Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-02-01
From The nctroi; Free Pre--.
u. Quads 5 Epistle.
: CHEERFUL wREsrLE WITH rHE SMALL
rpN.

! CHEERFUL wREsTLE WITH TIE SMALL
rpN.
Never had it, did YOU? Well, YOU
cant imagine how good it makes one
feel TO have it, get we'll. and then walk
around and realize that he is safe for
ever more. Whenever you see a group
oil men on the corner, YOU start for
them, break into the conversation, and
inquire if they know that fifly new
cases of small pox have been reported
since yesterday. There won't be a
cheerful spirit LEFT in two minutes
Some wilrgo up the street, some down,
and some round the corner, but YOU
can rest assured that you have started
a train Of thoughts which can't be in
terrupted for three hours. This isn't
enough. Get into street car. wait
until Il IS crowded, and then commence
10 tell how you felt when coming down
how your neighbors for block around
went of in the night TO see their coun-
try relatives how the doctor stood
over q birthstone fire in the hall before
coming into your room; how your
drink and provisions were handed in
through hole in the door, and how
the doctor left you one dav with the
Cheerful; remark that YOU would be dead
III less than two hours. In two min
utes you will he the central object Of
the crowd, and the intor nation of a
legacy wouldn't bring smile to any
face. You will have all the room you
want, and several of the humane and
liberaI-minded passengers will con-
cludc 70 give you even more room than
you want by getting out and trying the
sidewalks.
1t is popular error, that idea that
person having the small pox will
surely die if he allows himself to get
nervous and frightened. Get as nervous
and frightened as you want 10. The
knowledge that tour out of every five
patients die is not cheerful prospect,
and there won't be any one around to
tickle you with good jokes and intricate
conundrums. The first thing is to 20
TO doctors office and ask him if you
have really got the disease. If he looks
as if he would like to jump under the
table after feeling of your pulse and
looking at your tongue. you needn't
wait any longer. You might stop and
examine the skull on the table, or the
anatomical pictures on the wall, but
you won't if you have any feelings for
the doctor. In going home, 90 by the
way of the alleys-that is, if YOU don't
care to infect two or three hundred
people. Reaching the house, YOU ring,
hang on to the door, and when the girl
comes shout through the door that YOU
nave boil on your neck, and that the
family had better go out into the coun-
try for few days. This deception is
in order not to alarm the family by
giving them true knowledge Of your
situation. Hang round the corner
grocery until YOU see them Oft, and
shake hands with all the police you
meet. The police are paid for looking
after your health, and the folks in the
grocery will slander you as soon as the
sign appears on the door.
oh gettlhs lhto the house, shout to
a boy through the window to inform
the police what ails you. He won't
want any pay for doing it, and in half
an hour you will see all the pedestrians
crossing over to the other side of the
street. Wait for the doctor. The sound
of the hammer tacking up '.small- -pox'
on the door will be the only thing to
break the monotony. The doctor will
put you in bed, tell you not to ge,
frightened if you hear burglars about
and leave the medicine where you car
get it. You can lay there and plan
and think, and build castles, and lister
to the tick Of the clock, and hear the
neighbors moving out, and no one viii