The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-15
The Minister and the Fiddle.

And-'iOc kno,c tohat 1t INFANT!
The Minister and the Fiddle.
Half century ago, or less, the somewhat
facetious DR.. Pond dwelt in the quiet and out
ofthe-way village of A., in the State Of
Steady Habits. The Doctors ideas were liber.
al-much more so than many of his congrega.
ton; nevertheless, he kept on the even tenor
OF his way, and disregarded the predjudices OF
some of his people. He had a son named Enoch
who, at an early age, manifested remarkable
talent for music, which the father cherished and
cultivated with care. In the same village resi-
ded an Anticipated maiden lady, who, having no
cares of her own to occupy her time and atten.
ton, magnanimously devoted herself to those OF
her neighbors. One morning she called at the
Doctors, and requested to see him. When ne
entered the room where she was seated, he per.
ceived at a glance that something was amiss,
and before he had time to extend to her the usual
show dye do?" she added:
81 think, Dr. Pond, that man of your age
and profession might have had something bet
ter to do, when you were in New London last
wsek, than to buy Enoch fiddle; all the PEG.
pie are ashamed that our minister should buy
his son a;fddle. A fiddle! Oh, dear, what is
the world coming to, when ministers will dc
such things?"
"Who told you had bought fiddle inquir
ed the Doctor.
"Who told me? Why, everybody says so, and
some people have heard him play on it as they
passed the door. But amt it true, Doctor "'
~ bought Enoch violin when | went Il
New London."
"a violin2 What's that?"
"Did you never see one?"
"Never"
"Enochl " said the Doctor, stepping to the
door, bring your violin here"
Enoch obeyed the command, but no sooner
had he entered with the instrument, than the
lady exclaimed
7" La now, there; why it is fddle!"
ado not Judge rashly," said the Doctor, civ
ing his son wink; swat till you near it."
Taking the hint, Enoch played Old Hundred
The lady was completely mystifed: it looked
like fiddle, but then who had ever heard Old
Hundred played on fiddle 1t could not be
So, rising to depart, she exclaimed" am glad
| came in to satisfy myself. La me just think
how people will lie "-Harper's Mag.
Professional Anecdote
In neighboring city, young member OF
the Bar thought he would adopt motto for
himself; and, after much reflection, wrote in
large letters, and pasted up against the wall
translated, "Let every one have his own" A
country client couing in, expressed himself
much gratifed with the maxim, but added,
:" You don't spell it right" "Indeed then how
ought it to be spelt?" The visiter replied,
"Sue 'em quick"
Camphor and strychnine
The beneficial effects of camphor, as an an
tidote to strychnine, are illustrated in case
reported by DR.. Tewkesbury, of Portland, Me.
It appears that boy was seized with convul-
sions, and it was asoertained that he had Just
eaten biscuit, picked up at the door of an
eating house, that was made for the purpose of
killing rats, and contained about one and a
half grains of strychnine. The boys spasms
were so severe that immediate death was in.
evitable, though all the usual remedies were
resorted to. Camphor could not be introduced
into the stomach, on account of the continued
lock,jaw. Accordingly strong injections of cam
phor were used, and the body immersed in a
hot camphor bath, and in few hours the boy
was comparatively well.
Heroic Conduct of Chaplain.
We clip the following from a late English pa
per:
Gan act of great heroism took place recently
at Malta, by the Rev. Mr.. Robinson, chaplain to
the forces. A Mr.. and Mrs. Evans, with their
son, fine boy about eight years old, on their
return from Upper Egypt, were crossing in a
boat from Valletta to Vittoriosa, when the little
fellow, in endeavoring to catch hold of piece
ofstick, overbalanced himself, and instantly sunk
before the eyes of parents. Mr.. Robinson, who
was s,iinwino in another boat seeing what had
occurred, Immediately jumped into the sea, and
succeeded in bringing him apparently dead into
it. 1t was very rough and windy, and, as he did
not take off even his coat, he was completely
exhausted. Mr.. Evans, the father of the boy,
feeling much gratifed for what the reverend
gentleman had done, sent him check for 81, 500,
which was at once returned. But what makes
the story the more romantic, but not less true,
is, the two gentlemen who have so unexpect
eddy become acquainted with each other are
relatives and members of branches of the
same family, but in consequence of differences
which took place many years ago, they had not
seen each other since their boyhood, and each
was ignorant of the others residence in the
island, until this singular introduction.
A Mechanical Curiosity.
With great deal of wonder, says the editor
of the New Haven Patriot, we the other day
saw at the store of Mr.. Cannon couple of bot
Ties each of which would not hold over a quart,
and in one of which was a saw mill in operation,
and in the other -four mill also in operation.
Both mills were moved by crank in the neck
of each bottle. The bottles and machinery are
in the possession of Mr.. A. n. Parking CHAM,
who is now in the employ of Mr.. Cannon. Mr..
Parkingham says the machinery was built with
in their covering thirty-fve years ago, by a per.
son who was then resident of New York, but
now deceased. He did it on wager of S., 600,
which he won in less than three years, the time
allowed for the work. 1t has been suggested