The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-07-03
sInssssssips to f'athsrs f'.milisss Sd

tE IntstestipG % Fathers Of Esnaiiisss
pAs;x ctiitD Bfyt ws1aourt toIoTniSa.Ii L. .s{
sTlas fpll6~ing account Of AN extraordinary
department rscs1tly made by q parent With
liis pt child fsr tie purpose Of ascertaining
whst be can Dispense With clothing, isss tas
ken from The Dublin Evening Mail: s.. s.S y
The subject of. the costume Of the ancient
Britons has often been DISCUSSED ;.it has been
asserted that they were naked. Those swho
opposed that view .adduced as reasons the
coldness and variable nature Of the climate.
Tho question has been set arrest by an exper-
iment which has recently been made on
child at st. Anne's Blarney, near Cork. The
| child Is fourteen months old, and is the son of
Nr.--, who deterniined to ascertain what
the human frame would bear. The child is
perfectly naked night and day he sleeps with.
out Jany coveringf in n room with thcrmome-
ter at SO degreeSss from this lie goes into q
bath at lls. degrees he sometimes goes to-
sleep in the bath he is perfectly indifferent
10 hent or cold; is lively, active, cheerful, and
intelligent; his appearance constantly reminds
the observer of the best efforts of our best
painter and scuiptors. Therein is the beau
ideal he is the reality. His simple, natural,
easy, graceful and every varying postures, are
charming. lie arrests the attention and COM
mands the admiration Of all who see him. The
peculiar character of his akin is very striking
it is exquisitey healthy and beautiful. It may
be compared to the rays of the sun streaming
through painted window.
'During tho progress of the experiment he has
out three teeth without manifcsting any of the
disasrccable symptoms usual to children in
TINT condition. lie, appears to be quite insen.
siblc to pnin. Occasionally he has an ugly
full, but not sound escapes from his lips.
Ills manners, demeanor and general bch,vi or,
arc equally striking. Ills mode of snluting n
person is to take the hand in n graceful man.
ncr and kiss it. Ic is under the complete con-
troll of his father, and is perfectly quiet during
meals. and nlso whenever he is told to be so
lie goes about nll day, amusing and occupying
himself in quiet way. No ono accustomed
to children would know there wasa child in
the house. So incredible are these results, that
some of the residents ut St Annc's regard tho
whole matter with mingled feelings of borsor,
amazement and wonder. Those who have
made a careful observation for themselves and
prefer the evidence of their eyes rather than
their ears, see nothing but To admire and re-
apect- No doubt some of them would even 60
so far as to repeat the experiment on their own
children, were it not for the fear of that terri
bic question, "Whnt will Mrs. Grundy saya"
We have received from q correspondent an
extract from the journal kept by the father of
! the child. - *"
.sDecember al. ls6Gs-1 was about to begin
! with selE1eproaches for not having noted du-
ring its Pfogyes the stcpsofan experiment so
/ novel, and in its consequences SO iihportapt !;
but the fnst is, I was not. aware that I wns
making IN experiment until the thing wns
hdona. Henceforwardf shall record daily in
cidents which may serve to illustrate the case,
and at an after period mettfodically treat it.
This day the out apnr laborers were enga.
ged in storing ice for the ice house. The child
sleeps on the floor. on a'travcling rug folded
kaa four, the room withous FIRE Oh carpet, and is
generally washed daily. Thess 20 large bow
| windowto the Dor1l,. Il isaRs- sadsa soom
in the 1rnuse. 1Iewas put to BED Asa hnlfesst
ten. He d witheyl any eleeRss or coyerins
whatever AT pSeD'tasss s6l6f :unable to
sleep: was SO ae9iaswith hsKeea Blspksss. tlat Z
had to put on far ciesk: Chg Shud wakei-
MP, and made vehement apIsAts 70 .be taken
ins I took him in. When I was going to
sleep myself tsta' him 10 go to bed. He
moaaed so bitterly that aPprehendcd he fear
ed the cold. To test him got out of the bed
and lai& down ON his rug without clothes):
he then would not remain moment in the
warm bed, hut followed me to his pallet. He
composed himself to sleep lying like frog,
and I LEFT him: When he came into bed, was
obliged to putse blanket between us for the.
bitter cold ofhis limbs i; but every way that
could arrange The clothes led to no sign that
he suffered from the cold OF desired tho heat
10 correct the frightfur fitasof crying he
used to have, and for another failing which
J had of necessity TO be put stop to, 1 had to
have recourse formerly to punishment by shak.
ttsg him. slapping him. and dipping him in a
! trough Of cold water. Az his 6rame harden
ed under the: action Of cold aud very severe
shampoonihss punishment by these processes be-
| came impossible. :.
'Ie ha. two generally boiled rice,
| which is put on n napkin on the ground, and
he picks it up to the lass grain. Hfter that
wheaton flour cake, with butter, and cup of
milk, yrhich lie drinks. While eating his rice
he looks different being; there is at once
pside snd enjoyment os performance. He has
the dir OF an orator addressing IN audience.
During the day be goes to sleep when Ire
likde merely lying down on the floor.
"It was remarked by klady to-day, that he
Is not like dlhld, but a:small .map. A gen.
ucman just remarked That he meyer knew the
Emeanihgsof !'tnsp-ohild" until he had seen
lima .s - !. s..ge. -.
',rhe attitude he assumes in sleepingtis that
d. the Mussulman hssei Ing prostratio ns--on his
knees, with bis hands spyead out belSre him,
which csuid not be if he suffsred from fatigue
bpt his muscles are loo hard for that. BY
this means he concentrates the caloric in the
stomach, and 30 it Is Indifferent 10 cold; how.
ever cold the limbs land they get frightfully
cold TO the touch, and never numb, being, on
ti's contrary mottled red y the ioins asa always
warm. 'is'''. '.ftisfss - !. "a II b.
This is the first working day since he las
been IN ny hands that he has not been in. tho