Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1865-09-30
TALES AND SKETCHES.
TEuE MECHANICS HOME.
A LIFE LESSON.
by T. l.. NICHOLS, NJ. ID.

One evening, in the early part of winter,
the door bell rang with energy, ard the
servant announced q man who wished to see
me. A "mrn" is one thing with Il servant,
"gcntleman' another, and n person some
thing different from either. The man stood
in the hall, but wondered why he had not
been called gentleman. / was puzzled
where to place him myself His dicss was
very neat, but plain and rather coarse. Ills
linen, that badge of refinement, was white,
in perfect order, and almost elegant. Every
thing about him seemed substantial: but
nothing gave me a clue 90 his position in
life. In all outward seeming he was simply
II man. When he spoke to me, his address
was simple, clear, direct, and with II certain
air Of self reliance.
"Doctor," he said, 81 want you to come
and sec my child. We fear hc is threatened
with Group"
put on my hat, and prepared, to accom-
pany him; for if the case were as he suppos-
ed, there was no time to lose. In this
disease Il single hour may make LIES dit.
ference.
In a moment we were in the street, and
walking briskly up one of our broad avenues.
1 he child, he said, had been playing out of
doors, had 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 tie door. We went up -up,-up-
to the fourth story. The last flight of steps
was carpcted, and IA smart lamp at the top
| lighted us up An excellent and very dura-
bic kind Of mat lay at the door. You will
see in time why give these particulars.
| entered the door, and was welcomed by
Il rather pretty and remarkably tidy woman,
who coul0 have tccn nobody in the world
but the wife OF the man who summoned me.
Il am glad you have come so soon, She
said, in a soft, pure accent. s"Iittlc Will
ian seems so distressed that he can hardly
| breathe" and the next morent, as we pass
c tho 'gh a narrow passage to where he
| llv, heard the unmistakable croupy sound
, that justly carries such terror to the parents
heart.
rs it the Group, tloctor?" asked the father
with II voice of emotion, as | bent over the
chi'l-a fine boy, three years of age.
1T is certainly the Group, and pretty
violent attack. How long is it since you
thought him sick?'
Not above an hour" was the calm reply.
1t was made calm by a firm self control. |
| looked ut the mother. She was very pale,
bot did not trust herself to speak.
Then there is probably but little danger,
said "but we have something to do. Have
yNu the water hcre"
, The husband went to what seemed q
c'nsct, opened two doors, and disclosed n
neat pine lnthing tub, supplied with Croton.
/ This MAS hcyond my hopes; but | had no
time to wonder The little fellow was in II
high fever. AMI lahoring for every breath.
, Taking him from his little crib, where he
lay on Il nice hair mattress. fit for a prince
to sleep on, ! took off his clean night clothes
stood him in the bath-tub, and made his
| father pnur full upon his neck and chcst
three pals Of cold water, while | rubbed
him briskly with my hand. He was thcl
wiped dry, and rubbed until hs whole body
Was in flame. Then wrung q large towe
out of cold water, and put it around hi
throat, and then wrapped him in blankets
The brave little fellow had borne 1t al
without mI,laint, as if lie understood thai
under MS fathers eye no harm could COM
to him. In fifteen minutes alter lie wa
wrapped in the blankets he was in protus
Precipitation, in sound slumbcr, and breath
ing freely. The danger was oyer--so rapi'
is this disease, and so easily cured.
Happiness had she'd a serene light upor
the countcnancc of the father, and throw
over the mothers face glow ot beauty.
looked upon them, and was more than eve
puzzled where to place them. There wcI
no marks of high birth or superior breeding
not the shadow of dccayed gcntility abou
them. 1t was rather the reverse, as if the
were working from a low rank to higher
/, looked around the room. 1t was II
/, bedroom. Everything in it was perfect
orderly. The bed, like the crib, was e.
/ ccllrnt, but not expensive. The viii
c count, rpare did not cost more than te
: shillings, yet how beautiful it looked! III
. ! white window curtains were shilling musll
d but their folds hung as richly as If tho
i were damask-and how very appropria
c they seemed! The bath, with its snug fol
II ing doors, | knew nad not est, puu b 4
. bill and all more than ten dollars. ii
% toilet.table, of an elegant form, and col
pletely covered, had no doubt was viii
70 pine, and cost half dollar. The pictur
n on the wall were beautifully tinted litli
.e graphs, better, far better, than oil painting
have seen in the houses Of miliOnaires; y
nc they can bc bought mt Goupil's or at W
te liams & Stevens for three to five shillin;
r, and COLLAR apiece had framed them. L
n IN floor had carpet that seemed to mat
n everything with its small, neat figure, a
n light chamber color 1t was jewel of
u' Ipoll, III us l)ellSCt hecllliS III All us pa
yh as if an artist nsd .is(, designed 2@1 It,
Leaving the boy to his untroubled sic,
- and giving directions for his bath on
ali awaking, we went into the other roc
os- which was differently, but just as neatly
IRE ranged. 1t might have answered for ?
an lor, orly that it had cooking stove; or
-. artists studio, or a dining-roum. 1t
car hung with pictures heads, historical pie'
cal and landscapes, all such as man OF "a
nnyy could select and buy cheap, but which,
ain good, books are valuable. And, speak
as OF books, there was a hanging library on
IS side of the chimney whioh a single gla
assured me contained the very choicest r.
ures of the English tongue.
lin, The man went TO the bureau, opent
lner drawer, and took out some money. Nv
ID. is your fee, doctorl" he asked, holding
bills so as to select one to pay me.
Now had made mp my mind, befc
- got half way up the stairs, that W.
have to wait for my pay, perhaps never
it; but all this had changed. could
as often did, inquire into the cireumsta
of the man and graduate my price acc
,bs ingly. There he stood ready to pay
sur. with money enough; yet it was evident
his ] N hal xvnrkinn man and far