, 1876-08-20

thcrcfrom. To-day being Sunday, and recog-
nized in Europe and America rs the working.
mans holiday, there Will be doubtless several
Thousand people who will 60 to the park for a
breath OF fresh ar and: glimpse Of green woods
Many OF thcn Will have read Aaoat tho Toxict,-
cchdron, ant1 Wien they arrive there they will
Eye ask:l'icc every Plant that they scc growing
above tile ciean->llayc!: lawns and commons and
they will go long way around to avoid every
eiump o1 trees that could by any possibility
serve as an ambuscadc for the poisonous Rhus.
What fears will harass the minds OF
tender maids who, with their Johns, and their
jalncscs, aud their Augustuscs, may seek some
scqucstcrd nook where the vulgar throng can
not Jeer at their 1oyc-making! How difficult,
how nearly impossible, it will be to find such Il
desirable spot, without being confronted on ap-
preaching it with the terrible shape Of the ruth
less Toxlcodendron!
suppose, Oh the other hand that young
couple were seated conveniently near to one
another OIL the shores Of the miniature lake arl
to the music OF the ripping waves, were Wills
pcring such sweet nothings as are usual On
these occasions,-suppose that by aud
by he should muster up sufficient hardi-
hood to put the one great question
OF life to her, plumr;-suppose that
she, not wishing to carry matters to extremes,
should suddenly utter Il pretty scream and cx-
claim: "Oh! that horrid poisonous what-d'yc-
call-it! Look It's right behind u.s." Would
not this be proper juncture for the exercise
Of profanity OH the part Of the discouraged
youth! And should not shrub whyl. can SO
vi1cly cause an interruption Of pleasant con-.
ycrsation, to say nothing of the consequent in,~
rnpro1 rcror1%tnyt ht. c md cha1o
Of its worthless cxistcncea
Then think Of the thousands Of other people
who, with their wontcd carclessness, will have
passed over the paragraph containing 4 warning
against the ruthless Toxicodcn1rou. When
mammas trundle their infanti1e offspring into the
park, and gayly break of branches from plants
or trees rs playthings for their little darlngs,
the dangerous character Of their depreciation is
doubly appalling. 1t is not the gray coated po-
liccman that they need fear, though they scan
the ncighborhood ever so furtiycly and exhibit
the most conscious tokens Of wrong-doing. The
real enemy Of whom they should beware is the
ruthless Toxieodendron, who does notdismiss the
offender with stern word OF rcproyal, but who
ntiets sure and summary punishment, and,
which is worse, not upon tho offending party, but
uron the innocent accessory. II somebody IS baby
should, during the coming week, break out in
ugly pimplcs all over its blessed little arms
then let the guilty parent remember her tres
pass against the regulations OF Lincoln Park OH
tue previous Sunday, and endure agonies of re-
morse. Lucky it is for her that the poison is
not fatal, when properly treated.
Yet, after all, there need not be so much fear
Of the Toxicodcn1ron. It is not likely that
more than two OF three specimens exist in the
park, aud they are, If existing confined to the
lower end. The gardener, who ought to
know his business, asserts his dishe-
lief Of the whole story. lie says that
it was the Virginia crcepcr which poison
cd several persons recently, and states
that he has removed every one Of the
vines. If that be SO, then visitors to Lincoln
Park may take courage. Mothers may destroy
the trees and strip the bushes with impunity
whenever the guard is not looking; lovers may
continue their innocent courtship undisturbcd
By earthly fears AID Interruptions; children
may ronp about the walks and lawns; and the
ruthless Toxicodcnlron will survive only as q
myth, to be recalled to memory while telling
stories on the doorsteps summer evenings, OF
while spending a Sunday holiday in Lincoln
Park.