The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-12-31
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X THE OBSERVATORY \
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| can we'll remember when there
was no thought of quarantine, with
the exception of smallpox, in cases of
contagious diseases; it is wonder
that such epidemics did not reap a
much larger harvest. Somewhat over
ninety years ago there was a wide
spread prevalence of scarlet fever in
I Massachusetts town out of which
some interesting incidents grew;
families had from one to three or four
cases, some proving fatal; in one case
two out of four attacked dying, the
two graves which | used to see in
my boyhood, which would recall some
stories connected with that particular
family. So many children i'll in one
farm house awakened much sympathy
and as was usual on such cases, assiS-
lance was not wanting; when one OF
the last of the children died young
man of less than twenty was there to
assist and was next attacked himself
his fever ragged severely, and his life
was dispaired of, and twice it was
thought he was dying; but as so often
in that treacherous disease the fever
turned, and he slowly recovered; it
was very soon discovered that while
strength was returning to the body
| his mind was not aclear; and when
Eble to leave his bed and move about
he acted queerly, and when his friends
outside the family came to see him he
| lid not recognize them; the gravest
| fears were awakened; when he was
well enough to return to farm work
he could not be depended on and
there was much consulting in the
family as to what was best to be done.
| 1t was midsummer and the family
doctor suggested that he have
change of scene and to some extent,
of climate. His sister next older had
more influence with him than any one
else. The family had relatives in the
state of Maine, and it was finally ar
ranged that the sister should ac-
company him on trip to that state,
going by horse and chaise, the latter
of the old-fashioned variety, hung on
two high wheels and leather thorough
braces, most comfortable vehicles;
there was room enough for needed art
icles, including lunch basket, for
the sister determined to keep him in
the open air all she could; and off
they went, across northeastern Mass
achusetts and southeastern New
Hampshire into western Maine; ana
they had no sooner started than the
fun began; fun, as they looked back
on the trip and the sister recounted
his antics; but while he was practic-
ing them she was anxious enough, not
knowing what he might do next.
When driving through country town
one day they passed the church with
the burying ground near by which
was surrounded by a delapidated
stone wall, there being long gaps
where it had fallen down; attention
was called to its condition and that
the wall in its present state would not
keep cattle out; suddenly he seized
the reins from her hands, hit the
horse a cut with the whip and drove
right over the wall, and bounced
around over the graves in immenent
peril OF being overturned by some OF
the gravestones; at last the sister Sc
cured hold of the reins and guided
the horse out of the place, with no
harm done beyond a shaking up, but
determined to keep sharper eye on
her cratic brother. Another day thew
were ready to start after a night at a
tavern; she was seated in the chaIse
ana he was about to get in when a
butchers cart passed and drew uu
Just in front of them; the New Eng.
land butchers cart has a canvass COW
cred top painted white, with a cur
tam behind and a cross-piece at the
end OF the wagon floor on which 10
cut and hack the beef; the meat usual
iy spread over the bottom and fowls
and vegetables on shelf on the front
part; the butcher drew up, jumped
on his cart and ran around to a back
door for an order; no sooner had he
gone than the brother darted forward
reached into the cart seized a pair al
tat chickens, thrust them under his
, coat and ran; the sister screamed
jumped out of the chaise and gave pur.
SUIT, but the butcher returning To-
wards his cart had caught sight of the
theli and was ahead of the sister. He
ran down the village street. turned
into yard, around to the kitchen
door. where he met a housewife and
said "Oh Madaml I'm at the point al
starvation; will you please cook thess
: chickens for mel" BY that time The
butcher arrived on the scene and
seized him, with the sister al hi.
heels, with an explanation, which wa,