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son, page 184. In the Domestic Medicine of Buchan, and in a work of Duplaint, we find an account of a cure for the bite of a rattlesnake. I know not whether Derham was the discoverer, but it is a well known fact, that for this important discovery we are indebted to one of his colour, who received his freedom from the general assembly of Carolina, who also gave him an annuity of a hundred pounds sterling. 

THE SWEEP AND THE TOMBSTONES. 
[From the New-York Observer.]
1. SOME time ago you printed an account, which I sent you, of two little sweeps.  I now send you an anecdote about another of these poor boys.  It is written down nearly as it was communicated to me.
2. Jack had been several years apprenticed to his master, and was almost twelve years old, but could not read.  No person had ever taken any pains to teach him, and his master, though kind, was an ignorant man, and there was not a book in his house. 
3. One day, as Jack was going along the street, he saw several school boys, about his own age, playing at marbles, and as he was very fond of the game, he stopped to look at them.  His attention was soon caught by something new to him, this was their books, ranged in a line by the side of a wall.  He ventured to take hold of one, and was turning over the leaves, when the boy to whom it belonged came up, and angrily asked him what he was about. 
4. Jack took some marbles out of his pocket, and offered to give them to the boy if he would let him look at the book till the game was over.  The owner consented, and Jack turned over the leaves, but of course could not make out its contents.  The game being ended, the boys dispersed; Jack returned the book, and asked the boy many questions about reading, and, for another marble, persuaded him to read some of his lessons before they parted.

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5. The next day Jack felt desirous to learn to read also, and not knowing any other plan, he watched for the boy's return from school, and after some talk about books, asked him to teach him to read, and offered him a marble for every letter he taught him.  The boy consented, and Jack set about trying to win marbles enough to pay this little master, and being a good shot, he succeeded, though not without some pains.*  His teacher used to meet him every day for some time, and the little sweep soon began to spell words of one syllable. 
6. One day Jack came as before to the place where they used to meet, but did not find his teacher; he searched for him, and finding him busy at marbles, he waited till the game should be over.  After a short time, to his great sorrow, the boy called out,—"Sutty boy, I can't teach you any more, father and mother have both scolded me because you have dirtied my book with your black hands."
7. Poor Jack had not expected this, but was unwilling to be disappointed, and being very different from some idle children who are glad of any excuse to escape their lessons, he offered to pay two marbles for every lesson, and to wash his hands carefully every day.  This was in vain; his teacher was either tired of the task, or afraid of being blamed about his book.  All now seemed to be at an end, when Jack recollected that he had seen letters on the tombstones in the church-yard, and as these could not be hurt by his black fingers, he mentioned this plan to the boys, and offered to go on paying any one who would teach him to read the words on the stones.
8. The boys were struck with his anxiety to learn, and agreed that they would take it by turns to teach him, and immediately began.  After continuing this method for some days, one of them offered to take him to a Sunday School.  Jack readily agreed.  The 

* The Complier approves of the motive, but not the practice, of playing of marbles. 

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