society. see men in their hours Of
deepest sorrow as well as liveliest. Joy.
| study humanity in all lis Developments
from the structure Of bone to the cause
and effect Of moral emotion. i.
seems 10 me, that, without violating a
single propriely, may take this obser-
va.ion Of use, in those hours Of leisure
when | resort TO the pen, with something
Of the same feeling as actuaied the wor-
Thy tallow-chandler, who, in selling out
his business, in which he had grown We
ry rich, stipulated ,ha. 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. Ii | succeed to
my own sa.isfaction--fo how can
Judge of yours!-I shall have opened a
new placer in this newspaper California,
in which lam digging, that others may
have wha er precious metal comes TO
the light. But 10 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, '.gen,leman" aa-
other, a person something different
from either. The man stood in the hall,
bu, ! wondered why he had not been
called gentleman. was puzzled
where to place him myself. His dress
was very neat, but plain, and rather
coarse. His linen, that badge Of refine
men,, was white, in perfect order, and al
mos, elegant. Everything about him
seemed substantial; but nothing gave q
clue TO his position in life. In all out
ward seeming, he was simply a man.
When he spoke to me, his address was
simple, clear, direct, and with certain
air Of self-reliance, the fur,hest possible
from vulgar bluster.
Doctor" he said, IL wish you would
60 and see my child. We fear he is
threatened with Group"
Ipu, on my hat and prepared to ac-
company him; for If the case were as he
supposed there was no time 10 loose
In this disease single hour may make
life's difference.
In moment we were in the street
and walking briskly up one Of our broad
avenues. The child, he said, had been
playing out of doors, had eaten heartily
At supper, gone 10 sleep, and walked up
a short time since very hoarse, with a
croaking cough. The case was a pref
~ clear one, and hurried my walk still
more, and in few moments we were at
the door. We went up, up, up, to the
fourth story. The last figh. of stairs
was carpeted, and a small lamp at the
top lighted US up. An excellent aud ve-
ry durable kind of mat lay at the door.
You will see, in time, why ! give these
little particulars.
entered the opened door, and was
welcomed by rather pretty and remark
able tidy woman, who could have been
nobody in the world but 1.-THE wife OF the
man who summoned me.
Il am glad you have come so soon,''
she said, in soft, pure accent. "Liule
William seems so distressed that he can
hardly breathe;'' and the next moment,
as we passed through narrow passage
where he lay, | heard the rnmistakeable
croupy sound, that justly carries such
terror 70 the parents heart.
.lsit the Group, Doc.ori'' asked the
father, with voice Of emotion. as L bent
over the child-a fine boy, three years
of dgc. @
.li is certainly the Group" said,
ssanI pretty violent attack. How long
is it since you thought him sick!''
.Not above an hour" was the calm
reply. Il was made calm by firm SELF
control. ! Hooked at the mother. She
was very pale, but did not trust herself
TO speak.
.sThen there is probably but little dan
ger" | said; sbut we have something TO
do. Have you the water here!"
The husband went 10 what seemed 1
closet, opened two doors, and disclosed
a neat pine bathing tub, supplied with
the Croton. This was beyond my hopes;
but ] had no time to wonder. The little
fellow was in high fever, and laboring
for every breath. Taking him from his
little crib, where he Law uDon nice ha,r