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and, robed in velvets and satins, sympathizes, for the sake of a display of French lawn and Brussels lace, with the pretended distress of a stage-struck heroine!

O woman! wild, capricious, changeable as thou art, there is one bright spark which, no matter in what form it is enshrined, is never extinguished in thy bosom! The world's coldness, neglect, and scorn may have dimmed its lustre; the storms of adversity, the power of misfortune, may have chilled it; but it is there yet, and only wants occasion to set it in a blaze. And this is compassion toward suffering humanity! Who is called upon to stand by the bed of sickness, and by her soothing words and gentle acts of kindness to alleviate the suffering of the invalid? Who can sooner chase from his brow the cloud of grief, and avert the storm which threatens to crush him? Woman, wilful and wayward as thou art, this is thy province!

But to return to plain Prudence Chase, who, although she would have been entirely out of her sphere in the Astor Place Opera House,

"Where tears are dried as soon as shed,

And plaudits rouse the mocking dead,"

was nevertheless a woman; although the exterior was rough, the heart was soft, though it was her caprice to make it appear otherwise. "There," said she, as, after deluging the head she held until the patient was almost suffocated, and had swallowed more nourishment than had passed his lips for two days, or perhaps more, she placed him on his feet-"There, dear, that will ease the pain. I've often heerd tell that powder and milk were foes that never could agree, though if it had have been tea, I'd soused ye in, honey. If General Palmer tells true about the gunpowder in it, I'm afeared there'd been an explosion, and to my thinking ye'd been blown up enough before! There that's right-sneeze a bit. I couldn't help yer'e swallowing a little, for there was no time to think of bathing ye in small doses. There now, as ye wipe your face agin, ye begin to look summut like a Christian."

VOL. IV.

"Prudence! Prudence!" was echoed through the house.

"Dearee me! Goody gracious, what shall I do ?" exclaimed the appalled housekeeper, who, as if she had just come to her senses, was at length sensible of the loss she had sustained in exercising her benevolence; but seeing the look of gratitude in the eye of the wounded man, who was not yet able to give vent to his thanks in words, the worthy woman was somewhat reconciled, and she knew her mistress too well to fear reproof at her hands. The laughter-loving Mary she feared most, for she had given such a tangible proof that her heart was not of marble, that she feared the ridicule of those bright eyes.

But she slandered the amiable Mary in such thoughts. The spirit of teasing and the love of mischief were suppressed by the sad scenes in which she was called to act. There was both seriousness and sadness on her brow, as she came forward to see what had become of Prudence and the refreshments she had ordered; but surprise kept her silent.

"I couldn't help it, Miss Mary, I couldn't indeed," said Prudence, in a tone of apology. "If you only had have seen him when he fell right down at my feet, with such a pitiful look, his face blown to pieces, and not able to speak a single word! Dearee me, the Governor's wife herself would have done the same, I shouldn't wonder; and so would even yourself, Mary, if you'd been strong enough."

"Hush! dear Prudence; you are a goodhearted soul, every body knows," said the young lady, while large drops stood in her beautiful eyes. "I understand it all. Come, come, never mind the milk. Bring your jar of gooseberry wine and a few crackers, or a slice of bread. I myself will assist this poor man, who seems unable to walk."

It was a lovely sight to see that delicate girl raise that poor, ragged, wounded, suffering creature, and telling him to lean upon her; and when he hesitated to obey, place with her own delicate hand, his arm upon

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her shoulder, and with all the tenderness of a sister support him into the house, which was in reality becoming a hospital, with only helpless but undaunted women to act as surgeons!

Many more of the wounded had been brought in, and every bed was occupied; sofas and chairs were now in requisition; refreshments were brought, and Prudence, sinking all other considerations in pity and sympathy for the afflicted, distributed with lavish hand the nourishment so much needed by the half-famished soldiers.

And one there was whose dark eyes followed the motions, and gazed with admira tion upon the beaming eyes of the beautiful Mary as she glided about on her errand of mercy. He was a youth of but nineteen years of age-the only son of a widowed mother, who had sent forth this her only support and comfort, at the call of his country, in whose service her husband had lost his life. If the gentle girl paused oftener by his couch, and her voice was more softened and even tender when she addressed him, it might be pity for his extreme youth, or a warmer feeling excited by his handsome features, and the refinement of his manners, proving him to be one who had been carefully nurtured and well educated. The glossy curls upon his brow were stained with blood; his right arm hung in a sling; the wrist had been sprained in assisting to raise a heavy cannon; and, although not seriously injured, he had so much overtasked his strength as to be unable to retain his position, and was carried off the field. The housekeeper shook her head as she noticed the attentions of Mary, and the looks of admiration and gratitude of the wounded youth. It argued ill for her scheme of marrying her young mistress to Allan Douglas.

But to return to our hero, whom we left in Charlestown. As he stood contemplating the ruin around him, a venerable man, whose silver hair floated on the breeze, appeared before him, wildly wringing his hands, and exclaiming, "My child! my child! have you seen my Amy?"

"Have you lost any one in the crowd ?" asked Douglas.

"Yes, yes! she's lost; they will not save her. They forced me to leave the house before I could find her, and now I cannot return.”

"You do not mean to say that your daughter is left to perish in those flames?" exclaimed Douglas.

"My grandchild! my darling! No one dares to venture through them. She went to the top of the house to see if her brother was returning, and the fiends set it on fire below, although they knew she would perish."

Douglas was horror-struck. Without a thought of the peril he encountered, he seized a ladder near, and in a moment was lost to view in the smoke and flames. Panting, breathless, he pursued his way, now up the falling staircase, from room to room, while the doors, a mass of flame, seemed to bid defiance to his entrance; but he found no one, and was about returning in despair, when he caught sight of a form in a white dress, extended lifeless upon the floor of a room which the fire had not yet reached. Raising his insensible burden, he snatched up a blanket, and wrapping her in it, rushed to the window. Alas! he had left the ladder on the other side of the house. His cries for assistance reached the ears of the frantic grandfather, but no one heeded him, as he begged some one in the crowd to assist in bringing round the ladder. The flames were already bursting into the room, and Douglas saw no hope of escape, when his eye fell upon the miller, who was bending under the weight of the meal-bags he was conveying from the mill, which had already fallen a sacrifice to the malice of his

enemies.

"Mr. Simpson," cried Douglas, "the ladder, the ladder! Be quick, or we shall both perish."

Throwing down his burden in an instant, and leaving it to the mercy of the rabble, Mark obeyed the summons, and Douglas, almost exhausted, had but just time to place the insensible girl in his arms and descend the ladder, when he sank fainting to the ground. [TO BE CONTINUED.]

EARLY ATTENTION TO THE TEETH.

BY DR. CHARLES E. FRANCIS.

THE following excellent essay on the subject of tooth-preservation should be read, pondered, and observed by every one. The circumstance that the people of this country are peculiarly afflicted with a premature decay of their dental organs, has given rise to a supposition that climate has much to do in causing that decay; yet when we remember that the aboriginals, who inhaled the same atmosphere, were famous for their fine teeth, our modern supposition falls to the ground, and we are driven to the conviction that neglect, and an imprudent use of calomel in early life, are the prime causes of nine tenths of the toothless gums of the nation.-[ED. Republic.]

EXPERIENCE is a good teacher, but is often a very dear one, as perhaps all of us know. We occasionally review our past lives with many regrets, and think within ourselves, that if we could only live our lives over again, how differently we would act. We would pay more regard to our physical natures, in order to acquire strong healthy constitutions, and exercise more prudence and discretion in all our doings. But now, alas! many are suffering severe penalties for violating the laws of Nature, and neglecting to assist her in the completion of the task. The large majority of mankind are suffering, to a greater or less extent, from defective teeth, where a little timely care would have saved those useful organs for a long life of years, to add beauty to the countenance, health to the body, and assist in the utterance of speech.

The reader will please consider the above a sufficient apology for a few brief remarks upon the subject of dentistry. Parents are apt to pay but little attention to the cleanliness and regulation of their children's teeth; either from sheer negligence, or from fear of causing their little ones a momentary and trivial amount of pain. They should remember, however, that they are doing their children great injustice; for not only is the pain increased two-fold, by neglect and delay, but the teeth will become diseased, and the general health impaired. The eruption of the first set of teeth causes an incalculable amount of pain to the child, generally producing various forms of sickness,

and frequently loss of life. In many cases it is necessary that the gums should be pierced with a lancet; but the operation should be performed only by an experienced practitioner, lest injury result, and the pain be only augmented.

Before progressing any further, it may be enough to state the order in which the teeth first make their appearance, also at what periods they may be expected. The following table will illustrate their progress, although there are sometimes variations to the general rule:

From the 5th to 8th month, 4 central incisors. "7th to 10th month, 4 lateral or side in

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They usually come in pairs, the two centre incisors of the lower jaw appearing first. The term incisor is applied to the front or cutting teeth, and the back or double teeth are called molars or grinders. The upper cuspids are the eye teeth, and the lower ones, the stomach teeth. The full complement of temporary or milk teeth number twenty-ten in each jaw. The prevailing idea is, that inasmuch as the temporary teeth are intended to serve the wants of the body for only a few years, and are then to be replaced by more substantial ones, that it is of little importance whether they remain until forced out by their successors, or

are lost a year or two earlier. It is an erroneous idea, however, and one that has been the source of much mischief. If the temporary tooth decays, its lining membrane is often exposed, causing inflammation, pain, and tumefaction; sometimes exfoliating portions of the jaw-bone. The crowns of the secondary or permanent teeth are situated immediately beneath the roots of the primary, and being susceptible to injury in their formative stage, are liable to be affected by the morbid influence of the latter. The decay and premature loss of the temporary teeth is a frequent source of irregularity in the arrangement of the permanent, and if for no other reason than the prevention of this, they should be preserved until time for their successors to appear.

Some few people, even at this advanced age, imagine that the milk teeth never have any roots, as they are generally found to be wanting when removed. The cause of their disappearance is attributed to the infringement of the permanent tooth upon the fang of its predecessor, thereby cutting off its nervous and arterial supply, and destroying its vitality. This is followed by an absorption of its fang, to a greater or less extent, rendering it loose and easily removed.

We will now notice the periods for the eruption of the secondary teeth. The parent will observe that the first molar teeth are the first to protrude. The ignorance of this fact often causes these teeth to be neglected, for they are generally considered as belonging to the first set.

First molar appear from 5th to 6th year.
Central incisors
6th to 8th 66
7th to 9th

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Lateral incisors "6

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occasionally examine them; who will detect any defect and correct any deformity in their arrangement.

The utility of the teeth, and their effect on personal appearance, is of too much consequence to suffer their loss by decay. If they are perfect, regular, and clean, they contribute greatly to the beauty of the features; but if neglected, diseased, or incrusted with an offensive accumulation, they excite in the beholder both pity and disgust. To illustrate this fact, the following remarks are quoted from a celebrated author: "If the sculptor, the painter, or the poet, would invest the production of his genius. with those forms of horror at which humanity shudders and recoils, he perfectly comprehends the art of giving to his allegorical personages an array of teeth, black with tartar, mutilated with gangrene, broken by violence, or wrested by distortion. Should Envy present herself to the group, her parted lips would disclose but a single fang. Should Malice approach to persecute his victim, his teeth would be turned awry, as if by the violence of his passion. Thus the wrinkled witch, the smoky gipsy, the fortune-telling hag, and the freebooter of the seas would lose the proper expression of their distinctive characters, if supplied with perfect, regular, and beautiful sets of teeth.

"On the other hand, the skilful artist, who would exhibit the amiable and worthy passions in all their loveliness and attraction, bestows untiring labor in the exhibition of perfect arches of teeth, white as monumental alabaster, and as regular as the crystal columns in the palace of Odin, inhabited by the virgins of Valhallah. If he exhibit Beauty in her smiles, a colonnade of pearls contribute to the enchantment: if he show us Love with music on her lips, the emblematic purity of her teeth must lend its tributary charm. Thus, the ideal Venus of the polished Greeks, as well as the living beauty in the hamlet of Circassia, would cease to please, on the discovery of sensible defect in these important organs."

The form may be ever so gracefully

moulded, the features ever so regular, the complexion fair as the beautiful tints of the morning sun, and the eyes may sparkle with the brilliancy of a diamond; but should a gentle smile part the ruby lips of a fair beauty, and disclose a ghastly array of neglected teeth, how visible would be the contrast, and how pitiable the object!

But the beauty is not alone abused by defective teeth, for they injure the health to a great degree, causing neuralgia, fevers, and the worst form of dyspepsia. The food is imperfectly masticated, and is saturated with the vitiated saliva of the mouth, which is corrupted by the influence of the morbid teeth. The breath also becomes fetid, disgusting whoever may approach, although it may not be apparent to its possessor.

In the articulation of words, we also need the assistance of the teeth. How important to the orator, whose eloquent expressions would lose half their effect, did he lisp them

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through broken teeth or toothless jaws! The vocalist, too, sensibly feels their loss, for without their aid, the voice is difficult to command.

The writer has endeavored, in as concise a manner as possible, to impress upon the public mind the importance of attending to the preservation of the teeth. In this case, an ounce of prevention is more than equivalent to a pound of cure; but if the reader is already suffering from defective masticators, it is time to remedy the evil as far as possible, by attending to them at once, for further delay may lead to their entire destruction. Consult an efficient dentist, and none other. Beware of empirics, for they are numerous, and may cause you irreparable mischief. Spare not the tooth-brush, nor consider it too much trouble to use it at least twice each day, for it will well repay you for all time thus spent, and tend in one degree to insure health, comfort and happiness.

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It matters not the length of years,

The wastes of sand, the hills of snow
O'er which our fate-tossed shallop steers,
If love but guides where'er we go!

Far from the earnest face of friends,
I've sat in lordly halls of late,
Yet back the eye of manhood tends
Toward childhood's home and joys elate.

The faces that I loved are there,

The gentle hearts that beat to mine, The goals of hope, the fanes of prayer, And many an incense-worship shrine.

Could I forget their magic forms?

Could I have quenched their gleaming fire ?

STUART.

No! 'mid life's perils and its storms,
There burned the old, unquenched desir

I might stoop down by Lethe's stream
And bathe my lips with silence' spell,
Still must I feel the waking dream
That lives, despite oblivion's swell.
Low in the inmost heart is born

Our love of home and early friends,
And, stronger grown each rising morn,
Its weakness into greatness blends.

Not one kind word is ever lost,

Nor one familiar look forgot;

Though dreams are marr'd and hopes are cross'd,

Still memory grasps life's early lot.

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