The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-09-22
. Miss Wilson's Leg.

her right leg. She was then young
and pretty, and had she mislaid her
leg every chivalrous Caroliuiau in tho
country would have joined in the
search for it. Unfortunately, hCr loss
was an,irrOvocablc one. Having unin-
tcntionallY inserted her leg under the
wheel Of q hcavily-loaded wagon, she
found that tho once shapcly limb was
so completely ruined that she consent.
cd to have it cut of and thrown away.
Its place was iu timc supplied with a
cork leg, and Miss Wilson souOw-
fully resigned herself to limping
through a lovclcss lifo to solitary
grave.
There never has been any active de-
maud for women with wooden legs. a
man with wooden leg suffers GER
tain amount Of Inconvenience, but be
loses nothing in character or populsri.
ty, whereas woodcn.leggod woman is
whether justly or upjus,ly, under a
social ban. Iu fact, for woman to
lose leg is ordinarily to lose all hope
of marriage. a man who is about to
marry cauuot be blamed for prCferring
whUlu wife to one partially made of
cork-espcciulIy as the fOrHer costs no
more than the latter. A superficial
thinker, might, perhaps. fancy th4t a
husband whose wile had but ono origi-
nal leg would save fifty per cent in the
price Of striped stockings aud kid
shoes but q little reflection will show
That a cork leg requires just as much
clothing rs tho usual style Of leg, and
heuce it is not au economical cOutri-
vausc. 0i course, it is mean and sell
isL i'll a mau to permit the presence Or
absence Of mere tride Of u leg TO af-
feet his feelings toward ap estimabIo
woman; but human nature is weak.
aud hc would be bpld nun who could
camly look forward to marrying a wo'
man who might somc morning inter.
rupt him while shaving by asking,
"Jamcs, would you miud handing inc
my leg Z? think you'll fud it behind
tha. rocking-chair.
1t is alleged 5y Miss Wilson's neigh.
bOrs that as she grew older she grew
hard ard cynical, This was perhaps,
to have been expected She saw her.
self iguorod by all marrying men, while
girls with Lalf her bcauty, aud whose
oolc superiority consisted in larger
number Of legs, captured husbands
without any difficulty. Gradually she
became embittered against her bipcdal
tellow.crcalurcs and the local Baptist
minister was probably right when he
characterized her US u hard.hcartcd,
worldly woman. One day, however,
Miss Wilson attended camp meeting,
aud was softeucd by tho eloqucnce Of
the preacher and the shouts Of the wor.
shippers, and soon after Piueville was
surprised and pleased by the announce.
ment that on noxt Sunday Sister Will
son would be baptized.
Now, tho public performance Of the
rite Of baptism by Rev Mr.. Waters, Of
tic pinevillc Sevcnth.Day Baptist
Church, always drew large audience.
That powerful and agile preacher was
admitted to bo without q rival as q
rapid and effective baptizer. On one
occasion, when q Presbyterian minis
ter, preaching against baptism by in-
mersion, showed that St. John the
Baptist had once baptized a multitude
Of persons at the rate Of two and o half
DER minute, and that hence be could
not have immersed them, Mr.. Waters
publicly baptized twenty-five persons
in eight minutes, thus beating St.
Johns best timo by two full minutes,
and completely OvcrthrOwlng the Pres
bytcriau's argument. With all his
unequalcd rapidity Of execution, hO was
never careless or inconsideratc. There
was rival Baptist minister in the
next county who would sometimes be-
conc carried away by bis emotions, ,and
would sing an entirc verse of long
metre hymn while holding a convert
under water; and although stalwart
teamster who was thus treated once
fell from grace, and upsetting tho min
lister in tho water held him under IN.
til hO was nearly drowned, tho rcVer'
end enthusiast was not cured Of his
careless habit. When, therefore, Miss
Wilson consented to bo bapsiscl by the
D;,or;lio m;nistnr. she kney that she