Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-03-09
MARK TWAIN.
He Tells of n Case of Group in
the McWilliamS Family.

Well, to 90 back to where | was
before / digressed to explain to you
how that frightful and incurable dis
ease, membranous Group, was ravag-
ing the town and driving all mothers
mad with terror, l called Mrs. Nc
William S attention to little Penelope
and said:
Darling, | wouldn't let that child
be chewing that pine stick, if were
you"
"Precious, where is the harm in
it?" said she, but at the same time
preparing to take away the stick-for
women cannot receive even the most
palpably judiclous suggestion with
out arguing it; that is, married wo-
men.
"Love, it is notorious that pine is
the least nutritious wood that child
can eat.
NV wife's hand paused in the act
of taking the stick, and returned
itseTr 70 her Tap Sire bfiffttfeSt per
ceptibly, and said:
"Hubby, you know better than
that. You know you do. Doctors
all say that turpentine in pine wood
is good for weak back and the kid
neys."
"Ah! Twas under a misapprehen-
sion. did not know that the child's
kidneys and spine were affected, and
that the family physician had recon-
mended-"
'Who said that the child's spine
and kidneys were affected?'
"My love, you intimated it."
sThe idea! l never intimated any
thing of the kind"
"Why, my dear, it hasn't been
two minutes since you said"
"Bother what | said! | don care
what I did say. There isn't any
harm in the child's chewing bit OF
pine stick if she wants to, and you
know it perfectly well. And she
shall chew it, too. So there, nowr'
Say no more, my dear. / now see
the force of your reasoning, and
will 90 and order two or three cords
of the best pine wood to-day. Nc
child of mine shall want while
| To
"Oh, please go along to your office
and let me have some peace. A body
can never make the simplest remark
but you must take it up and 60 to ar
guing, and arguing, and arguing til
you don't know what You are argu
ing about, and you neUer do"
"Very well, it shall be as you say
But there is want of logic in youl
last remark which"
However, she was gone with
flourish before / could finish, and haG
taken the child with her. Tha
night at dinner she confronted mt
with a face as white as sheet.
20 Mortimer, there's another
Little George Gordon is taken"
"Membranous croup%
"Membranous Group"
ais there any hope for him?"
"None in the wide world. Oh
what is to become of usY'
By and by our nurse brought IL
our Penelope to say goodnight ant
offer the customary prayer at the mo
theirs knee. In the midst of "Now
lay me down to sleep" she gave ;
slight cough. My wife fell bacl
like one stricken with death. Blu
the next moment she was up ant
running away with the activenes
which terror inspires.
She commanded that the child
} crib be removed from the nursery t.
our bedroom; and she went aloni
to see the order executed. She too
me with her, of course. We go
matters arranged with speed. A co
bed was put up in my wife's dressing
room for the nurse. But now Mrs
McWilliams said we were too ia
away from the other baby, and wha
if he were to have the symptoms il
the highland she blanched again
poor thing.
We then restored the crib and tn
nurse to the nursery, and put up
bed for ourselves in a room &C
joining.
Presently, however, Mrs McWi
liams said, suppose the baby shoul
catch it from Penelope2 Thi
thought struck new panic to he
heart, and the tribe of US could not g
the crib out of the nursery again fas
enough to satisfy my wife, thong
she assisted with her own person an
welI-nigh pulled the crib to pieces
= her hurry.
Wa nouad down stairs hnt the