American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-01-01
Result Of a Practical Joke.

The mischief that thoughtless boys
sometimes do by their practical jokes is
Unreasonable, and as often unknown
to them. A while since, q lady was con-
versing with dear friend, who made
the remark that '.she had never been
the same person since her fall"
The lady answered that she had never
been informed in regard to any injury
from which she was suffering.
81 thought L had told you," she re-
piled. cit happened twenty years ago.
You noticed the scar upon my forehead.
1t is from the wound l then received.
We were moving, and 1 went out in
great haste, and was walking very brisk
Iy, when stumbled over a cord that
some boys had fastened across the
street, where the workmen were re-
pairing the gas-pipes. l fell directly
into the trench, striking upon my fore
head and also breaking my left arm
in three places, so that the bone
pierced through the flesh. was taken
up senseless, the blood streaming
from my mouth, nosrrils and ears; and,
as we were in new neighborhood.
no one recognized me. and was taken
to saloon near by and seated in a
chair upon the sidewalk. OF course,
I was soon surrounded by a curiou
crowd, among whom came a poor old
woman, whom had bcfriended in her
poverty. Through her exertions my
husband was found and l was taken
home. Several physicians were sum-
moned, all of whom advised that L be
allowed to die in peace, my injuries
being considered fatal. But at the en-
treaties of my husband and friends, OPP
erations were performed, and as l lived
through them, the physicians took cour-
age. At four different times the probes
were introduced into the forehead to re-
ieve the pressure upon the brain. As
the use of chloroform was then I'M
known, had to endure to the uttermost
the excruciating torture the operations
inflicted.
81 was insane for weeks, and it was
three months between the first and last
operations. So you can judge of the
extent of my sufferngs.''s
'.Since you make no illusions to the
broken arm," said the lady friend, 81
infer that it gave you less trouble than
your head"
my arm healed very well, but has
been comparatively useless ever since.
l was formerly fine pianist, but since
the fall cannot use my hand at the pi-
ano, and it is so weak that it is of little
use for most practical purposes"
''Were the boys ever discoveredp"
inquired her visitor.
mo. A reward of hundred dol
lars was offered, but they were not
found. Possibly they never knew the
evil their thoughtlessness caused. But
that little cord across my path has al
ready caused me twenty years of suffer-
ing, for 1 have not seen a well day
sincer'
Now, boys, you who have read this
incident, pause and ask yourself if ever
you were guilty of thoughtless deed
1t is not by any means an uncommon
thing for boys to do in the city, this
stretching of cords across the side
walks; and we have known several
people to be injured by them.
Let this unfortunate lady's expert
ence be warning against all practical
Jokes that are liable to inilict injury.
Many BOYS do not distinguish between
mischief ana fun. Whatever can injure
another is mischief. Humanity speak
ing, death would have been preferable
to the fearful pain and lifelong suffer-
ing caused by the boys who inflicted
such in uries upon that lady.
1 might tel( you how beautiful she
was at the time of her fall; how happy
as young bride; how kind and benev-
olent and Christian she still is; how
tender toward children; and
what friend to the poor. And yet all
her life has been embttercd by mis-
chievous boys.-Golden Days.