White Sulphur papers; or, Life at the springs of Western Virginia

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124 WHITE SULPHUR PAPERS
to a greater degree than he had known them for
years ; he was once more in Chestnut-street. He
stood erect ; he walked over the bath a well man,
without any assistance.
After his first transports of
delight, he suddenly thought of his crutch ; it was
not with him. Had it left him, or had he come into
the bath without it? Certainly not. Where was
it? He passed his hands over his eyes ; was he
dreaming?
There was the crutch directly opposite,
in the same erect attitude as himself He advanced
towards it ; followed it round and round the bath
many times, surprised at his own vigor and activity.
The crutch in his imagination assumed a new shape
he thought he saw a dancing leg capering in the
stream ; he tried his own ; they were well and nimble.
He heard an approaching noise of the cripples
coming in at their regular time. What would happen
now?
He was a man of reading and romance, and
had heard of stranger things and wasn't disposed to
be over curious or surprised;
the secret, and left the bath.
The cripples entered th« bath ;
he determined to keep
they saw notliing
surprising. In a little while, one who had been a
bather much longer than the rest, thought he saw
he kept the secret for fear of being laughed at
How many have since followed that leg around
a leg; he pursued it in silence, until he danced himself;