The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-01-21
Saturday Morning, Jan. 81, 1865.
The Mechanics Homs--A Life Lesson.
BY \. Z. NICHOLS. ND.

bs The Mechanics Home--A Life Lesson.
BYE L. NICHOLS, M. d. sds.5#aa
One evening, in the early part Of win ter, the
door bell rang with energy, and the servant
announced man who wished to see me- "A
"man is one thing with a servant, a"gentle-
man" another, and person something differ
ent from either. The man stood in the hail.
but wondered why he had not been called a
gentleman. was puzzled where to place him
myself. his dress was very neat, but plain
ana rather coarse. His linen that badge of re-
la hnement, was white, In perfect order, and al
% most elegant, everything about him seemed
substantial but nothing gave me q clue to his
position In life. In all outward seeming he
was simply man. When he spoke to me, his
address was simple, clear, direct, and with a
certain air Of self reliance.
i Z" Doctor" he said, II want you to come and
see my child. We fear he is threatened with
IA crOup.D .at,o3 ~ .t,s, $50 ~ t,,rps.ss.,
lput on my hat, and prepared to accompa-
X ny him for If the case were as he supposed,
there was no time to lose. In this disease. a
single hour may make a life's difference.
In moment we were in the street. and
walking briskly up one Of our broad avenues
Inc child, he said, had been playing out of
doors, and eaten heartily at supper gone to
sleep, and walked up a,short time since very
hoarse, with choking cough. The case was
pretty clear one, and hurried my walk still
more, and in few moments we were at the
door. we went up--up--up-to the fourth
story. The last flight Ell steps was carpetcd,
and small lamp at the top lighted US up. An
excellent and very durable kind of mat lay at
the door. You will see in time why give
these particulars. sraoi2s sdE Es.i~7 rs
eL Ientered the open door and was welcomed
by rather pretty and remarkably tidy woman,
who could have been nobody in the world but
the wife OF the man who summoned me.
fIaFsa lod hawo aI<
said, in q soft, pure accent. "Little Willie
seems SO distressed that he can hardly
breathe y and the next moment, as we passed
through narrow passage to where he lay, l
heard the unmistakable croupy sound that
justly carries such terror to the parents
heart. .s@D3
'll TIs it the Group, doctor ~ asked the father,
with avoice of emotion, as / bent over the
chid-a nne boy three years OF age,
1t Is certainly the Group, and pretty vio-i
sick?" gb
Not above an hour" was the calm reply
1t was made calm by firm self control. |
looked at the mother. She was very pale, but
did not trust herself to speak. @ VIZ IS
"Then there is probably but little danger,
said; "but we have something to do. Have
you the water here?"
The husband went to what seemed closet,
opened two doors, and disclosed neat bathing
tub, supplied with Croton This was beyond
my hopes but had no tins to wonder. The
little fellow was in high fever and laboring
for every breath. Taking him from his little
crib, where he lay on nice hair mattrass, fit
for prince to sleep on, took off his clean
- night clothes, stood him in the bath tub, and
- made his father pour full upon his neck and
chest three pals OF cold water, while rubbed
him briskly with my hand. He was then
wiped dry, and rubbed until his whole body
trta Aauao Tho xvrtx ~ 1ur ffz
soutof cold water, and put it around his throat
and then wrapped him up In blankets. The
brave little fellow had borne it all without
7 complaint as il he underst tood that under his
4 fathers eye no harm could come to him. In
fifteen minutes after he was wrapped in the
blankets he was in a profuse perspiration, in a
sound slumber, and breathing freely. The
danger was over--so rapid is this disease, and
SO easily cured.
Happiness had shed o serene lightiupon the
countenance of the father, and thrown over
the mothers face a glow of beauty. looked
I upon them, and was more than ever puzzled
where to place them, There were no marks
Of high birth or superior breeding, not the
shadow OF decayed gentility about them. 1t
was rather the reverse, as if they were work.
ing up from low rank to higher. aa5s
looked around theroom. 1t was the bed
! room. Everything init was perfectly order
ly. The bed like the crib, was excellent, but
not expensive. The white counterpane did
not cost more than ten shillings, yet how
beautiful it Iooked The white window cur
tains were shilling muslin, but their folds
hung as richly as If they were damask-and
how very appropriate they seemed! The bath
with its snug folding doors, knew had not
cost, plumbers bill and all, more than ten dol
lars. The toilet table, of an elegant form,
and completely covered, had no doubt was
white pine, and cost half dollar. The pic
lures on the wall were beautifully tinted litho-
graphs, better, far better than oil paintings
have seen in the honses of millionaines; yet
they can be bought at Goupipsor at Williams
& Stevens. 70 from three to five shiIlings and a
dollar apiece had framed them. The floor
had a carpet, that seemed to match every
thing with IFS small, neat figure, and light
chamber color. 1t was jewel of room, in
as perfect keeping in all its parts as ii an ar
tist had designed it. 5ssr.
Leaving the boy to his untroubIed sleep,
and giving directions for his bath on his wa
king, we went into the other room, which was
differently, but just as neatly arranged. 1t
might have answered for parlor, only that it
had cooking-stove; an artists studio, or
dining-room. 1t was hung with pictures
heads, historical pieces, and landscapes; all
such as aman1 Of taste could select and buy
cheap, but which, like good books, are invalu-
able. And speaking of books, there was a
hanging library on one side of the chimney
which single glance assured me contained
the very choicest treasures of the English
tongue. asidaaa
The man went to the bureau, opened draw
er, and took out some money. What is your
fee, doctor~ he asked, holding the bills 80 as
re to pay ms.ro |- ,,.,..rT f
. Now had made up my mind, before had
got half way up the stairs, that would have
TO wait for my pay, perhaps never get it; but
all this had changed. could not. as often
did, INQUIRE into the circumstances of the
man and graduate my price accordingly.
There he stood, ready to pay me, with money
enough; yet it was evident that he was hard
working man, and far from being wealthy.
had nothing left but to name the lowest fee.
"Cne dollar does not seem to be enough, I,
said he. "You have been to more trouble thar
to merely write prescription" f .aau
81f "Do you work for your living?p / asked
hoping to solve the mystery. -"
he SMILED, and held out his hand, Whicl
showed the unquestionable marks of homes
toil. ~ 6sA4
"You are mechauic9" said; willing to
know more of him.
"Take this" said he, placing two dolla
note in NV hand, with not TO. be refused air
Sand will crafty your curiosity; for there il
no use pretending that you are not little Gu
rious" ~ OK 1856
There was hearty respectful freedom abou
this that was irresistible. l put the note ii
my pocket, and the man geing to a door
opened 1t into closet Of moderate size an
displayed the bench and tools OF a shoe
maker. ehaA
"You must be an extraordinary workman,
~ L.