Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-07-07


A LITTLE CHILD AMONG LuNATIcs.-A day
or two ago, gentleman whose official duties
required him to visit large Asylum near
this city, devoted to the INDECENT insane, took
with him a little boy some three years old
and it was an interesting study to watch the
effect which the presence of the young visitor
produced among the lunatics of every grade.
An unusual degree of quiet and order pre-
vailed in every hall, and touching manifesto
tons of the softening and subduing influence
of childhood were exhibited by those who
were ordinarily most intractable. This
was particularly the ease with those who had
pa ssed the season eff youth One man, in
curably insane, approached the little boy with
a countenancc for the moment full of gentle
ness and kindness, and with polite gesture,
handed him strdw-bcing all he had to give
and showed great satisfaction when it
accepted, and borne as lift had been of value.
Almost all approached and shook hands with
the infant. and so mild was their bearing,
that he did not for a moment hesitate, and
although abashed at what was to HIM an un-
usual crowd, he cheerlully Welded his little
hand to their caresses. But the most inter
esting scene was in the womcn's apartments.
They were ready to devour the child with
carcsscs. and yet when they saw that their
crowding and volubilitv annoyed him, in
stinctiyely withdrew little and modulated
their voices to tones of tenderness, to which
many of them had long been strangers. One
of the women, herself mother. inquired
with fearful ewes -'Dear little fellow, is his
mother living ~ An affirmative reply seemed
to relieve her apprehensions, and her ex-
preston of interest assumed Il more cheerful
tone. The most violent, closely confined in
cells, watched every movement of the boy with
interest, and some begged, by all the affection
FIR THAR Of. bi,h ins in
its worst form had not cradicatcd-to he per-
united to embrace him. The whole scene
was calculated to deepen the sympathy felt
for the most unfortunate class who were the
object of the visit, and To- show how strongly
the society of children is calculated to win
back to gcntlcness those who. from any cause
have passed that indchnahlc line which separ-
ates the sane from the insane. Such sooth-
ing effects are Of course transient, hut IT was
something to obtain for those poor yrNed souls
even moment OF calm dcight.--Nor York
Courier.
NUMERICAL LAWS On THE SENEs.--The last
census deyeopcs some curious facts. 1t fixes
the numerical law of the sexes thus
|. There are more males than females born,
by about 4 per cent.
.. At % years of age this preponderance i,
entirely lost, and there are more females than
males
At 40 years, the balance is again the
other way, and there are more males than
there females.
4. At 20 the sexes are about even, and the
ultimate age of the human being is rea he'd
without any decided advantage to either sex.
Between 20 and 100 years Of age, there are
1871 more white women than there are
males, being more than h,e per cent of the
whole number. Beyond the age of forty
years, the probabilities of longevity are much
greater tor American women than for men,
Inis contrasts singularly with the fact. that
the physiYu (relAti'lyl of American women
is inferior To that oi American men. li'at
fact, as is shown, however, tells tremendous
ly on women hetween the ages ot 20 and 40,
when their mortality is very great
The longevity Of some women is very extra
ordinary. There are four hundred and lirtv
American women above one hundred year, 6i
age.