The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-06-03

BYRON had not damaged his body by
strong drinks, but his terror of getting
fat was so great that he reduced his diet
to the point of absolute starvation. He
was Of that soft, Emphatic temperament,
which is almost impossible to keep with
in moderate compass, particularly as,
in his case, his lameness prevented his
exercise. When he added to the weight,
even standing was painful ; so he resolved
to keep down to eleven stone, or shoot
himself. He said everything he swallow
ed was instantly converted into tallow
and deposited on his ribs. He was the
only human body | ever met with who
had sufficient self-restraint and resolution
to resist this proneness to fatten. lie
did so /; and at Genoa, where he was last
weighed, he was ten stone and nine
pounds GAG pounds and looked much
less. This was not from vanity about
his personal appearance, but from a bet
ter motive; and as like Justice Greedy,
he was always hungry his merit was the
greater. Occasionally he relaxed his
vigilance, when he swelled apace. I re-
| member one of his old friends, saying,
Byron, how well you are looking!" If
he had stopped there it had been well
but when he added "You are getting
| fat" Byron's brow reddened, and his
eye flashed, "Do you call getting fat
looking well, as if ! were a hog ?" and,
turning to me, he muttered, "The beast,
can hardly keep my hands off him. -
The man who thus offended him was the
husband Of the lady addressed as Gee
nevra," and the original of bis "Zuleika," "
in tile Bride of 1Jydos. | don't think
he had much appetite for his dinner that
day, or for many days, and never forgave
the man who, SO far from wishing to of
fend, intended to pay him a compliment.
! Byron said he tried all sorts of expert
ments to stay his hunger, without adding
to his bulk. "I swelled," he said, "at
one time, to fourteen stone 1876 pounds,)
50 | clapped the muzzle on my jaws, and,
like the alternating animals, consumed
my own fat" He would exist on bis
cults and soda water for days together ;
then, to allay the eternal hunger gnaw-
ing at his vitals, he would make up a
horrid mess of cold potatoes, rice, fish,
or greens, delugedin vinegar, and gobble
i it up like famished dog. On either OF
these umsavory dishes, with biscuit and
a glass or two of Rhine wine, he cared
not how sour, he called feasting sump-
tuously. Upon my observing he might
as well have fresh fish or vegetables, in
stead of stale, he laughed and answered,
81 have an advantage over you: | have
no palate. One thing is as good as an
other to me-" Nothing" said, "disa-
grees with the natural man. He fasts
and gorges his brains don't bother him;
but if you wish to live?,.' "Who wants
to live! 2" he replied. Not /. The
Byrons are a short-lived race on both
sides, father and mother. Longevity is
| hereditary | am nearly at the end ofmy
tether. l don't care a d.; it is hei
sting | can't bear pain by starving
his body, Byron kept his brains clear
No man had brighter eyes or a clearer
voice; and his resolute bearing and
prompt replies, when excited, gave te
| his body a muscular power that imposed
on strangers. | never doubted, for he
i was Indifferent to life, and prouder thar
Lucifer, that, if he had drawn his SWORD
in Greece, or elsewhere, he would have
thrown away the scabbard.- Trelawaey''
RecoHectioas ofMe Last Days Of Byron
i To- The following stanza chronicles
rather sad misfortune, as having hap
pened to fair performer in the dance a
!, d recent grand ball at the Crystal Palace
in New York;
Thus whirling in the graceful dance,
: And trying every charm to enhance
She paused and blushed while Ger
Her cheeks ran tears how pride was curst!
J The string she had trusted to had burst
Her HOOP lay onthe hoori
She gathered them up. and ran as speedily
as possible to the dressing room, an(
J from there home, and for several weeks
4 vos coon M morei