The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-12-01
OF Certain Tricks of the Imaginat on.

From the Anccd, tai papers in Harper
Maya zinc AN old Gentcman's Letter,
and attributed to the novelist Paulding.l
DEAR SIR The small village of Ian
deck is situated in very beautiful spot
near the river Inn, with fine old castle
to the southeast. against the winds from
which quarter it shelters the greater
part of the village Il not unnecessary
screen for easterly winds in the Tyrol
are very detestable Indeed l know no
country in which they are anything else
or where the almanac lines are not ap
plicable-
"Whcn the wind is in the east
"Ts neither good for man II, r beast"
Some people, however are peculiarly
affected by the influence Of that wind ;
and they tell 4 story Of Dr. Parr-fur
the truth Of which | will not vouch. bat
which probably has some foundation in
fact When a young man, he is said to
have had an attack Of ague which made
him dread the cast wind as pestilence
He had two'pupils at the time gay lads,
over whose conduct, US well as whose
studies, he exercised very rigid super.
mtendeuce. When they went out to
walk, Parr was almost sure to be with
them. much to their annoyance on ina
ny occasions There were some cxcep-
tlons, however, and they remarked that
| these exceptions occurred when the wind
was eaSterly. Boys are very shrewd, and
it did not escape the lads attention, that
every day their tutor walked to the win
dow, and looked up at the weather.cock
on the stceple Of the little parish church.
Conferences were held between the
young meu; and II carpenter consulted.
\ few days after the wind was III the
east and the b, ctor sutf. red them to 90
out alone The following day it WAS III
the east still Monday, tuesday. " cd
ncsday, THURSDAY, FRIDAY. ali eastcriy
wind-if the weather cock might be be-
Iievcd Sunday. Parr went to church,
and shivercd all day. The next wecG t
vas just the same thing Never was
such spell Of easterly wind Palr was
miserable But at the end Of some i've
weeks, friend and man of the world
came to visit him with the common sal
utation of-'A fine day Doctor
No day is a fine cay 'ir, with IN
eastcrly wind, sad Purr with his usual
acerlity.
'Easterly wind p said his visitor walk.
ing toward the window i don't tan k
the wind east-yes it is indeed
'Ay. sir, and has been ior these six
weeks, answered Parr, sharply. i could
tell it by my own sensations, without
looking at the weather-cock
Why, Doctor answered the other
the wind was west yesterday; that
know; and thought it was to-day
Then you thought like fool, sir, an
swered Parr \ man who cannot tel
when the wind is in the cast has no righr
to think at all. Let him look at til,
weuther-eock'
But the weather cock may be rusty,
answered the other and your weather
cock may be rusty il it pointed to til,
east yesterday for it blew petty smart
| ly from the west all day.
Do you think | am fool, sir do yor
think | am liar ? asked Parr angrliy
No; but you may be mistaken, Doc
tor replied the other Even Solomon
as you know, made mistake sometimes
aud you are mistaken now and til,
weather-cock too. Look at the clouds
they are coming rapidly from the west
If you would lake my advise, you woulc
fn IN. L..
the steeplo'
L will. sir-I will this moment re
piled Parr and ringing the bell VIC
lently, he ordered his servant to TAX
the village carpenter and bottle of oil
and have the weather cock examinct
and grease ed lie and his visitor watch
ed the whole proceeding from the win
dow-the bringing forth Of the ladder.
making them fast with ropes, the peril
GUS ascent, and then the long operation
which seemed much more complicated
than the mere process of greasing th
rusty weather-cock,' What can th
fools be about 2 said Parr In the enc
however, the deed, whatever it was. wa
done and the servant and the carpen
ter descended, and came toward tn
house BY this time the weather.coc
had whirled round, pointing directly t
the west and the Doctor asked eagerly
as soon as the men appeared We'll, 81
we'll what prevented the yane frol
turningP
"A large nail, sir answered the mal
i will never trust a weather cock I
gain cried Parr,
Nor your own sensations, either, Doc
tor said his friend, unless you are yer
sure they are right ones, for if you pi
them to weather. cock, there may |
people who will find it for their interes
to pin the weather-cock to the post
The two poor pupils from that da
forward lost their advantage but the
had six weeks of fun out of it, and lik
the fishes in the Arabian tale, were col
tent
There is an old proverb, that 'Fanc
is as good for fool as physie, and | b
lleye the saying might be carried furthc
still; for there is such thing as corpt
real disease, depending entirely upon I'll
mind and that with very wise men toc
| The afTaot Of mental ra,ua1;.s "a al