St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-02-16
Western Correspondence.
CHICAGO, Feb. 8, 1877.
DAVID GOODALL

Enclosure a few days before Thanksgiv-
ing, and, breathing no gentle zephyrs,
languished to no melting mood until
January was breathing his last. Sixty
three days of sleighing in one superb
installment is something previously IN
known in this city. On the great fast
horse thoroughfare-West Washington
street-500 turn-Outs of one sort and
another were observed to pass a given
point in half an hour. The city fathers
resolved to prohibit fast driving, but
their efforts reached only resolves, and
as good luck has had it, great deal of
sport has been the result, with no NOR
tai disasters. The street is one, not of
business, but of fine residences and ele-
CANT churches, on which there is not
during business hours in cold days much
crossing or passing except by those out
for drive. Everybody is satisfied and
willing to say goodbye to the sleighing
for the coming of more genial days.
Chicago and many other places in
the West are being fearfully scourged
by diphtheria and scarlet fever this
winter. 1t is not quite in accordance
with our estimate of the virtues of a
dry atmosphere, that last winter with
its dampness and warmth was unusual
ly healthy, while this winter with its
unusually dry and crisp atmosphere is
sickly almost beyond precedent. The
diseases above mentioned have pre-
vailed here to an alarming extent,
sweeping off children by scores and
hundreds, and while 200 doctors in
council are deciding that it is owing to
bad sewage and malarious air, and call
ing on health boards to take measures
to stay the increase of the plague, it
breaks out in the most healthful villages
in Indiana and Michigan, and proves
there as fatal as here. AS the wind
bloweth where it listeth, so these
diseases seem to go where and Stay
whom they will, and no one can say
unto them-Thus far and no farther,
unless it be DR.. Beebe, with his
sULPHO- CARBoLATE OF SODA.
Three or four weeks ago DR.. G.. d.
Beebe proclaimed to the public that.
taking hint from Professor Tyndall
he had been trying experiments with
carbolic acid to kill the germs now ad-
mitted to be the cause of these diseases.
Sulphate of soda would be diffused
through the system, but was not power
full enough to destroy the germs; car
bolic acid would destroy the germs. but
given with strength enough to be diff
fused through the system, was not quite
safe in the infantile stomach. SO the
doctor compounded the ingredients,
producing sulpho-c of soda, and
found medicine safe to administer and
certain to cure. But score of regulars
met the announcement with a cry of
empiric, and the declaration that they
all knew of this remedy they
say is no remedy-fve years or more
ago. But DR.. Beebe keeps pegging
away il the papers, advertising his
remedy, offering it cheap to the poor,
and even offering reward to any one
proving a case treated according to his
directions in which either disease has
proved fatal. The pr ofession denounce
him, but many people at present are
thinking that he has the best of the
argument.
RAGGIO'S RAGGED EDGE.
A week ago Saturday night three
thieves entered the house of Mrs.
Mitchell just at dusk with a purpose
to plumber. They over-powered and
gagged Mrs. Mitchell and threw her on
the bed, probably thinking it safe
place to hold her while taking her
diamonds, rings, watch, money and
whatever they fancied. Mrs Mitchell
bethought her of a pistol lying under
the pillow, seized the beautiful toy and
emptied three barrels among her rough
customers. The next day David Raggio,
one of the chief cracksmen and thieves
of Chicago, was dead in his mothers
poor hut, with bullet hole through
his lung, and bullet corresponding
with the bore of Mrs. Mitchell's revolver
somewhere between the shoulder blade
and the spine. His fellow thieves, some
twenty in number, gathered about him
with such sympathy as they could af-
ford, purchased a good metallic burial
case for his ashes, and with regrets for
the loss of leader and curses for the
ruthless luck that had so sadly bereaved
them, followed brave wicked heart to
the grave.
But more pleasing and more enter
tanning than these recitals of sport,
folly, suffering and sin, are the well
told
'TALES FROM TWO HEMIsPHERES."
III. Fl. BOyesen has a genius for story
telling equalled by few writer's of
romance, a vivid but well trained imagi-
nation, an easy and graceful style,-his
stories almost read themselves. When
one is begun the task is to lay the book
down before it is finished. This is a
book of 283 pages, uniform with Little
Classics and others of that class of
books, on clear type and tinted pages,
with red edges. 1t is Osgood g. Co.,
that get hold of such stories as these,