The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-03
PONEYvILLE LECTURES.
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was filled last evening with highly cultured
and select audience, comprising many of the
leading dvines, lawyers, and literati of our city.
The occasion was the delivery of the first of the
celebrated Poneyyille lectures by our townsman,
William l.. Dennis, ESQ.,, and the masterly dis
section of the quackeries and ignorance of the
class of impostors represented by DIR. Dipps was
greeted with hearty laughter and applause. AS
far as our space will allow, we present phono-
graphic report of this brilliant lecture.
Poneyville, like almost every other American
town and village, has an interesting local his
tory. About twenty years since old Squire Wall
colt. who had spent his life and made his money
in the northern part of Vermont took it into
his head (solely on account OF his sons, as he
alleged), to move further south and west In
accordance with this purpose, he sold his two
farms the most of his stock and implements of
labor and with about $4,000 dollars in cash he
went forth to seek q new home.
Squire Wacott was a man of extremely we'll
balanced mind. If he had a weakness-I don't
assert that he had-it was for Canadian ponies,
as = tough, obedient, easily-kept working stock,
and under this impression he purposed to make
his journey with pony teams. Every thing
went smoothly-this is a violent figure of speech,
for the roads were fearfully rough-for about o
week when the off horse of the forward team,
which was driven by Truman Walcott, the
Squire's oldest son, became at times quite un-
govermable, kicking right and left, backing,
shying and finally stopping. The consequence
was they made a poor days journey, much
] to the Squires disgust, who insisted that
change of diet had in some way dis
! turbed the digestion and temper of
/ Grizzle his favorite brute and the Squire
was probably right, for in forty-eight hours
A. 1,
l the four ponies who, disagreeing in everything
I else, agreed in this that their journey was
Z ended, and that they would not bulge another
inch Coaxing and cudgeling were unlike un-
/ availing to change the purposes of the favorite
\ Canadians, and the Squire had to pitch his tent
N for the night just where he stood
III The next morning he learned that he was in
II the immediate neighborhood of good water
4 power that there was neither nor grist mill
/ within fifteen miles of him. that the land was
/ well wooded, while the soil was rich and offered
at reasonable rates; Sc on that day. he purchased
II 400 acres of ground with good water privilege,
y selected site for his log house, and whether in
d compliment or condemnation of his ponies,
know not. named the place Poneyville. 1t is
now o village of some four thousand inhabi-
tants with half-a-dozen mills of different kinds,
an academy, fine churches, two banks, two
newspapers half-a-doZen taverns, an immense
tannery, and the largest distillery in the State.
Having had occasion within the last five or six
years to spend at different times several weeks
at Poneyville, examining certain land titles in
which client of mine was interested, made
the acquaintance of a~number of its citizens,
many of whom have very remarkable histories
so remarkable that feel authorized, especially
! since Abbott has succeeded so well in touch
ing up and beautifying the characters of the two
NapoleOns-in undertaking few life sketches
Of some of the Poneyville worthless. This even
ing invite you to call with me upon DR.. Dipps
DIR. Dipps of Poneyville.
ZedeLiah Dipps was early apprenticed to q
beef butcher but having been mercilessly gored
BY bullock he was about to slaughter, he aban-
doned the calling in disgust and commenced
work in his unce's tannery. An unlucky plunge
into one of the deepest yats took Zed nearly two
years to recover his color and composure. An
experimental visit to John Scraps the tallow-
chandler, led to his opening candle factory of
his own. The great advance in the price
hllow in 1861 snuffed him out, and he made a
failure: but to this day the doctor declares he
loved the business and felt for each of his wicked
talow dips almost fathery affection.
In the autumn of 1862, Dipps was the poorest
man in Poneyyile, and he probably would have
remained so had he not made DR.. Spencer's
chambermaid his wife. While suffering the pains
and penalties of poverty, Mrs. Dipps reminded
her husbandof the great success of DIR. Spencer
Spencer was originally in the spruce beer bust
ness-and urged him to become doctor and
bless the world with his learning and tinctures.
The mere suggestion opened the gates of an
earthly paradise to the hitherto befogged and
bettled Dipps, and in less than an hour the
entire plan of operations was arranged. DippS
was to enter Spencer's Office as student Of
medicine and was. to remain there nominally
thirty days, during which time he was to estab
| lsh agencies for his forthcoming nostrums, pre-
pare handbills announcing his astonishing dis
coveries, and prepare the way for the certificates
that he needed TO give his medicines jog
Dipps absence from Poneyville awakened NJ
surprise: not so his return. Some said his sign
properly construed, meant Dipps, debtor; other
that it signi1ed Dipps drunk, and a few ex
pressed the pious hope that it meant Dipp
drowned
!. The first day DIR. Dipps had several unex
pected calls; the next day he spent in what h
called his laboratory, which was his wash-roon
and cellar. On the thirf day there appeared il
the Poneyville Eagle and Jingletown Clippe
advertisements column long, headed
"W i'll wonders never cease? Another miracle
Let the sick and suffering read, recover, and re
ioice DR.. Dipps Cyclops Bitters, the produc
of years of painful experiment, given TO tn
"A public. These bitters cure asthma, acidity
atrophy, apoplexy, biliousness, boils, bronchitis
bunions, cataract, contortlons cramps, con
SUMPTION dropsy drowsiness, deafness, dyspel
sia diptheria, erysipelas, fever faintness, fits
gout, hysteria, hydrophobia' itching, jaundlce
liver complaint, measles, mumps, neuralgia
rheumatics rickets, red eyes, roaring, strabis
mus. strapgulatioD, suffering. toothache, tubei
lcles tic doloreuX, and many other complaints.
On the following week gaudily-colored hand
bills were displayed by the roadside and in til
Principal stores of the county; and in less tina
u mouth from the time Dipps mt Ont his shin vl