Year: 1861

mites Of enjoying themselves, as my sleep
was sure to be long and sound. - gt


"'At length mania potu assailed me.
During my whole life no one had ever
thought of giving me single spoonful of
the water I had craved-the cooling, cheer
ing, refreshing drop of water! Now, no
longer cared for it. In my widest frenzies
I was accused of having the collie; down as
usual went the fiery drink, until finally 1
was literally burnt out. Twas nothing but
cinder within, shell without. My stom-
ach was cooked to a crisp, my intestines
were shriveled-my lungs, no fonger filed
with pure air, belched forth only the fiery
fumes that had consumed me. / died. I
was good for nothing. 1 hope whatever
form my dust is destined to take on earth,
it will not be!watered,as when inhabited it,
with alcohol


Gas this speaker ceased, there arose a
wall of sympathy, such as had first attract
ed me to the Pandemoniac chamber; as it
subsided, another little figure had taken the
stand:


"My legs he said, brought me out of
the world. My mother labored under the
strange delusion that her child was born a
Highland laddie, of American parents, and
in America. was undressed, or left un-
dressed rather, in short plaid stockings,
reaching to the calf of my leg, and an ele-
giant kilt reaching just to the knee. My
limbs were moulded in cherubic forms, and
when exposed in the nursery were pretty.
But the nursery was too narrow field in
which to display my beauty. On bitter
cold days l was walked out over the icy
streets, the keen winds chapping my flesh
and chilling my blood till my knees looked
like twin nutmeg graters painted purple. l
used to look at mothers long comfortable
skirts and thick leggins drawn up over
warm hose, and wondered if she could sur
vive fashion such as wore if adopted by
herself. became afflicted with infamma.
tory rheumatism, and, unable to endure the
pain, gave up the ghost.


II felt," said my grandmother, q" that this
victim was a sacrifice to fashion started
since my day. I know that your father
was never dressed in so ridiculous style
when little boy, for with my own hands
knit his warm wOollen stockings, and saw
that his comfortable little trousers came
we'll over the instep of his little calf-skin
shoes.


The next speaker was a dream-faced
little girl, who trembled as she rose aud
said ::


81 am an opium. eater. My death
warrant was written on the label of the first
bottle of Godfrey's Cordial brought into
my mothers house. A few drops at first
suffced to hush my feeble cries. Then
Godfrey's Cordial would not do. A few
drops of pure laudanum were then admins
tered. Soon could not 60 to sleep With
out it. Then my nurse would give me
small opium pill in my panada. Of course
| was but little trouble. I was deep
sleeper, but my digestion became impaired;
too much sleep weakened me, and l knew
no natural slumber. My eyes became like
those of sleep walker, full of dreams when
wide awake. lost my appetite my head
grew full of pain; my baby heart was al
ways aching. l closed my eyes one day
forever on the home where felt could be
little loved, where my low walls were never
permitted to appeal to those around me,
but were hushed at once, where my blue
eyes were scarcely ever permitted to look
around in the world in which they had been
opened, and where, instead of proper care
and food aud exercise, the banetul pill and
enervating steep were all that was offered to
me. There are many parents who seem to
think children must pass their childhood
'out of the way and only get in the way
when they have become, in spite OF all sorts
OF ill-treatment, useful or ornamental mem
bers of society,""


This child was still speaking" said my
grandmother, "when rushed out. | had
been a mother once, and could not listen
to these innocents in that fearful wailiDg
chamber, recapitulating the woes that bad
sent them there, any longer.


81 felt impelled to revisit earth. came.
In no light could make myself visible to
you until your tallow candle was brought
in.


My dear, remember what l have told
you. Some of these days you may be a
mother. Be more than careful of the sa-
cred charge of little children. Think for
them, feel for them. Do not, to ease your
cares sink them into unnatural slumbers, or
give them over to selfish nurses. Upon you
hangs their lives-in great measure their
happiness, both here and hereafter-I beg
you will give"


Just at this moment the cock crew loudly.
The voice at my elbow was still. l looked
around-tbe rocking. chair was empty, the
ghost had vanished.


The evidence thus far ELECTED before the
Naval Court, in the case of Commodore
Armstrong, shows that this officer, notwith