The weekly Butte record., 1861-04-27
[From the Golden Era.
Muscle! What it Did for Me.
BY H. ACHILLES FLTPP.

or on cambanks, or out of musty, dusty vol
umes of petrifed learning; in alluyial, diluvial
or ante-diluvial formations, or anywhere you
can get it on reasonable terms. but don't come
to me for it, My subject is an altogether
different one. 1t is of the feshy integument
of the human frame that am going to speak
of muscle, more particularly my MUSCLE
Are you asking already "who was she?" Just
"you dry" All that will come in at the prop
er time; for the present, it's of me that you
are to hear. It's not particularly necessary
that you should know my name, but neverthe
less, I'll tell it. It's H. Achilles Flipp. My
story refers to period of time about three
years ago. had attained the dignity of o
dry-goods clerk, and the mature age of nineteen
| was weakly young person. l guess if you
had seen me you would have said that acaS
weakly looking young person. Il inherited as
my birthright the privilege of depressing strong
affirmation in that way and as my "proud
prerogative," | use it, have said that was
weakly. | was | had all the minor maladies
of childhood, such as teething, measles, scarlet
fever, &C., not in succession, but piled one on
top of another all at once and, although they
came near carrying me off, don't mention
them except incidently, because of the many
graver struggles of my young existence. And
| don't mean to speak Of the many malignant
and affections diseases which had when they
were going about and when they weren't going
about, partly because merely the naming Of
them would require the insertion of complete
medical vocabulary in this sketch, which would
take more time than have got, and more space
than the publisher would allow, and partly be-
cause the mere handling and reading of the
paper, aside from It's technical and undressing
nature, would be likely to suggest unpleasant
possibilities of contagion. But | will Just
name some of of my constitutional infirmties
| was scrofulous, was rickety, had lost my
teeth was nearly bald, was short-sighted, |
was dyspeptic. The doctor said that l had
carries of the joints. Sciatic affections and
tetanus were common events with me. Ny
skin was eruptive, and my mind hypochondria.
cal. 1t was even reported that the jumping
insanity, which skipped generations was in cur
family, and would descend next on me- I will
not go farther than fits to speak of my troubles,
for by this time you must be inclined to my
opinion; ! may remark, hesevcS, that melev-
olent influences seemed to pervade the most
trivial circumstances of my life for even my
initials, III. A. F., were dimly suggestive that
was not half what ought to be- However,
had struggled against my adversities bravcly,
and was, as | SAID before, at the age of nineteen,
quite independent, and rising as dry goods
clerk. Now is the proper time to tell you who
"she' was. Her name was Angelica Ann
Howe, and this was how became aware of
her. 1t wasn't altogether pleasant way to
extend ones acquaintance, assure you, but
then there were mitigating circumstances, and
she was one. She came-no she foated-into
"our place. in company with an overgrown
fellow who wore mustache and big whiskers,
just as was folding up piece ofmoire antique
one bright afternoon. She leaned her sylph-
like form over the counter with an easy grace
that was irresistible, and casting her melting,
blue eyes on my staring ones, said something
in plaintive and quite appealing voice.
Among my other misfortunes was partial deaf
ness, and not quite understanding what she
asked for, said interrogativey, "how?" She
looked surprised, and the big man looked saw
agely at me and said Fellow what do ycu
mean by your familiarity" appologised as
well as | could and begged her to repeat her
inquiry. She did so but what with her small
voice and my deafness and confusion, all l
could make of it was an allusion to "steel''
and hoes" and in my embarrassment said
despairingly, Don't keep EN- here, Miss
Get 'em over the way at Blinks' hardware"
Just at that moment the big man, who
was fuming silently but threateningly, brought
bis arm to the horizontal and impelled his fist
with wrathful vehemence upon The point where
the root Of my nose intersected my eyebrows.
His hand was gloved, but his knuckles were
little the softer, and l thought it expedient to
lie down behind the counter few moments to
collect my thoughts. l think l must have
gone to sleep little, for when | got up my
customers were gone. Such was my first
meeting with Angelica Ann Howe. Need
say that it made deep impression upon me
l think not. The next day was taken down
with brain fever, and for six weeks, as | have
since been told, raved steadily of the q young
lady who wanted the hoes" and forced upon
her imaginarily, enough OF agricultural imple-
ments, cutlery, and general articles ii the hard
ware line to stock dozen wholesale establish
ments But when my fever broke and | came
to my senses, found that my heart was ire
trievably broken also. Outwardly l gradually
recovered my former health-or rather, more
properly, my Ill heath,-an went behind the
counter in sour place" again, still with that
important organ in its fractured state; howev-
er, don't think my detection was particularly
noticed, for L Flemish, the head clerk. greeted
me on my return with the remark which he
doubtless intended as eongratulatory and
cheering, You're quite yourself again" Con
sidering, however, that being " myself" by
81. 81 i ba