New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-12-22
.Aquafortis as a Beverage.

b, I.
In the pretty village of Haddonfeld, New Jersey,
some years ago. there resided old fellow who was
Familiarity known in the town and country around as
e Old Joe.' He had no particular occupation except
doing "chores" or errands-nor any particular l0ca.
ton He ate where he could get a bite, and slept
wherever he could find lodging place. Joe was a
regular old TOPPER and Jersey lightning had no more
effect on his insdes than so much water lie gene
rally made his headquarters at the lower tavern Tor
there were two in the town. he would sleep ana
doze away the afternoon old bench in one cor
| ner of the bar-room, but was always awake when
there was any drinking going on: When he was not
asked to drink he would slip to the bar and drain the
glasses of the few drops left in them One afternoon
DR.. Bous the village physician, was in the tavern
mixing up 4 preparation. He placed tumbler half
full of aquatortis on the bar, and turned round to
mix up some other ingredients. A few moments after
| he had occasion to use the poisonous drug when he
found to his disnay, that the tumbler had been drain
ed to the last drop. MI Wiggins,' exclaimed the
DOCTOR in alright to the landlord, 'what has become
of the aguafoTtis put the bar few moments
ago."
~ don't know" replied the landlord, "unless Old
| Joe slipped in and drank it."
In this suspicion they were soon confirmed, for the
hoster said he had seen Old Joe swallow the fatal
| draught. The doctor, knowing that he must GER
tanly die after such doze, instituted a search at
once. After some hours spent in looking through
the barns, outhouses and woods, for three or four
miles around the village, Joe was abandoned to his
fate 1t was cold night, and as the village topers
assembled around the blazing hickory fire in the bar
roon nothing thought Of or talked of but the I'M
fortunate end Of poor Old Joe. Some four days had
elapsed and nothing having been heard from Old
Joe, they all came to the conclusion that he was
coner The doctor, about this time, had occasion to
visit patient some eight miles distant; what was
| his surprise, when about five miles from the village,
to see Old Joe in front Of farmers house, splitting
| wood.
why joe" said the doctor, riding up to the
fence, Il thought you was dead and buried before
this?'
l., ~ that
Joe. leaning on his aX-handle
"Didn't you drink that dose left on old Virgins
bar, q few days since? p
"Yesn replied Joe, half ashamed to own it.
ado you know what it wasp asked the Doctor
| "No!H returned Joe.
"Why, it was aqua tortis-enough to kill dozen
men !:
"Well, now, Doctor, do you know that thought
there something queer about that darned stuff tor
after drank it, eucry time b!ocea nay nose burned
u hole in my pocket handkerchief.
|
4 MONSTER BRD.-A recent traveller in South
America gives the following sketch of his first sight
of the great lIysteria americana:
As was riding one evening across the Pantnnos,
(marshes.) a district the south side Of Buenos
Ayres where the soil is clay and the surface covered
with little shallow pools of water with pretty water
plants and quantities Of wading birds | saw the
most magnificent bird ever beheld He must be the
king that was sent down from heaven to meet the de-
mands Of the frOgs-a perfect emperor Of cranes.
had just been watching big heron when | caught
sight of this fellow At first thought he was COW,
aud then that he was a man-at last perceived that
his gait was far too stately for any bped but bird,
and he Jet me come as close to him as about the
length of an ordinary room, and he was all snow
white, except his beak and his head and his neck,
which were black and a broad collar round the
lower part OF his neck, between the black and white,
which was deep red and his beak was ponderous,
like unto pelicans, and full foot long, with heavy
lower jaw He must have stood five feet high without
AND In LAT lpnl- of
and he staked about quite pvomscuous and there
was close to him big white heron, that looked quite
small and as l stood and wondered, he spread his
wings all snow-snow white and sailed straight away
down south for miles and miles, till the specl OF white
in the sky was too small to see.'
---ns ~-1'-------
ASEcDoTE OF TIE CzAR.-The London correspOn.
dent of the New York Tribune relates Of the Gar
Alexander IKE following anecdote, which he pronoun-
ces authentic:
The Gar, wearied by the court ceremonial one
evening Went out with his aiddc-cump to take &
walk unohserved and without any etiquette. lie
spoke much and enthusiastically on the future
OF the Empire and, seeing at short distance pea
SAINT, he exclaimed" The futnre Of the Empire rests
with these men, Approaching nearer, he asked the
peasant Do YOU love the Empcror?H /" Yes. dc
love your Majesty was the answer. You know
me-" remarked the Gar then tell me why do you
love me r Because your Majesty is the greatest
Emperor on earth;' ,,.y.
Is tilc E,IHtllu llclt icltIIG!
g do not know
How so, don't you till it?'
"N0, your Majesty! | am from st. Petersburg 4
police officer, and in the disguise of peasant, an
watching for your Maiesty's safety
The Gar laughed, but was disappointed at his
minister's too minute OifciOusnesss.
) "The many executions says the Christian Spir-
ituast (which have disiigured New England history
warn us to guard against indulgence in any superst
tious notions. 1t is not little singular that the de
scendans of the very Puritans whose supersttions
were 50 violent and absurd are themselves the most
bitter assaants OF the superSttios notions which
part and parcel of the Catholic faith. Probably
or entirely devoid of superstltious ideas. We
may be ashamed to confess it i'll the presence OF such
as ridicuc superstition but if social party discuss
the subject i'll 4 spirit Of tolerance, and without
levty it will not be long before each divulges some
s,perstitous notion or experience OF his Almost
all mankind, civilized or savage. are to a certain OK
tent believers in dreams. Yielding to snperstitious
ncies corrupts the Judgment and make lis the slaves
of accident.
In fine, we would urge Vigilance . Education fol
all! materials for Thinking