Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-06-18

Or the marvellous Hjst0ryQf .Wyahcer Won
IV0denblOck.


lie who has been at Rotterdam, VIII remember
house oftwo stories. which stands IN the suburbs
lust adjoining the basin of that canal that runs be-
tween the city and the Hague, Leydcn and other
places. savhe VIII rCmemberit, for it must have
been pointed out to him, as having been once IN
habiod by the most Ingenious artist that Holland
ever produced,-to say nothing of his daughter,
the pretuest maiden ever born within the hearing
of the croallng of frog. 1t is not with the fair
Blanche. unfortunately, that We have At present
any hing TO do; 1t IS with the old gentleman her
father His profession was thai of surgical in
strunent maker; but ms fame principally rested
ON the admirable skill with which ne constructed
wooden and cork leqs. So 8reat was his roputa
ZION In this department of human science; that
they whom nature or accident had curtaed, car
ricatJred, and disappointed in so very necessary
an apendago to the body, came lmpng TO hun
In Grow 81; and however desperate the case might
be Were very soon, as the vulgar saying Is "set
supou theirlegs Many a cripple, who had look
ed upon the deiouniy as incurable, and whose
only consolation consisted in an occasional sy hit
ut Providence for having entrusted his making to
Iai0nrevman, found himself so admirably fitted
So elegantly proppedup by Mynheer TumngvorL
that he almost began to doubt whether timber
or cork supporter was not, on the whole superior
/ Co a mere common place troublesome one ofhesh
and blood And in good sooth Ii you bad seen
how handsome and delicate Were the Uadcrstql3-
mas fashioned by this Sktul arlhcer, YOU would
have been puzzled to settle the question YOURSELF
the more especially if in your real toes, YOU were
ever t0rmented with the govt or corns. One
morning Just as Master Tumingvort was giving
It's final smoothness and polish to calf and ancle
amessenger entered his studio Go speak cassical-
iy,) and requested that he would immediately ac-
company HIM to the mansion f1iynheer Won Wo-
deub.0ck twas the mansion Otthe richest mer-
chant in Rotterdam so that the artist put on his
hes, wig, and set sorth, with his three coruered
hat I'm one hand, andh silver headed stick In the
other.
Tt so happened that Mynhccr Won Wodenblock
had been very laudlbly employed q few days be-
fore. IN turning d poor relation ont of doors; but
iu eudeuounng TO hasten the poor wretchs pro-
eress down stairs, by slight impulse, p0stT5r
.i0r ne seldom stood upon ceremony with poor
Irelaiions,) he had unfortunately lost his balance (;
and hmbhng headlong from top 20 bottom, be
found ON recovering ms senses, that he had brok-
en- his leg, aud that he was minus three teeth.
He had nj first some thoughts Of having his moor
relation tried for murders but being naturally of a
mercitul disposition he only sent him TO iaol. on
10 enjoy the comfortable reflection, that bis wife
and children were starving at home
| A dentist soon supplied the Invalid with three
teeth, which he had pnlled out of an INDECENT
poets head at the rate Of ten stlvers piece, for
which be prudontly charged the rich merchant
twenty guiuels. The doctor upon examining his
LEG and recoHecGng that be was lusl then in want
of subject, cut IL carefully oil and took It away
IUih him in his carriage TO lecture upon 1t to his
Ipupils So Aknhecr Nodb.ock, aware that be
| had been hitherto accustomed to walk, and not to
/ hon. and being perhaps somewhat preiudiccd In
favour of the former mode of action, sent 10 our
| friend at the canal basin, IN order that he might
give directions about the substitute with which
/ he wished TO be supplied IN the place Of his lost
member.
The artifcer entered the wealthy burgher S
apartment. Tie was reclining on q couch with
/ his leh leg looking rs respectable as ever; but
| with his unhappy right stump wrapped up IN
\ bmdaCes, as If conscious of MS own httIeneSS.
/ "Iuuingvor', YOU have heard ofmy misfortune,
/ il hes thrown me into fever, and all Rotterdam
Into c0uiusion-but let Il pass. You must make
me leg and tmus. be the best leg, SIT, You ever
made I'm your life Tumngyort bowed. Il do
mot care what It costs Huntington bowed yet
/ .oWeT-''proyidedi Il outdoes every thing YOU have
ever vet made of a similar sort. | am Tor none
\ ofyour wooden spindle shanlls. Make it fcork :
let It be light and elastic, and cram It as fall Of
spring as a watch | know rothng of the busi-
ness, and cannot be more specific IN my directions.
I but this l am determined on, that | shall have a
/ leg as good as the one have lost. ] know such
/ a thing Is TO De had; and if | Get It from you.
vouT reward is a thousand guneas.' The Dutch
PrometheuS declared, that 20 please Mynheer y on
/ Wodenbock he would 90 more than human inse-
unity had ever done before; and undertook to
/ bring him within SIX DAYS, a leg. which would
laugh 10 scom the mere common legs possessed
| bv common men.
! This assurance was not meant as On Idle boast
iTurningyort was a man Of speculative, as well as
practical sense; and there was a fayorite dIscoye-
lry which he had long been-endea' onng 10 make
! and IN accomplishing which he very truly imagla-