Foul wells, from an accumulation of carbonic acid gas, may be purified by
a horse-shoe. But the horse-shoe, or other iron, or a brick, must be red
hot. The vapor thus immediately absorbs the poison gas.
"Drink no water from streams or rivers on which, above, there are
manufactories, etc.," says a medical writer. But if such water is filtered
through charcoal, it will be tolerably pure. Even stagnant water may be
purified by pulverized charcoal. Dead rats, cats, and dogs are sometimes
found in wells. The taste of the water soon reveals such offensive
presence. Clean out the well, and sift in some charcoal and dry earth, and
the water will be all right again.
* * * * *
CHARCOAL will purify, but it will also defile, as the following will
show:--
"A small boy, not yet in his teens, had charge of a donkey laden with
coals, on a recent day in spring; and in a Midland Lane, far away from any
human habitation, the wicked ass threw off his load--a load too heavy for
the youngster to replace. He sat down in despair, looking alternately at
the sack and the cuddy--the latter (unfeeling brute!) calmly cropping the
roadside grass. At last a horseman hove in sight, and gradually drew
nearer and nearer.
[Illustration: WAITING FOR ASSISTANCE.]
"'Halloa, thee big fellow!' cried the lad to the six-feet Archdeacon of
----, 'I wish thee'dst get off thy 'oss, and give us a lift with this here
bag of coals.'
"The venerable rider had delivered many a charge in his life, but never
received such a one as this himself--so brief and so brusque. He was taken
aback at first, and drew himself up; but his good nature overcame his
offended dignity, and dismounting, he played the part, not of the Levite,
but of the Samaritan. The big priest and the small boy tugged and tumbled
the sack, and hugged and lifted it, till the coals were fairly _in statu
quo_--the archdeacon retiring from his task with blackened hands and
soiled neck-tie.
"'Well,' exclaimed the small boy as his venerable friend remounted his
horse, 'for such a big chap as thee art, thee's the awkwardest at a bag o'
coals I ever seed in all my born days! Come op, Neddy!'"