The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-01-23

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WE know Of two families IN Massachu-
sets OF whom the following story may be
told Two healthy brothers married two
healthy sisters. Both had large families
of children. One lived on the old home
stead, on the southern slope Of one of the
numerous beautiful and well. drained hills
in that vicinity. The whole house was
bathed all day long in sunlight, and con-
sumption did mot touch any of the youne
lives under It's roof. The other brother
placed his house at 3 very short distance
of, but upon a Grassy plain, covered All
summer wit 1ho ram Ieat vnrduro, IN ita
front was q large open common In
the center Of this, water oozed up from
between the split hoofs Of the COWS, az
they came lowing homewsrd at evening,
and the bare-footed boy who was driving
them used to shrink from the place, and
preferred to make the circuit Of It's edge
rather than to follow the lead Of his more
quiet comrades Back of the house was
q large level meadow, reaching to the very
foundations Of the building. Through
this meadow slugglshly cTept the mill
stream OF the adjacent village Still fur
ther, oil three surroundings were enclosed
by lofty hills. The life-giying sun rose
later and set earlier upon this than upon
the other fair homestead. Til late
In the forenoon, and long before sun
set left the hillside home, damp and
chilling emanations arose from the
meadow, and day after day enveloped the
tender forms Of the children that were
t'Vtag IN Cdip 10 grolg up healthily within
them.
ButRll effort was useless. Large iami-
lies were born under both roofs. Not one
Of the children born in the latter home
stead escaped, whereas the other family
remained healthy; and when at the sug-
| gestiOn Of medical fliend who knew all
the facts we have told, we visited the
| place for the purpose Of thoroughly inves-
tigating them, we thought that these two
houses were terribly significant illustra-
ton Of the existence of this all-powerftIl
law. Yet these two homes had nothing
peculiarly noticeable by the passing
stranger. They were situated in the same
township andwithin a very short distance
one from the other, and scarcely any one
in the village with whom espoke on the
subject agreed with us in our opinion thai
Il was location alone, or chiefly that
which gave life OF death to the inmates o.
the two.
We might speak Of other Homestead.
which seem to US now to be the very nests
Of consumption in consequence of this
law, and yet not one parent in a hundred
acknowledges even theoretically bis belisl
in the truth of our assertion Parents
themselves, during long residence, may
escape from the dire Influences Of location
and therefore they imagine, if their child,
rem are failing, that some other evil
agency is at work, rather than this law
Illustrative of this error on the part ol
parents, we cannot forbear relating thS
following fact We know Of house sit
uated about foot above and Just on tft
edge Of small lake. The cellar, if theGe b
one, must be below the water. The house
built with taste, nesties amid oVer-hang
ing, thiekly leaved trees, through which
the suns rays can scarcely penetrate even
at midday. The homestead Is ovenuI
with the apringing woedbine, olematia
and honeysuckle. Goodness, dampness
and little sunlight are the characteristic
of the spot In the midst OF summer 1t 1
: the beau ideal Of quiet, refined countrl
house, which any one, even the most fAs
tidious, would desire to occupy. Yet 3
we have looked at Ii, and have remember
ed how one by one the children born III I
have been cut of by consumption eithe
at puberty or at early manhood or woman
hood, we have turned with loathlng froE
all its external beauties, and have regard
ed them alias SO many false and fatal a
lurements, bringing inevitable ruin i
those who should fall within the sphereo
their influence.
These tales are no creation Of our imag
nation but positive and undeniable fact
8--Dr. Bolpditch, IN Atgdntic Monthly