Connecticut western news., 1883-08-08
VOL. XIII.

TOT measure Just aS well US Soou oSG or one of the boughten kind"
 When the rats found their way into the cellar at the Flint Mill, Mercy took some fresh tar and poured little at the points of ingress and egress, and that put stop to their "carryin's on," as she expressed it.
 I learn so many things from her. Now, I did think that after child's stockings were worn out at the knees, there was no help only to use them for securing rags, but that woman, my good, careful kind, saving neighbor, knits top on oi another color of yarn and if the feet are gone, too, she knits new feet, and they are as nice as spick-span pair that the child never had on. She is so inven- tive; so rich in resources, so ready to see her way out of narrow places. am amused with her wholesome good sense.
 One time Katie Beldon, she that was Kate Cameron before marriage, was spending month with us. Her babe was not more than three or four months old, and was restless nights and threw up it's milk, and took long crying spells, and none of us knew what was the mat ter. I knew Mercy, down at the Mill, would have dozen cures, and I was glad she did not happen in while Roy was enjoying one of his periodical howls.
 But one morning she came in bustling with, "What is the all of that child, do you suppose I was out in the berry patch picking my Thursday berries for jam, and says to Miss, says I, Miss I'm going to run over and see what's wrong. Bless his heart, let his auntie take him; so there now, they shan't 'buse my lit tie lam, so they shan't now" and she sat down, turned the wrong side of her apron, and laid him on it and began un- fastening his clothes. When his back was bare, she rubbed down the spine, 8 finger on each side of the bone, two or three times, at which he flinched visibly. sI thought so, Miss Beldon; your baby is iver-grown," said she, pickering her mouth.
 'Ah P said the young mother, "what does that mean ?"
 "Well, don't hardly know. guess it means that the liver has grown fast to the backbone, and that it is too big for the size of the baby. It is easy cured, though; most all my babies had it. Some folks make fun and don't believe in it, but what one learns by experience they know to be 8 fact. Now, will tell you what would do right away for the dear little suferin' fellow, bless his sweet heart" said she, in a cooing, manner.
 Just here I caught Kate's eye, and this was what my glance telegraphed to her
 "She is superstitious; don't laugh or make fun of my good neighbor-please don't"
 "Well, I would take everything off the child and lay him on my lap on a piece of sheet or quilt, made by some person who has been dead long enough to have gone back to dust. ,"
 "Yes," said Kate, attentively and DO litely.
 "And then would put some clean, sweet lard in the oldest tin-cup I could find, and melt 1t on a shovel of coals out in the yard, with your face turned to the east, never saying loud word to any one. Have the lard ready melted before you lay him on your lap."
 "Yes, madam" said Kate, prettily.
 ''Then begin aud grease his little back and Joins with downward rubbing every time, his head turned to the east without fail. Finish up with rubbing over the soles of his feet Then wind veil o1 small shawl around your head the way women wore them, turban fashion, ill Bible days wrap him in the old sheet or quilt and carry him, feet first, to each of the four corners of the room. Gc round the room seven times; then have the table stand in the middle of the room, and around the leg in the direction of the east lift him, round and round fol seven times. Then grease him again wrap him mp, nurse him, and.let him gt to sleep, and he'll never have the liver grown any more."
 My good neighbor how gladly would have saved her from an expose of he whims and superstitions, but Kate dit not laugh and loved her for it. These queer notions made her none the less : good neighbor. never laughed at her
 When our good cider vinegar becam, insipid and lost it's acidity, she told m, that I should have been bette posted; that vinegar always died whel there was death among the connec tions, unless some one not related to tn family went and shook up the barrel an made 1t change its mind.
 And when said our onions were s strong, not sweet ard good as usual she remarked that it would teach me
 lesson, that she had told me not to so, the seed when the sign was in the lion
 One day while Kate was with us I ss out on the porch rocking and meudin overalls, while she and her baby swun in the hammock near by, under tn
 wide-spreading branches of the old eln
 "What pretty country place this is
 said she ''how I would like to live hel
 if could have the choosing of my ow
 neighbors. Ha, ha :! I'd have dear Grat
 Greenwood live there in the shadow
 those fine butternut trees Josephir
 Scott, the beauty-loving artist, shoul
 live on that fine grassy knoll this side
 the dense, leafy wall of native oaks
 Clara Louise Kellogg, the sweet singe | shOnld ahido nnonnn fhn InnLs nr