Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE WHOLE OF LIFE. Walter ia the Household Companion the following translation ol Du r’a “Un Pen d'Amour:’* ♦ A little work, a little play To keep us going—and so Good-dayl A Uttle warmth, n little light •f lore’s bestowing—and so ' Good-night! A little fun to match the sorrow iU each day'a journey—and so Good-morrow! A little trust, that when we die We reap our sowing—and so GoOd-by! DR DORN’S MISTAKE. ISS WILMAR’S <loc- L>r was dead. Now we all know it is very hard on any one to lose a physician on whom one is depend ent, and to whom one is greatly attached. To Miss Wilmar it was particularly so. Miss Wilmar, I must tell yon, was a maiden lady of some forty-five years, terj rich, very whimsical (as rich peo ple often consider that they have a right to he), and nervous and fussy, ■withal, fancying herself ailing a hundred times oftener than there was any need, and convinced that she oonld not live a week without the physician to examine her pulse and look at her tongue. Therefore you can -see at once that the good lady was in a most uncom fortable state of mind. What she was to do, she had not the slightest idea. The possibility of any one else taking the place of Dr. Dennet was ridiculous in itself. She was perfectly satisfied that there w r as no physician equal to him anywhere. She sighed deeply, and felt that now she was to be pitied indeed. She should never enjoy any thing like health again. And you can see, too, that if Miss Wilmar should get over this conviction and allow herself to be persuaded that there existed in the world another physician worth trusting, it would bo a very good thing for him; since, depend ent on frequent medical advice as she fancied herself ill, her doctor’s bill must necessarily be large. Her friends said, “Now, what will poor dear Miss Wilmar do?” And more than one physician in the town thought within himself what a particularly profitable thing it would be for him if he could get Miss Wilmar for a patient with her remuneration for service rendered. jald friend of Miss >i vmm fflRFMH^te^ndole with her and to offer advice. “What a great pity, Miss Wilmar, .that you have lost your physician. It must come very hard to you I” Yes, Miss Wilmar said, it did come very hard to her. She didn’t in the least know what to do. She would be very glad if anybody conld advise her in the matter! She certainly couldn’t live without a physician—a physician she must have. But what physician? There was the difficulty. “Why don’t you try Dr. Gray?" p* “Too slow! I never should get well under his care in tha world. He’d make me so nervous with his excessive moderation:’’ “Dr. Markham, then?" “He’s just the opposite. Como blustering in like a whirlwind, and won’t hear what you have to say,hard ly. Gives a patient no time ■whatever to describe symptoms. I want some body with some feeling!" “Dr. Hide?’’ “I hate homeopathy. I thought yon knew it.” “So I did, bnt I thought I’d mention him. Well, Dr. Carlton, if they won’t do?” “Wouldn’t have him to prescribe for ray cat?” Mrs. Leonard laughed. She didn’t see what Miss Wilmar could do. Half a dozen good physicians were within a stone’s throw, almost as one might say, and yet she would have none of them. “What do you think of Dr. Dorn? or haven’t you thought about him at all? He didn’t occur to my mind be fore, being somewhat new here. But . I have heard him spoken well of.” “To tell you the truth, I was think ing of him just before you mentioned bis name. I won’t have any of the others. And I should run some risk, any way. At all events I believe I’ll think about having him.” To a good many people in this world it is a relief to have made up one’s mind, even with the prospect of run ning a risk. And when Miss Wilmar’s anind was made up, as it was shortly, sbe felt very much better—quite cheer ful, indeed—and keeping Dr. Dorn in Iher mind almost constantly, she got , very soon to feeling as if she were quite well acquainted with him; so that the good lady actually bowed j very civilly to him the next time she met him in the street. Now, this was quite elevating to Dr. • Dorn’s feelings; for he knew, as well as any other physician in the place, that Miss Wilmar was on the lookout for a new medical adviser; and from th^> peculiar earnestness with which •he regarded him, he could not but I flatter himself thst she had been turn* - fng over his case in her mind; which, m we know, wta very hrie, indeed. As Mrs. Leonard had remarked, he had not been settled in the town a great while; and he was not very wide ly aoqnainted. But his manners were plausible, he had already become hand-in-glove with one or two rich families; and we must here mention that this was very gratifying to the doctor, for he liked exceedingly the society of the rich and great; and poor patients he did not by any means de sire. So that thus far his prospects were very pleasant ones indeed. He thought to himself that he should very soon be a rising man in the place— thought much of and looked up to. And when the rich Miss Wilmar bowed so graciously to him, he quite congrat ulated himself, as of course everybody thought ho had good reason to do. And it soon appeared a fact. For, not three days after this, Miss Wil mar, being attacked somewhat severe ly with neuralgia, sent for him imme diately to see her. The meeting was a very pleasant one, for Miss Wilmar, as we have said, having set her raiml on employing him, and thereby becoming used to the idea—which went a great way with her—and having, moreover, heard favorable accounts of him from some of the families where he visited, was quite prepossessed with him already. And when sho had had half an hour’s conversation with him, she liked him still more. He entered Into her feelings so completely, she .said— was so full of sympathy—seemed so clearly to understand her case. In fact, though different, of course, from I£r. Dennet, yet he was more fitted to take his place, in her estimation, than any physician she had ever known. He prescribed for her—the prescrip tion was successful, She had never experienced more decided relief even under Dr. Dennct’s care. For one ailment and another, she was obliged to send for him again and again; and every occasion gave her new faith in the doctor and his treatment. So that Dr. Dorn became established as Miss Wilmar’s physician; and she congratulated herself very much upon the tact—and so did he. , In fact, Dr. Dorn said to himself that he had made a considerable step in the world. Ho had been preferred before every old established practi tioner in the loa n. Miss Wilmar was rich—prompt in her payments—nced- iug frequent advice—what a good thing for him—for his reputation—for his purse! A very fortunate man was the doctor. He was sitting quite at leisure, in his office one evening, with his feet on the fender, and dreaming golden dreams of the future. Miss Wilmar had promised to introduce him to a wealthyfamily where Dr. Dennet had been employed, and in which he, in turn, was likely to gain favor. Ho was congratulating himself anew and building castles in the air, which seemed altogether too beautiful to be real, when the bell rang and dissipated them most effectually for the moment. A little girl of ten or twelve years came in with timid and hesitating step—a little girl with a cheap, gin gham dress and a coarse straw hat that had seen service. “What do you want?” asked the doctor gruffly. The child looked up, half fright ened. “Old Mr. Gray was tick; would Dr. Dorn come and see him?” “Who is Mr. Gray, and where does he live?” asked the doctor, indiffer ently. “Our neighbor, sir,” said the child; “he lives at No. 20.” “Well, well! I don’t know where you live. Can’t you tell me the name of the street?” lu her confusion sho had forgotten. She told him now—a street on the out skirts of the town, composed of only a few straggling, old-fashioned houses that had long and long since seenthoir best days, aud were mostly occupied now by very humble and unpretend ing people indeed. “Hum—ha! What ails him?” was the doctor’s next question. “Rheumatism, sir. He’s very bad to-night.” “Had any physician before?" “Dr. Dennet, sir—but he’s dead.” Dr. Dennet had been a favorite among the poor. “It's an inconvenient distance to night; couldn’t you have got a doctor somewhere nearer home?” “Mr. Gray sent me for yon, sir.” The doctor went, unwilling enough; reached, in the darkness, the old- fashioned brown house that pictured itself to his memory; found old Mr. Gray suffering a good deal, a circum stance which, howeyer, failed to awaken Dr. Dorn’s sympathy, bnt rather made him the crosser instead. So that ho was unnecessarily short and gruff, and seemed likely to fright en and worry the poor old patient more than to help him. Mrs. Gray, a gentle, lady-like though somewhat nervous elderly woman, was affected quite as much as her husband at the doctor's qnite indifferent and almost rude manner, bat did her ver^ best to smooth and conciliate and please; so that, to have seen her half-terrifled politeness of manner, one wonld have pitied the poor old lady very much in- cLogcI* It is, perhaps, needless to say that the doctor had at once taken note of the surroundings. They were plain, old-fashioned, like the house—lua- boring, well-worn furniture, patched curtains, a homespun carpet, patched, too. He made his visit short os pos sible. You’ll come again to-morrow or next day?" asked Mrs. Gray, following him to the door, and speaking as if she were asking a great favor, which she had no right to ask. The doctor half promised, roughly aud uncivilly, as usual,and banged the door behind him, without having the grace to say “Good sight.” He did not go again for three days —then only dropped in as he was go ing by. Old Mr. Gray was very littlo better, and complained, in his gentle, feeble way, and made the doctor crosser than ever. Poor old Mrs. Gray actually felt as if they had asked too great u favor ol the doctor in‘requesting his attend ance. She mentioned to him that she had heard of him being so excellent a physician—her niece Hetty had recom mended him—wonld he wait a mo ment and see her? Hetty had only just stepped into the other room, anil would be very glad to sec him. “Can’t stop, ma’am,” answered the doctor, in tones quite contrasting with the smooth and cheerful ones accus tomed to greet the ear of his rich patient, Miss Wilmar. “And I think, ma’am, your husband’s getting alone —will do very well. Let him continue the application as directed. There’s no need of my coming again.” Not coming again! and poor old Mr. Gray hardly relieved in the least! Mrs. Gray looked, just a little rising pride from her gentle eyes, said noth ing, but produced a pocketbook con taining a great deal more money than too doctor wonld have believed could have been found in the honse, and paid, without a moment’s ques tion, the fee he demanded. It was an exorbitant fee, too, considering what Dr. Dorn believed to bo tho circum stances of his patient. To tell the truth, ho was surprised at being paid so promptly and liberally. Ho looked a littlo puzzled—lingered a little— but not a word said Mrs. Gray or her husband, only waited for him to go, which he did very slowly, bidding them a tolerably civil good-morning. “Well, aunt!" ejaculated Miss Wil- mer, stepping out from an adjoining room, us tho doctor left the honse. “This is what you get by living sc that upstarts like that think you’re nc better than paupers! To be sai 3, it’* none of his business, or that of any body else, if you choose to live to suit yourself. And he may reckon on Lav ing had the last of your money, oi mino either. Not a step does he set in my house again 1 I’il have anotbei physician to-morrow. ” And so she did. Ar4 Dr. Dorn, astonished aud mortified, never .knew tho reason till one fine day he discov ered that Miss Wilmar herself wa« the “niece Hetty" of whom Mrs. Gray had made mention. IM1J Tact in the Sick Iteotu. If thero must bo talking in a sick room let it be distinct and not in a suppressed voice, for nothing is more irritating to the sick than whispering, whether or not there is an effort to hear. No matter how weak or indif ferent, or in how much of a stupor be may appear to be in, the patient may yet be conscious of every word you say, and be discouraged by any unfa vorable remark you make in his hear ing. In his weak condition it may be the last strain the nervous system is able to bear, and thus your own words may perhaps prove the means of mak ing your unfavorable prognosis of bin case true. Persons in such a very delicate condition sometimes only par tially hear and understand remarks thoughtlessly made in their presence, and their minds being weak, and tho imagination nnreslrained, their worst fears arc excited, and the stimulus of hope being taken away, the feeble flame of life is thus sometimes extin guished when it might otherv/iso have rallied for many more years of life. There is no doubt that many well- meaning aud well-intentioned persons with every desire to minister to the wants of those who are on a sick bed, helpless and in pain, add to the suffer ings of the patients by this thoaght- lesq and inconsiderate conduct. A littlo exercise of tact and common eense would alter ail this. —The Led ger. Top«v-Turrjr. This It Is that puzzles me— How the little -Japunee, Way b -yoad the areal salt sea, lu the laud of silk and tea. Is just opposite to me! Both are standing on the ground, And the earth between is round! O. I cannot help but frown. For p< rhup.H I’m ui side down, And our peaceful little town. And its church and steeple brown, Also are all upside down! No. I will not think 'ti-* 1 Who am hauginif in the sky— 1 much rather think ’tis he. The funny little Japauee. -Archibald F. Iteddie in Little Men and Women. Old-Time TTantlers Babies, Did yon know that.in the eighteenth century, almost all the dolls were made by tho children of the Nether lands? They weren’t called dolls then, but “Flanders babies” instead. There used to ho an old English couplet which ran thus: “Tho children of Holland take pleasure in making, What tho children of England take pleasure In breaking.” Ferdinand De Solo. Ferdinand De Soto, who discovered the Mississippi rixer, was born in Fsiremadora, Spain, about 141)5. He came to America when very young, aud was one of the most during com panions of Pizarro in tho conquest of Peru, lu 15J58 he attempted the con quest of Florida, believing that he should find heaps of gold there, in stead of which he and his men hud a very sad lime, ami after many mis fortunes gat e up their fruitless search. Do Sota died on the banks of the Mississippi iu 1542, and his com panions, wishing to conceal his death from the Indians, sank the body by- night in the middle of the river. Diamonds Made to Order. 0 The time is coming when the jeweler who receives an order for a ten-karat diamond, will say obligingly: “I will send out at once and have it made. Do yoa prefer pink or white?" Several famous scientists have been experimenting with diamond-making and they report that they are able to make real diamonds, although small ones. AH that is necessary is very great heat and pressure. Dr. Qnirino Majoramt, an Italian experimenter, heats a bit of carbon with intense electrical current and then gives it n pressure caused by an explosion and amounting to 5000 times the ordinary pressure of the atmosphere. When the carbon thus treated is cooled he finds within it real diamond crystals. A Frenchman named Moissau has reached the same result by dissolving carbon in molten iron, then allow ing the iron' to cool under very great pressure. There may come a time when the experimenters will be able to make large diamonds. Overland Telegraph In Australia. It is not generally known that there is a telegraph across the Southern de sert lands of the Australian continent of two thonsand miles in length, and which runs partially through an unin habited country and long tracts of a waterless desert. While it was being constructed, over two thonsand tons of material had to be carried far into the interior, and many of the iron and wooden piles were conveyed fonr hundred miles. A recent report saye that the wear and tear of this telegraph construction has been inconsiderable, bat there is great difficulty found iu supplying the stations across the de sert with operators. Safest Lightning Bads. Electricians have lately been experi menting on the efficacy of lightning rods, there being a difference of opinion whether a thin or a thick lightning rod should be employed. Bat according to %oioal observations made on the rode daring the heavy atorme, a stoat rod, One having a large , diameter of metal, le the safer. Two Friaml*. In the Zoological gardens in San Francisco is a big lion named Paul. There wandered one day into these gardens a little kitten. 80 far as this little kitten knew, there was nothing iu this great big world hut friendly,, lovable people. The kitten went about all day iu the gardens, being fed by children, and when night came she found herself in with the animals in the zoo. She felt quite at home, for some of them were her own relations —very much larger and somew hat dif ferent in shape, bnt still they were cousins and secofid cousins. In one of the cages is a big lion who is very old. The kitten, just like all lovable things, felt very sorry for the big lion, who found it difficult to stand up, and whose head was gray; so Kitty made up her mind ahe would be his friend, and wasn’t it beautiful? Old Paul was just as anxious to be Kitty’s friend. When Kitty got into the cage Paul got up and met her, and put his bead down close to her, so that it was almost like a kiss. When Paul lay down again, poor tired little Kitty crawled right on his neck, and there the keeper found her in the morning. After this Paul and Kitty were the closest friends, and Kitty for several weeks slept right in the curve of the lion’s neck, and in daytime crawled all over him.—The Outlook. - Child Inventors. That many children have great in genuity of mind in fashioning toys of varions kinds is well known, says the Cincinnati Enquirer. That they have very frequently turned thia quality to good use in the invention and con »traction of some of our useful and mechanical appliances is attested by the following instances: '1 he children of a Dutch spectacle maker happened to be playing one day with some of their father’s glasses in front of the shop door. Placing two of the glasses together they peeped through them and were exceedingly astonished to see the weathercock of the neighboring steeple brought with in a short distance of flieir eves. They were naturally . puzzled, and called their father to see the strange sight. When the spectacle maker looked 1 through the glasses ho was no lesa surprised than the children had been, lie went indoors and thought the mutter over, and then the idea oc curred to him that he might construct a curious new toy which would give the people a good deal of amusement. He did so, and Galileo,hearing of thia instrument that was said to make dis tant things appear close ijt hand, saw at onci what a valuable help it would be to the atudy of the heavens. Ho std to work himself on it, aud soon produced the telescope. A poor Swiss, named Argand, in vented a lamp w ith a wick fitted into, u hollow cylinder, up which u cnrienf was allowed to pass, thus giving u‘ supply of oxygen to the interior as well as the exterior of tho circular fiame. At first Argand used the lump without a glass chimney,the invention' of which important adjunct would doubtless have been delayed for some time hud it unt been for the thought less juvenile experiments of his littlo brother. One day when Argand was busy iu his workroom, and sitting before the burning lamp, this boy watt amusing himself by placing u bottomless oil Husk over the different articles. Sud-’ deuly he placed it upon the tlnme of' the lamp, which instantly shot up the long circular neck of the think with increased brilliancy. Argand did not happen to be the man to allow such a suggestive occurrence to escape him. The idea of the lamp chimney almoat immediately came into his head, and in a short time the invention was per fected. One of the early difficulties with the steam engine was that of condenaing with the steam in the cylinder. Havary dashed cold water on tho out side, hut Newcomen afterward in vented a method of directing a stream of cold water into the inside of the * cylinder at every ^se of the piston. This was accomplished by two stop cocks which were turned by hand, and the whole action of the machine de pended on the attention of the person who watched these two cocks, Humphrey Potter, n boy employed to tend one of the Newcomen’s en gines belonging to Mr. Beighton, found the constant watching so troublesome that he set himself to contrive a way by which the cocks might be turned at the right time, and yet allow him j an opportunity of playing with the boys in the street. Observing that the particular moment at which tho valve required to he open or the ad mission of the steam was when the 1 umprod end of the beam was rniced to Us highest, and that the moment at which the other cock required to bo open was when the piston rod end was at its highest, he saw that, by attach ing strings to the stop-cocks and con necting them with various parts of the beams, the rising and falling of the two ends would turn the two cooks as necessary. This rude gear of a skulk ing boy was discovered and practically adopted, rodo being substituted foj the strings. A Bool marking Machine. First-class English hotels are now adopting about-polishing machine,the novelty of which is great enough to tempt even the most fastidious- into this distasteful task, because ono has nothing to do but direct the motion of the brush, the power being supplied electrically. A small machine, that can be placed on a bench, table, ou the floor, or anywhere, the proper connection being made with the light ing circuit, is all that is required. It consists of a small motor, driving a flexible shaft, which carries at its free extremity a revolving brush. At the extreme end of this brush, to the left, is the hardest brush making about 1500 revolutions per minute,for clean ing off the mud and dust. At the op posite end is the blacking brush, which is fed automatically by a roller, and revolves at a comparatively low rate of speed, so that when Jot needed it can be thrown out of gear by simply pushing a spring. Midway between the end brushes are those intended for drying and polishing, and,as these revolve very rapidly,and any pressure can be applied, a boot is polished in a remarkably short time. A modifica tion of this machine is used for clean ing and polishing china, glass and silverware in hotels and restaurants. One great advantage claimed for them over other machines is that they are practically noiselesa in operation.-^- Machinery. In October the orders for new aggregated 5889, * The Pullman ace Cm coBtpaqy got orderi for 4i