The Confederate union. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1862-1865, October 20, 1863, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextliUL'CHTON) XISBET, BARNES & MOORE rablishcrs and Proprietors. j «>■*■ IIO | <; i Eilltom. K. NfltfBKT. i gjre Confekratc Slnton j u „uhhshell Weekly, in Milledqcr.Ule, Ga., ‘ Ct* *rnvr °f Hancock and Wilkinson Sts (opposite Court House.) At $5 a year in Advance. OIB NEW TERM!*. 1 after September 1st, 18G3,the Terms of Sub- t .) the CoofeJerate Union, nrc Five Do gciipfon^.^J” Iq oJv.auce. All indebtedness for ,, t., this paper, previous to June 1st, 18C3, “luhe «te of Three Dollars per year. advertising. 5T One dollar and fifty cents per square lj„,for the first insertion, and one dollar ' en . .i, subsequent insertion. ,,f respect, Resolutions by Societies, (Oliil- rl ' M-.-edint; six lines.) Nominations for office, 111 1, 4 ' pious or Editorial notices for individual 1 leinred as transient advertising. ,_ r ’itations for letters of administra- YOLUME XXXIV.] 31ILLEDGE VIL LE, GEORGIA, TUESDAY, OCTOBERS, 1863. [NUMBER 22. My Pirst Call in the Swamp. i can’t have ’sperience, but sens he’s here i tail out as required for the moral edi-f my usual rule, never to acknowledge Ta»N listrators, Executors, Guarili- tiou by Auunnii ’ |, for Dismission from Administrator- . $3 0(> , tut ion for Dismission from Guardianship, , at'on for leave to sell Land or Negroes, A 1 ' 1 - ., to debtors and creditors “ personal or perishable property, (per of ten lines tales of fine f-ieh Sheriff’s Levy, of ten lines or less I .eh Mortgage sale, often lines or less \.; advertisements by Sheriffs exceeding ten lines to be charged in proportion......... foreclosure of Mortgage and other Monthly ad vertiseineuts. per square of ten lines.... Establishing lost pnpers, per square olten lines, E„r umauadvertising his wift (in advance,) fi 00 4 00 5 (Si 4 00 2 00 5 00 3 00 fi 00 1 50 8 00 10 00 Come quick, Mass’ Doctor! ole well have to let him goon ; half a ’pol- j fication of the females of his “ beat missus got a fit!” aroused me from my ; ogy is better, ’an no commisseration is ! consefpiently, his coming was an event poetical revery, and brought the invo-| an aggravated insult.” of great and exciting interest to the cation to Esculapius to an abrupt ter- j Paying no attention to her deprecia- womenkind generally, mination. j tory rental ks, but determined to show It is a trite observation “ that when I was just apostrophizing « High ! them that I knew a thing or two, I Heaven’’ when the voice outspoke ;■ commenced examining the r>atient. laughing at the ludicrous transition of 1 Had j not b eon prepared by the ne- sounds and ideas, I rolled up my mam.- , description, I would have been senpt ant turtle o take a sur\e\ o, . sur p r jsed at the example of longevity t te spea ei. j in that insalubrious country which the He presented nothing remarkable m inyaii(1 presented. Judging from ex- h.s appearance, being only a negro mes- j ternal anp earances, she must have had senger, be onging to a smal planter j the opportunity of doing an immensi- l.vmg at the extremity ot what I re- ; t f ta]ki in her time ° her bair was garded as my legitimate circuit of pruc- 4 iter thai f the insille 0 f a persimmon rice ; from the appearance of the mule see(]j and the skin upon her face rcsem- j bled a piece of corrugated and smoky parchment, more than human cuticle; j it clove tightly to the bones, bringing be bestrode, be had evidently ridden in great baste. Perceiving me to be laughing, and not knowing of anything in his annun ciations to create mirth, lie thought I had not heard him when lie first spoke, out all their prominences, and showing the course of the arteries and veins be- , 0 , ! neath ; her mouth was partly open,and and therefore repeated, “ Come quick on ]ooki in Isavv not the ofa Mass Doctor! ole missus ff ot a fit, an i tooth ; the great dentist, Time,had sne- j ceeded in extracting the last. She would lie very quietly in a dull coma tose condition for a few moments, and then giving a loud speech, attempt to rub her stomach against the rafters of the cabin, mumbling out something about “Whiskey spilt—smoke-house ruined—and General Jackson fit the Inj uns—and she haddent the blister- ^ u, 1 '!''' l./.'for fiateriioVAdmini.-tration Gnanliansliip, tllC ludicrOUS _ and thTnewro -sift in-mi ! ^ ! ” tllU Unitp<] length s.r inui«t be published 30 days—for dismission from . ’ O ' & ; of Several ot t lie WOllieil to keep llCl' Oil \ liiiii-tration. monthly six month*—for dismission Ills' little Crop-eared lilUie, Ijazeu lit IMC i i ~ t- i t.. x I me lieu. in perfect astonishment, as a niouu- LEGaL ADVERTISEMENTS. . i!< > of Land anti Negroog, by Administrator?, E.\- or Guardian., nro required by law to be held i ;he iifgt Tuesday in tlie muntli; between the hours , j |U intlie forenoon and three in the afternoon, at the C art house in the county in which the property is .ituated. ... Notice of these sales must be given in a public ga- |i) days previous to the day of sale. Notices for the sale of personal .property must be •• v. nin like manner 10 days previous to sale day. ’ Notices to the debtors and creditors of au estate ... i-talso be punished 10 days. Notice that application will bo made to the Court of di’l'iiiarv for leave to sell Land or Negroes, must be • ul,lulled for two months. I’spec is moustrus low, for as I come by de lot, I hear Mass’ Pill holler to Mass’ I Bob, and tell him, alter he got dun I knockin’ de horns off the young hull,to cum in de house, and see his gran’- ! mammy die.” Put still 1 laughed on 1 —there was such an odd mingling of j poetry, Esculapius, missus, fit, Mass’ I Pobb, and knocking the horn off the ! young hull, as to strike my bump of I HI, Guardianship, 40 day^ ■ |,, r foreclosure of Mortgage must bo published r four months—for establishing lost papers, /, fall space of three months— for compelling titles . , , Executors or administrators, where bond bus been i,y i 11* deceased, the full space of three months. P i „ti„ns will always be continued according to ... . |,,. _ requirements, unless otherwise ord YOUTH AND AGE. I often t Link each tottering form Jhat limps along the life’s decline, Once bore a heart a3 young, as warm, And full of idle thoughts as mine: And each lias had its dream of joy, His own uncquall’d pine romance; Coinnn ncing wi.cn the blnsliing hoy First thrills at lovely woman’s glance. And each could tell his tale of youth, Would think its scenes of love evince More passion, more unearthly truth, Than any talo beforeor since. y es , they could tell of tender lays, At midnight penned in classic shades, Of days more bright than modern days— And maids more fair than modern maids. Of whispers in a willing ear, Of kisses on a blushiug check, Each kiss,each whisper far too dear, Our modern lips to give or speak; Of passions too untimely crossed. Of passions slighted or betrayed— Of kindred spirits early lost, And buds that blossom but to fade. • Of beaming eyes and tresses gay, Elastic, form and noble brow, And forms that have ai! passed away, And left them n hat we seo them now. And is it thus—in human love, So very light and frail a thing? And must youth's brightest vision move Forever on Time's rtstless wing? Must all the eyes that still are bright, And all the lips that talk of bliss, And all the forms so fair to sight, lien after only come to this? Then what are earth’s best visions worth, If we at length must leave them thus? If all we value most on earth Ere long must fade away from us. The Hour of Frayer. How quietly the still hour of twi light steals on. The sun’s last golden rav, which lingers so long Upon the Eastern mountain, as “if parting were sweet sorrow,” has disappeared. Th ..v rosy tint is fading from the ever cloud. A deeper shadow settle ever the valley. One by one “night’s unwearied watchers” shine out in their •far off depths,” The bird folds its weary wines within its little nest. The murmur of the bee is still. “The hu<y hum of man” is hushed. For a brief space the restless world reposes. It is the hour of prayer and medita tion the Sabbath ol the day. “All is bo still, so soft in earth and air, You scarco would start to meet a spirit there; Secure, that naught of • vil could delight To walk in such a scene on such a night.’’ It breathes its own blessed quiet over the Christian’s spirit, and dispo ses him to deep and earnest ccminun- ings with himself, and with his Fath- I'E The world loses its hold upon his heart; wealth, pleasures honors, earth’s vain arrays seem now hut what they are—illusion, Heeling shadows. Cares and vexations, which, perhaps, too much occupied his mind, and rull led his temper during the day, now sink into their real insignificance. He lifts his eyes to the magnificent firmament above him, and feels lie is hut a speck, an atom in the vast creation; he thinks of his immortal spirit, and the priceless ransom paid for it, and knows it outweighs the worth of worlds. The Programme of the Iaincolnites.— Several of the prominent Lincolnites have lately been making speeches in the North ern States in which elections are soon to take place. All of them declare that the L nion cannot be restored as it was. r I he tone of their speeches show that they do not wish it to ho restored, even if it were possible. The programme they lay down is diis: Whip the South; reduce the slave States to the position of territories; free the slaves: sequestrate the property to pay the w ar debt of the North; deny those resi ding in the South all the elective priviliges heretofore enjoyed by them; in short to reduce the Confederacy to a complete state fif vassalage, making her a tithe payer kod burthen bearer to her Northern op pressors. This now is the doctrine of the entire yttr party of the North. They are fight ing for no purpose in the world hut to con quer and subjugate us, and then appropri- ate our property to tlicir villainous sol diery—reducing the white man to the lev el of the negro/ Such is the fate which nwaitsour people if ever Lincoln succeeds in placing his yoke on their necks. Chronicle ^ Sentinel] ment of unfeeliugness. Suddenly the recollection that this was my “ first cal 1 ,” came over and so bered me in a second ; nty profession = with all its sober realities and responsi bilities, was again triumphant, and I stood a serious “ Swamp Doctor.” Ordering a servant to catch my horse, 1 began to prepare for the ride, by ques tioning the negro as to the nature of the disease, age of the patient, and oth er circumstances of the case,that might enable me to carry medicines along suitable to the occasion, as my saddle- hags were of limited capacity, and none of the people kept medicines at home, except a few of the simplest nature. “You say your mistress has fits! Does she have them often ?” The ob ject of my inquiries will be apparent to the professional reader. ‘ Not as I nose on. Mass’ Doctor, al though I did beam her say when she lived in Georgy, she was monstrous narvous-like at de full of de moon.” “IIow old is your mistress? do you know hoy ?” “ How ole ! why,Mass’ Doctor, she’s a bobbullushionary sospensioner, an’ her hare is grayer dan a’possum’s. Ole mussus ole tor a fak !” “ Has anything happened lately that could have given your mistress the fit ?” “ Nullin’, Mass’ Doctor, as I nose on, ’eept pr’haps day ’fore yisterday night ole missus private jug guv out, an’ she tole wun of the hoys to go in de smoke house and draw him full: de fule chile stuck de lite tu nerede haril, de whis key cotch, an’ sich a ’sploshun never war heard as de ole smoke house guvin’ up de goast!” Your old mistress drinks whiskey, las been without any two ass’ doctor,’ an’ I spec it’s usen her up, for slic’d sor- customed to de ‘ stranger.’ ” I had learned enough of the case to rfive me a suspicion of the disease ; the verification must he deferred until I saw’ the patient. ►She being very old, nervous, and ex citable, accustomed to alcoholic stimu lation, suddenly deprived of her usual beverage, and brought under the <le- pressory influences of losing her smoke house and barrel of whiskey, was suf ficient cause to produce a case of dis ease formed by an amalgamation of sub-hysteria and quasi delirium tremens; a not very flattering diagonis, oonsid- ered in a moral point of view, to the old lady whose acquaintance 1 was yet to make. Knowing how much depen ded upon the success with which I treated my first cases, it w’as unneces sary to give me a serious and rellective air, that I should remember how much people judged from appearances, and that mine were any thing hut indicative of the doctor ; whiskers or heard had I none, and even when wearing the most sober mask, a smile would lurk at the corner of my mouth, eager to expand into a laugh. Put I must start. Labelling a bottle of brandy “Arkansas Fitifuge,” I slip ped it m my pocket, and mounting my horse, set oil' upon the fulfillment of my “ first call.” When we reached the house, my horse reeking with sweat, lrom the haste with which we had traversed the muddy roads, 1 introduced myself, as I had never seen one of the family be fore, nor they me—as Doctor Tensas, and required to be shown the patient. I saw from the countenances of the as sembly, which was more numerous than 1 had expected to find, that they were disappointed in the appearance of the new doctor, and that my unstrikmg and youthful visage was working fatal ly against me. In fact, as I approach ed the bed, which was surrounded with women, I heard one old crone remark, “ sot to v #«?,” “ Blessed J—— 8 • 18 tbat thing a doctor? why, his laces as smooth as an egg-shell, an’ mv son John ’peers a heap older than him, au lie s only beenpujrpcd ateen years; grasnus nose sich a young lookin’ critter as tnat shouldn’t giu me doctor’s truck ; he the 1 The examination verified rr.y suspi cion as to the nature of the disease, hut I had too much knowledge of human nature to give the least intimation to the females of my real opinion. I had been told by an old practitioner of medicines “ if you wish to ruin your self in the estimation of your female patients, hint that the disease they are laboring under is connected with hys terics ;” what little knowledge I had acquired of the sex during my student life went to confirm his observations. Put if the mere intimation of hysteria produced such an affect, what would the positive pronouncing that it was not only hysterics but a touch of drun ken mania ? 1 had not courage to cal culate upon such a subject, but hastily dismissed it. Pronouncing that she had /its, sure enough, I commenced the treatment. Brandy and opium were the remedies indicated ; I administered them freely at halt-hour intervals,with marked benefit, and towards midnight she fell into a gentle slumber. As I heard her quiet breathing, and saw the rise and fall of her bosom in regular succession, indicating that the disease was yielding to my remedies, a gleam of pleasure shot over my face, and I felt happier by the bedside of that old drunken woman, in that lowly cabin, in that obscure swamp, than if the many voices of the city were shouting “ laus” unto my name. I was taking the first round in the race between med icine and disease, and so far was lead ing my competitor. It was now past midnight; up to this time I had kept my place by the bed side of the patient, and began to get wearied. 1 could with safety transfer her care now to one of the old dames, and 1 determined to do .so, and try and obtain some sleep. The house consist ed ofa double log-cabin,of small dimen sions, a passage, the lull depth of the house, running between the “ pens.” As sleep was absolutely required for the preservation of the patient,and the old dames who were gathered around , . , . ,. .> r r • ,, , . r maid that was haunted by the the fire, discoursing of Inc marvels oL „ , n , . , their individual experience, hid fair to ., 1± . . stun over the boumls of proper modi,- : buttc "" llk tl > a ‘ , lotion in their garrulity, X proposed, in for market "? xt , .. . i ,i/U ,1 * * ,„;.|, lose in my expressions of astonishment such a way that there was no with- , , .*• .?■ T , c , r ■ . i q 0 n and admiration 1 was when after a long standing the appeal, that we should all, . ... 11 • v . -i „ comparison ol the relative sufferings ot except the one nursing, adiourn to the f , r . 1 iiir • ,j the two sexes, Miss btivers—the lady other room, i he old ladies acquiesced A ( ’ you have rendered yourself popular with the wife, you are insured of the patronage of the husband ;” apply it to the whole sex of women, and it still holds good—married or single they hold the men up, and without their support, no physician can succeed. I had imagined, in my youthful simplic ity, that when I entered the swamp, I had left female curiosity—regarding it as the offspring of polished society— behind ; hut 1 found out my mistake, and though I was A ery sleepy, I loved my profession too well not to desire to perfect myself in all the duties of the calling. I have often had a quiet laugh to myself, when I reflect upon the in cidents of that night, and what a ludi crous appearance I must have present ed to a non-participant, when, on a raw-hide-bottomed chair, I sat in that log cabin, directly in front of a cheer ful lire—for though spring, the nights were sufficiently cool to render a fire pleasant—the apex of a pyramid of old women, who stretched in two rows, three on each side, down to the jambs of the chimney. There was Miss Pechum, and Miss Stivers, anil Miss Linsey, on one side, and Miss Dims, who unfortunately, as she informed me, had had her nose hit off by a wild hog, and Miss Ripson, and Miss Ti I lot, on the other. Six old women, with case-hardened tongues, and only one poor humble “ Swamp Doctor,” whom the verdict of one, at first sight, had pronounced a thing, to talk to them all! Fearful odds I saw, and seeing trembled ; lor the fate of the adventurous Frenchman came fresh to my mind, who proposed for a wager to talk twelve hours with an old wid ow, and who at the expiration of the time was found dead, with the old lady whispering vainly “ frog soup” in his ear. There it was one against one, here it was six versus one, and a small talker at that; hut the moments were Hying, no time was to he lost, and we commenced. What marvellous stories I told them about things I had seen, and what wonderful recitals they gave me in return ! IIow first, I addressed my attention to one side of the pyra mid, and then bestowed a commensu rate intensity upon the other ! How learnedly we discoursed upon “ yarbs,” and “ kumfrey tea,” and “sweet gum sav !” IIow readily we all acquiesced in the general correctness of the broken- nose lady’s remark, “ Bless Jesus ! we must all die when our time kums ;” and what a general smile—which I am certain had it not been for the propin quity of the invalid,would have amount ed to a laugh—\A T ent round the pyra mid, when Miss Pechum, who talked through her nose, snuffled out a witti cism of her youngest son, when he was a babe, in which the point of the joke lay, in bite, or right, or fight, or some word of some such sound, but which the imperfection of her pronunciation somewhat obscured! IIow intently we all listened to Miss Stiver’s ghost- story ! what upholding of hands and lap-dropping of knitting, anil exclama tions of fear and horror and admiration, and “ Blessed Master !” and “ Lordy Grashus !” and “ Well, did you ever !” and “ You don’t say so !” and “ Dear heart do toil!” and what a universal sigh was heaved when the beautiful best was found drowned in a large churn of her mother had set How pro- without a single demurrer,as they were all dying to have a talk with the “ young doctor,” who hitherto absorb ed' in his patieut, had shown hut little communicativeness. The male portion of the family had adjourned to tiie fodder-house to pass the night, so my once fair companions and myself had ilie whole of the apart ment to ourselves. Ascertaining by actual experiment that it was not suf ficiently removed by the passage to prevent ordinary conversation from being audible at the bed-side of the in valid, the old ladies, in despite of my hints of “ being A ery tired,” “ really I am very sleepy,” and “ I Avish I hadn’t such a long ride to take to-raorroAv,” commenced their attack in earnest, by opening a tremendous battery of small talk and queries upon me. The terri ble breaches that it made, had the ef fect of keeping mine, on, and I surren dered at discretion to the ladies, almost wishing, I must confess,that they were a bevy of young damsels, instead of a set so antiquated that their only knowl edge of love Avas in seeing their grand children. Besides, they were only ex acting from me i lie performance of one of the prescribed duties of the country physician, performed by him from*time immemorial; and why should they not exact it of me ? The doctor of a coun try settlement was then—they have become so common now as to place it in the power of nearly every planter to own a physician, and consequently they attract little regard—a very im portant character in the community. TraA'elling about from house to house, he became the repository of all the news, scandal, and secrets of the neigh borhood, Avhicli lie xvas expected to re- Avho talked through her nose, in reply to Miss Dims, the lady who had no nose, at all—declared that “Blessed Master permittin,’ al ter all their talk ’bout Avomen’s sufferings, she must say that she thought men had the hardest time of it, for grashus knows she’d rather have a child every nine months than scour a skillet, and she ought to knoAv !” IIow we debated “ whether the ‘ hives’ were catckin’ or not ?” and were perfectly unanimous in the con clusion that “ Sheep safern” were won derful “ truck!” Suddenly one of those small screech, or horned owls,so common in the South and West, gave forth his discordant cry from a small tree, distant only a fcAV feet from the house ; instantaneously ignorance upon any matter to ladies— from the first eruption of Vesuvius to the composition of a plumptitudinizer —and therefore, asked Miss Ripson to enlighten me. I shall never forget the mingled look of astonishment and contempt that the old lady to whom the query A\as pro pounded, cast upon me as she replied : “ IIoav duz screech oavIs hollerin’ make sick people die? Blessed Mas ter ! you a doctor, and ax sich a ques tion ! How is enny thing fotch ’bout ’cept by sines an’ awgrese, an’ simbles, an’ figurashuns, an’ hiramgliptix, and sich like vareus Avase that the Creator Avorks out his design to man’s intima- shun and expoundin.’ Don’t spose there’s conjurashun an’ majestix in the matter, for them’s agin scriptur; but this much Ido no—I never sot up with a sick body, and heard a screech oavI holler, or a dog howl, or a scratchin’ agin the waul, hut what they die ; ef they diddent then, they did ’fore long, which proA’es that the sine war true; Blessed Master! what Aveke creetur’s we is, sureenuf! I recculleck when I lived down to Bunkum County, North Carliny—Miss Dims you node Miss Blyser whatli\x*ddown to Zion Spring?” —(Miss Dims being the noseless lady, snuffled out, that she did as well as one of her oavii children, as the fami lies AA'ere monstrous familiar, and seed a heap of one another.) “ Well, Miss Plyser war takin aAvlil sick arter etin a hate of cold fride collards—I alwase told her cold fride collards warn’t ’dapt- ed to the delicases of her constytushun, but the poor crittur AA T ar indoost to them, and wudden’t take my device ; an’ it A\ r ood ha\ r e been a great dele bet ter for her, ef she had, as the sekil will pruve ; poor crcetur ! efslie oanly had, she rnout bin a settin’ here to-nite, for her husband shortly arter sed ef sar- kumstancis haddent altired his ’tarmy- nasliuu lie didn’t know but wat he Avood like to take a look at them Lu- zanny bottoms, wair all you lmd to do to clar the land, war to cut down all the trese and wate for the next over flow’ to wash them off'; hut pr’aps she wuddent nethur, for arter all he dident cum, an’ you no she cudd’nt kuin ’cept with him ’ceptin’ she dun like Lizey Johnson’s middle darter, Prinsanna, who left her husband in the State of Georgy, and kum to Luzanny an’ got married to another man, the pisen var mint, to do sich as that and her own laful husband, for I no that he borrer- rd dollar of my sister Jane’s sister to pay for the license and eatables for the crowd—hut Blessed Master, where is I talking to !—well, as I sed, Miss Ply ser made herself monstrous sick etin cold fride collards; Aven I got Avhere she Avas they had sent for the doctor, an’ shortly arter I kum he cum, au’ the fust thintj he axed for arter he got in the house war for a handful of red- pepper pods—it war a monstrous fine time for pepper and other gardin truck that sesun—an’ wen he got them he took a handful of lohely an’ mixt the pepper-pods with it, an’ then he pour ed hot bi 1 in’ water over it, and made a strong decockslmn. Just as it was got ready for ’ministering, hut before it was guv, I heerd a screech owl holler on the gable end of the cabin. I sed then as I say now in the present case, that it AA’as a sine and a forerunner that she \A’as gwine to die, hut the doctor in spite of my swadements gin her a tin cup of the pepper and lobely, hut I nude it war no use—the screech oaaI had hollored, and she A\ T ar called fur; an’jes to think of a nice young ’oomon like her, with the purtiestpair oftwins in the world, and as much alike as two pese, only one had black hare and lite ise, an’ the other had black eyes and lite hare—bein’ carrid to a grave by cold fride .collards apeered a hard case; hut the Lord is the Heavens an’ he nose ! Well, the first dose that he gin her didn’t ’feet much, so lie gin her an other pint, an’ then commenst steamin’ her, when the pirspuration began to kum out, she sunk rite down, an’ be gun to si ken awful ; the cold fride col lards began to kum up in gobs, hut Blessed Master! it war too late, the screech owl had hollored, an’ she flung up cold fride collards till she dide,poor creetur ! the Lord be marsyfull to her poor soul! But I sed from the fust she wood die. Doctor,Avced better see how Miss Jimsey is ; it’s no use to waste the ‘ Futifuge’ on her, the screech oavI has hollered, and alio must go though all the doctors ofa king war here; poor creetur! she lias lived a long time, an’ I ’speck her Lord and Master Avaiits eA cry voice was hushed, all the lower j her. jawsofthe old women dropped, every And thus saying, the old lady precc- eye was dilated to its utmost capacity, J ded tiie way to the sick-room, myself till the Avhites looked like a circle of : and the five other old Avomen bringing cream around a black bean, every fore- up the rear. finger was raised to command atten tion, and CAery head gave a commise- Somewhat, I thought, to the disap pointment of the superstitious dames, rative shake, moderating gradually to a! we found the invalid still buried in a solemn settling* After a considerable profound slumber, her regular placid pause, Miss Ripson broke the silence. \ breathing indicating that the proper “ Boor creetur ! she’s gone, doctor,the i functions of the system Averc being re- Fitifuge can’t cure her, she’s knit her | stored. I softly felt her pulse, and it, last pair of socks ! Blessed Marster! too, showed improvement. Leaving the screech oicl is hollered, and she’s the room, we returned to the other “ Doctor, you’re mistaken, certin. The screech owl has hollered, and she is boun to die—it’s a sure sign, and can’t fail!” I saw the uselessness of argument, and therefore did not attempt to show them how ridiculous, nay irreligious,it was to entertain such notions, willing that the termination of the case should he the reply. It would require a ponderous tome to contain all that passed iq conversa tion during ourvigilsthatnight. Morn ing broke, and 1 Avent softly in to see if my patient still slept. The noise I made in crossing the rough lloor arous ed her,and as I reached thebed-side.she half- raised herself up, and to my great delight accosted me in her perfect sen ses. “ I s’posc young man, you’re a doc tor aint you ?” I assured her that her surmise AA’as correct, and pressei her to cease talk ing and compose herself. t*he would not do it, however, hut demanded to see the medicine I was giving* her. I produced the Arkansas Fitifuge, and as it was near the timethatsheshould rake a dose, I poured one out and gave it to her. Receiving it at first with evident disgust, Avith greit reluctance she for ced herself to drink a small quantity. I saw pleasure and surprise lighting up her countenance ; she drank a little more—looked at me—took another sip —and then, as if to test it by the oth er senses, applied it to her nose ; all the results were satisfactory, and she drank it to the dregs without a murmur. “Doctor,” said she, “ef you’re a mineral fissishun, and this truck has got calomy in it, you needn’t be afeard of salavasin me, and stop givin’ it, for I won’t git mad, ef my gums is a leetle touched !” I assured her that the “ Fitifuge” was perfectly harmless. “It’s monstrous pleasant truck, en- nyliow ! What did you say was the name of it?” “ Arkansas Fitifuge, madam, one of the best medicaments for spasmodic diseases that I haAx* ever used. You AA'ere in fits last night when I arrived ; hut you see the medicine is effecting a cure, and you are now out of danger, although extreme quietude is highly necessary.” “ Doctor, will you give me a leetle more of the truck? I declare it’s mon strous pleasant. Doctor,I’m mity nar- a’ous, ginerally; don’t you think I’d better take it pretty often through the day ? Ff they’d sent for you sooner I wouldn’t bin half as bad off’. But, thank the Lord, you has proA’ed a ka- pable fissishun, sent to me in the hour of need, an’ I wont complane,but trust in a mersyful Saveyur !” “ How do you feel hoav, sister Jim sey ? do you think you’re looking up this morning ?” AA’as now asked by the lady of screech-OAvl memory. “ Oh, sister Ripson, thank the Lord, I do feel a power better this mornin’, an’, I think in the course of a day or two I avill he able to get about agen.” “Well, mersyful Master, wonders Avill never stop ! last nite I thot sure you cuddent stand it til 1 mornin’,spesh- ully alter I heerd the screech-owl hol ler ! ’tis a mirrykul, sure, or else this isthcwonderfulest doctor in creashun !” “Dul the screech-OAvl holler mor’n wunst, sister Ripson ?” “ No, he only screeched Avunst! Ef he’d hollered the second time, I’d de- Ikleall the doctors in the created wurld to ’ad cured vou ; the thing would have bin unpossih\e!” Now as the aforesaid screech-owl had actually screeched twice, I must ha\ r e effected an impossibility in making the cure; hut I was unwilling to disturb the old lady in her delusion, and there fore, did not inform her of that, which she AA’ould have heard herself had she not been highly alarmed. I directed the “ Fitifuge” to he giv en at regular intervals through the day ; and then amidst the blessings of the patient, the congratulations of the fam ily lor the wonderful cure I had effect ed, and their assurances of future pat ronage, took my departure for home, hearing as 1 left the house the same old lady who had underrated me at my entrance ejaculate, “ Well, bless the Lord 1 didn’t die last year oftheyaller janders, or I’d never lived to see with my own eyes a doctor who could cure a body arter the screech-owl hollered!” hound to die, ccrtiu !” “ Certin !” ev ery voice belonging to the females re sponded, and every head, besides, nod ded a mournful acquiescence to the melancholy decision. Not thoroughly \ r ersed in the super stitions of the backwoods, I could not see Avhat possible connexion there could be between the screech of the owl, and the fate of the patient. Desirous of information upon the subject, I broke cabin. I informed the family that she was much better, and if she did not have a return of the spasms by morn ing, and rested undisturbed in the mean time, that she Avould get well. But I saw that superstition had too deep a hold on their minds for my flattering opinion to receive their sanction. An incredulous shake of the head was my only reply, except from the owl enthu siast. Efficiency of Home Guards.—The bene fits resulting from an efficiently organized home guard is being demonstrated in Vir ginia and at other points threatened by the Federals. They relieve huge bodies of regular troops, whoso services are need ed elsewhere. Thus they are «f as much service as if they rverc actually in the field. Where every State is thoroughly placed on a war footing; where c\ - ery man,wheth er in the army or out, is a soldier—a bul wark of strength will he reared against the foe which will defy his utmost endeavors. In an armed and disciplined citizen soldie ry, as auxiliary to the army is the hope of the country,and a sure guarantee ofsuccess- hd conflict. When evety homestead be- I comes a modified arsenal and every com- | mon a drill ground.victory with us will only j be a question of time—independence a leg acy which the not distant futuio. will assu redly bestow upon us.— Chron. Sentinel Brig. Gen. Soule.—We learn that Hon. Pierre Soule has been appointed Brigadier General and ordered to take the field.— j The appointment is likely to be of great I service. Gen. Soule has (unbounded pop- i ularity in Louisiana, and will attract, no 1 doubt, a great many recruits from that ! noble but oppressed State. The Subais.sue Question. We fear there are few persona who are alive to the reality that awaits us in the future, if some change is not speedily made in the cost of the ne cessities of life. In e\’ery section of the country prices are so high as to, produce serious inconvenience, if not distress. In some they have reached a point already when honest subsis tence among the poor and those of slender means is utterly out of the question. On the other hand the ad- A’ance in labor is by no means pro portioned to that of the cost of liv ing. Nor does this result, in any great measure, arise from a scarcity of pro visions. The product of the earth for the last two years has been ample for the comfortable subsistence of all the inhabitants. It needs but to be pro perly apportioned to supply the wauts of all. What is worse there is nothing hopeful to look forward to in the fu ture, even with the certainty of an abundant supply from the agricultural * labors of the present year. Matters instead of growing better are daily be coming worse. Have our people stopped for one moment to contemplate this alarming . state of affairs, and the result to which it inevitably -tends—as inevitably as that men, Avomen and children are ob liged to he fed and clothed in order to live?—We feel sure they have not looked it in the face with that sober gaze which its dreadful solemnity should inspire in the minus of all. We stand on the brink of a moral A’olcano, and, with an infatuation next to mad ness, sing and pipe, and dance and add. to our already plethoric gains, as if all were well and perfectly safe. God grant that the eruption may never take place. But Heaven will not save-a people who refuse to save them selves. It acts generally in its provi dence through human instrumentali ties, and it is these—the thoughts, the hands and tiie purses of these who are blessed with means, that we would arouse into action in order to save the country from calamity. If the peo ple refuse to perform this great public duty, then the strong arm of the laiv must he brought in to a\’ert a catastro phe in which constitution, laws, and the rights ofproperty arc no longer re membered. This is a painful question for the journals to write upon, and it embra ces ground upon which the prudent man should fear to tread. We haA’e said enough to be comprehended, at least in the matter of’duty and necessi ty arising out of the circumstances of the times, and shall therefore close with the following practical suggestions, for which we are indebted to anoth er. We know that the currency is de preciated says the Richmond Dispatch but it is not depreciated as much as prices Avould indicate. There are causes originating in the cupidity and heartlessncss of men employed in com merce and in agriculture which are weighing down the people and the cause, which are threatening both more than the currency. Can the practice of these people be reformed? Can the distress they occasion be moderated by checking their extravagant demands upon consumers? These questions are growing more and more important. Something must be done. Produce must be distributed—prices must be reduced—gains be disgorged—or there will be suffering intense, and in tense suffering will get—^what? Think of it.—Sac. ltep. Snrgeon Rat. We have heard and read a great many stories about the Rat, but in all our experience, we never before had one brought before us in the charac ter of a Surgeon. We learn that at one of our large hospitals a night or two since, an operation Avas success fully performed upon an invalid sol dier, by a common rat, Avhicli the Surgeon in charge had himself delayed for a time with the hope of causing less suffering to the patient. This pa tient was suffering from the effects of a lracture of the frontal bone of the skull a piece of Avhicli projected out- Avards to some length, and the healing of the fleshy parts depended upon its removal. The bone was so firmly fixed, however, as iu the opinion of the Surgeon would cause unnecessary pain in its forcible removal, and such remedies were applied as Avould assist nature in eventually ejecting it. A soothing poultice was placed upon tho part a night or two ago, a hole being made through the application for the insertion of the projecting hone. The patient was soon asleep in his bed, but during the night was aroused by the sting of pain and awoke to dis cover a rat making off with the piece of bone in his mouth. He struck at and hit the rat, but did not hurt him. The rat had probably been drawn to the bed of the soldier by the scent of the poultice, which Avas pleasant to his olfactories, but on reaching it his keen appetite no doubt caused him to relish in a large degree the juicy bone so convenient io his teeth. He there fore seized and drew it from its posi tion and was made to scamper off by the patient, whom he had aroused with pain. It was a skillful opera tion, quickly performed, and will re sult beneficially to the invalid, We understand the patient is getting on remarkable well. Petersburg Express. — Mr, Wigfall, in his address to the people of Albemarle, stated it is a fact within his knowledge, that there was now 500,000 names on the muster and pay rolls of the Confederate army, and the President has declared that if all the absentees without leave AA-ould return to their regiments the Federal army would be outnumbered by our men.

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Confederate union. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1862-1865, October 20, 1863, Image 1