The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1869-02-02
Budget OF Seissorings.

NEsrs OF CoysuMTIoS.-We know Of
two families In Massachusetts Of whom the
following story mag be told. Two toal,hy
brothers married two healthy sisters. Both
had large families o: children. One lived
on the old homestead. on the southern slope
Of one Of the numerous beautiful and we'll
drained bills in that vicinity. The other
brother placed his house At very short
distance oil, bu, upon q grassy plain, eev-
cred all summer with the rankest ycrdure.
In its front was large open common"
In the center Of this, water oored up from
the split hoofs of the cows. as they carae
lowing homeward at evening. and the bare.
footed boy who was driving them used to
shrink from the place. aud preferred to make
the circuit OF its edge rather than TO follow
the lead Of his mole qniet companions.
Back OF the house was large level mead.
ow reaching to the very foundations Of the
building, Through this meadow sluggish.
ly crept the millstream Of the adjacent vii
lsge. Still further. all three surrounding.
were enclosed by lofty mills The l.le-giy-
ing sun rose later and set earlier upon this
than upon the other fair homestead. Til
late in the afternoon. and long before the
sunset left the hillside house, damp ana
chilling carnations arose from the mead
ow. and day after day developed the to der
forms OF the children that were trying in
raia to grop up heallhily within them
But all efforts was useless. Large families
was born under both roofs. Not one Of
the children born in the latter homestead
escaped, whereas the other family remain
cd healthy; and when. at the suggestions
Of medical friend who knew all the facts
We have told, We visited tho place for tho
purpose of thoroughly investigating them,
we thought that these two houses were
terribly significant illustration of the OK
istsnce. Of this all-powcrful law Yet
these two homes had nothing peculiarly
noticeable to the passing stranger They
were situated in the same township and
within very short distance one from ano,h.
or. and scarcely any one within the village
With whom We spoke on the subject agreed
with as in our opinion that it wac location
alone. or chiefly that which gave life or
death TO the inmates OF the two.
We might speak Of other homesteads
which seem to US now to be the very nests
Of consumption in consequence Of this law,
and yet not one parent out OF hundred ac-
knowledgcs even theoretically his belief in
the truth OF our assertion. Parents them
selves, during a long residence may escape
from tho dire influence Of location and
therefore they imagine, if their cLlldren are
falling. that some other evil sgency is st
work. rather than this law.
Illustrative OF this error on the part of
parents. We raunot forbear relating the fol.
lowing fact. We know Of house situated
sbou, foot above and JUS, on the edge Of
asmall lake. The cellar. IL there be- one,
must DO below the level offhe water. The
house, built with taste. ncstles amid over
hangins thickly leavcd trees. through which
tho suns rays can scarcely penetrate even
at midday, The homestead is ovclrun with
springing- woodbinc, clematis aud honey
sucke. Goodness, dampness, AMI little
sunlIght are the characteristics OF the spot
In the mids; Of summer it is the bcau ideal
ofs4uiet, refined country house, which any
one. eveulthe most fas,idious, would desire
to oc upy. Pet as we have looked at it
and have remembered how one by one the
children born in it have been cut off BY
consumption either at puberty or at early
manhood OF womanhood. wo have turned
With loathing from all its external beauties,
and have regarded them vii as so many ial, sc
and fatal allurements. bringing inevitable
ruin to those who should fall within the
sphere Of their influence.
These tales are no creations OF our imag.
ina,ion but positive and undeniable facts
Atlantic Monthly.