-
Articles/Ads
Article THE OLD GIANT SOLDIER. ← Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Old Giant Soldier.
that by years—it hung down on his broad ample chest , and was plaited in two parts , to each end of which was attached a small piece of lead , and his ears were ornamented with small rings of the same metal . The old giant was esteemed by the gossips as a wise man , and could cure many diseases , particularly the rickets . His mode of cure was startling to observe , and doubtless produced great effect upon the nervous little patients . He commenced by cutting slightly tbe little finger of
his left hand , be then squeezed from tbe wound a few drops of blood , whicli he administered to the child . I have no doubt as to this fact , having seen it performed ; and indeed , with all tbe dread of a youthful observer , I trembled at tbe time , lest be should injure himself . But there was some secret charm in the operation , which rendered his blood infallible in the cure of this disease . Many years previous to this period , in a quarrel , he had killed a man
with his LEFT IIATS'D . As the man did not die immediately , and there appeared some extenuating circumstances , my giant hero was not sentenced to death , but to imprisonment for a term of years . How it ever occurred to the simple natives of my country to believe in the efficacy of the blood of a murderer in the removal of diseases , 1 do not attempt to explain , unless , indeed , as acting powerfully on the imagination of the patient . * But to return to the old soldier . During my liberty hours , how often would I steal away to him , and always be the eager and attentive listener
to the strange stories he would relate . When he spoke of his father , a follower of Charles the Twelfth , and of the deeds be bad beard that father relate of the warrior-king , I used to sit on a stool at his feet , with my arms resting on his knee ; I would scarcely draw my young breath , lest I should lose one word of his utterance . He invariably concluded these strange narrations as some harp-players do , in the same strain as thus : —" and my father was hale and brisk until his last day ; he had not time to finish tbe second boot before he fell backward and died "
, adding , lest I should not understand bim , 1 suppose , "he was just making me a pair of boots , don ' t you see ?" One fine summer evening , I directed my steps to tbe old man ' s dwelling , provided with some copper coin for himself , and some bread for his dog . My old friend smiled his usual thanks for my kindness to bis faithful animal . The giant soldier was sitting on a bench outside , in deep conversation with another old soldier , and the old nurse of the
establishment , " German Mutter , "f as she was called . The dog was the first to welcome me . As I approached the group , the conversation dropped , the old giant shook me by the hand , and well knowing my wishes , asked me if I would hear the conclusion of his last story , which had been broken off at my last visit , when I was compelled to run away , having stayed out much over my time . The truth , however , must be told ; notwithstanding their conversation had dropped , I
had overheard some words about Freemasons , and requested they would tell me stories about them , as I had once witnessed a grand procession of their body . They spoke of many curious matters , and I remember the German
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Old Giant Soldier.
that by years—it hung down on his broad ample chest , and was plaited in two parts , to each end of which was attached a small piece of lead , and his ears were ornamented with small rings of the same metal . The old giant was esteemed by the gossips as a wise man , and could cure many diseases , particularly the rickets . His mode of cure was startling to observe , and doubtless produced great effect upon the nervous little patients . He commenced by cutting slightly tbe little finger of
his left hand , be then squeezed from tbe wound a few drops of blood , whicli he administered to the child . I have no doubt as to this fact , having seen it performed ; and indeed , with all tbe dread of a youthful observer , I trembled at tbe time , lest be should injure himself . But there was some secret charm in the operation , which rendered his blood infallible in the cure of this disease . Many years previous to this period , in a quarrel , he had killed a man
with his LEFT IIATS'D . As the man did not die immediately , and there appeared some extenuating circumstances , my giant hero was not sentenced to death , but to imprisonment for a term of years . How it ever occurred to the simple natives of my country to believe in the efficacy of the blood of a murderer in the removal of diseases , 1 do not attempt to explain , unless , indeed , as acting powerfully on the imagination of the patient . * But to return to the old soldier . During my liberty hours , how often would I steal away to him , and always be the eager and attentive listener
to the strange stories he would relate . When he spoke of his father , a follower of Charles the Twelfth , and of the deeds be bad beard that father relate of the warrior-king , I used to sit on a stool at his feet , with my arms resting on his knee ; I would scarcely draw my young breath , lest I should lose one word of his utterance . He invariably concluded these strange narrations as some harp-players do , in the same strain as thus : —" and my father was hale and brisk until his last day ; he had not time to finish tbe second boot before he fell backward and died "
, adding , lest I should not understand bim , 1 suppose , "he was just making me a pair of boots , don ' t you see ?" One fine summer evening , I directed my steps to tbe old man ' s dwelling , provided with some copper coin for himself , and some bread for his dog . My old friend smiled his usual thanks for my kindness to bis faithful animal . The giant soldier was sitting on a bench outside , in deep conversation with another old soldier , and the old nurse of the
establishment , " German Mutter , "f as she was called . The dog was the first to welcome me . As I approached the group , the conversation dropped , the old giant shook me by the hand , and well knowing my wishes , asked me if I would hear the conclusion of his last story , which had been broken off at my last visit , when I was compelled to run away , having stayed out much over my time . The truth , however , must be told ; notwithstanding their conversation had dropped , I
had overheard some words about Freemasons , and requested they would tell me stories about them , as I had once witnessed a grand procession of their body . They spoke of many curious matters , and I remember the German