Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-01-05

"My DEAR" she said, s'you are the
first of the family that has returned to
candles since the innovation Of gas.
Yoa are indebted to your dip for my
presence. How hallow | would looked
under chandelier-how bloodless,
how white AS it is, I think I am
looking very natural; am not -
She glanced up at her portrait, and
waited my reply.
"a little pale, grandmother," I said:
'bnt tell me, dear madam, if your pur-
suits in the other world are of such
nature that they will admit Of your re-
turning to this st any timcr"
"By no means. | am not permitted
to appear i'll the sphere but seldom.
My influence | can make felt oftcncr.
have not been seen before since my
coffin lid was closed. I am come to
tell you there arose yell in Pande-
monium. | looked iii to sec whence it
came. found the grea5 chamber as
signed to little children, and which is
always filled with little ones Of all sizes
and ages, the scene Of great commo-
ton. Infants were crawling into cor
ne":, onrec Year old toddIers were tot
tering ont Of the way. Older ones were
finding seats, and all faces wore q list
ming expression. a small voice was
saying: ....
'it was TO fault of mine that brought
me here | who am now but iyc years
old, mi ght have lived to be fifty. Ma
ftira tAI 4 at,,fs-
sic2] development. Ny chest was round
and full, my skin clear, ana my limbs
finely mouldcd. My birthplace WAS III
a cold climate. My tender mother,
proud Of her offspring, barred my neck
and arms in the chill winter, when her
roscbushes and vines were packed in
warm straw and thoroughly protected
from every bast.-I was brought down
to be viewed by company, and exposed
to different temperatures as | went
from room to room. Ny mother wrap
ped in soft velvet and comfortable silks
did not suffer. | did. but could not
tell her so. | took cold. became a
great trouble in the house. Ny beauty
faded. fingered on from month to
month, and died at last, at FIVE years
old, Of consumption. My mother cried
over my little coffin. [ knew, but I
could not tell her then, that her own
vanity had placed me thcrc-wouid
send me here"
, Il was trottcd to dcath,'' cried a
more piping voice: as the first speaker
, sat down.
"A woman was hired expressly to
toke care OF me, and she took care that
; [ did not want for exercise. Her days
were spent in keeping me going Cup,
up, upy," and"down, down, downy."
, That unknown wonder, perpetual mo-
5 ton, was to be found in my nurses
; knees. Every bone in my poor little
body was rackcd, every ounce Of flesh
was sore. My food went down mill,
and came up cheese. III cried, I was
trotted, III screamed, | was trotted ;
II was still, | was trotted-I became
} little better than human churn, from
: which the butter had been taken and
/ the sour milk left standing. My brains
, turned to bruises, my blood TO whey,
my bones grew SO sharp they almos,
y pierced the knees which trotte6 them.
IS | began to cut teeth my tongue
. was constantly jolted between nay jaws
e and in danger of being bitten Off |
| dared not whine, tor ! knew the penal
b ty; began at last to calculate how
long the torture could possibly continue
S Warm weather was. coming on, and ]
thought one or the other Of Us must
e give-up the ghost; and as my nurses
Y cxertions were almost snperhulnan, ]
: imagiued that perhaps [ might outlast
5 her. One unlucky day, however, my
t mother entered the room unexpectedly
}. I smiled at her, | had never done Sc
n before.
/ :.The darling,'' cried my parent, s'see
G it knows me-
''Poor thing, rather" said the nurse
n sit has wind on its stomach :"
t. ''Fort hwith she proceeded to tro
/ it out,-Every thum Of her foot OF
II the floor was q nail in my coffin.
IS felt I shonld never smile again
II NV faithful nurse continued her efforts
n and was trotted ont of existence upol
IS the poor woinan's knee
n GAS the speaker ceased. one of tn.
d older occupants of the room deserted
J. me-" said my grandmother 'sHe a
is once made room for me to enter, ant
e begged me to remain awhile and hea
o the remarks. | consented, and took
$ seat near the entrance.
te ':I,'' said little fellow, rising from
n his seat, with his blue eyes all blood
he shot, and his curls matted together
le s'diei Of delirum tremens.-At the az
of six months was confirmed drunk
er ard. I had not been very quiet baby
or and every time I was little uneasy