The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-03-24

swelled ana puny, and ,be eyes nkeo
strainingly on the fte. a. though in fear Of
encour;ering the ludicrous figure Of his
friend. They were averted from the Ere,
for moment, 10 welcome my entrance,
and then 70 directed thther with such a
painful effort, such comIcal air Of com.
| pulsory seriousness, as, added to the pre-
posterous fashion after which poor n. had
chosen to dress himself, completely over :
came me. The thing was irresistible; and
my utterance. Of that peculiar CHOKING
sound, which indicates the most strenuous
efforts TO suppress ones risible emotions.
was the unwilling signal for each OF us
bursting into leng and loud shout Of
laughter. II was in vain tina, bit my un-
der lip almost TIL il brought blood, and that
my eyes strained ill the sparks flashed
from them, in the vain attempt to cease
laughing; in full before me sat the exciting
cause OF il. in the shape of NJ; his head
supported by the palm Of his left hand,
with his elbow propped against the side oi
the arm chair. The knot of bis crs,at was
tied. with its customary formal precision.
back at the nape ofhs neck, his coat and
vest were buttoned down his back; and his
trowsers. moreover. to match the novel
fashion, buttoncd behind, and of course, the
hinder parts ofthcm bulged out ridiculous
ly in 'front.' Only to Look at the coat collar
fitting under the chin, like stiff military
stock; the four tail buttons brass glisten.
ing conspicuously before, and the from,
parts ofthe coat bu,toncd carefully over
his back, the compulsory handiwork oi
poor Nambo!
N. perfectly astounded at our successive
shouts oflaughter--fo VIZ found it impos
sible to stop suddenly rose up in his chair
and, almost inariicula.c with fury, demand
ed what we meant by snch extraordinary
behavior. This fury hewcver, was all lost
on me; could only point, in An ecstacy Of
laughter, almost bordering on frenzy, "a
his novel mode of dress, as my apology
| lie stamped his foot, uttered yoliies Of i'm.
| precautions against us, and then ringing his
bell, ordered the servant TO show ns both
to the door. The mos: violent emotions,
however, must in time expend their VIC
lence, though in the presence Of the same
exciting cause; and so it was with mr.. NJ.
and myself On seeing now seriously az
! i'ronted N. was, we both sat down, and
entered into examination, my whole frame
aching with the prolonged conyulsive fits
of irrepressiblc laughter.
II would he in vain to attempt a recital
Of one of the drollest conversations in which
ever bore part. N-'s temper was
thoroughly soured for some time. He de
clared that my ply sic was all a humbug,
and piece of quackery; and the I'd - nd
pudding round his neck" the absurdest
farce he ever heard of; he had a great
mind to make Nambo eat it, for the pains
he had taken in making it, and fastening
It on--poor fellow!
Presently he lapsed into melancholy
reflective mood. He protested that the
laws Of locomotion were utterly inexplica
BILE to him, a practical paradox; that his
voliiions as 10 progressive and ietrogfes
sive motion ncutralised each other; and
the neces result was, a cursed crcum
Eyratory lnoton--for all the world like that
of hon that had lost one Of its wings
That hence. forward he should be compel
ed to crawl, crab like, through life, all
ways at once, and none in particular. He
could not conceive, he said, which was the
nearest way from one given poin, to ano,h
err in short that all his sensations aud per
cep,ions were disordered and confnunded.
His situation, he said, was an admirable
comme ntary on the words Of ST. Paul
"But see another law in my members
warring against the law ofmy mind" He
could not conceive how The arteries and
veins Of The neck could carry and return
the blood. after Jring so shockingly twist.
ed or show the windpipe went in" afford.
ing free course 10 the air through it's dis
torted passage. In short, he said, he was
a walking lie! Curious TO ascertain the
consistency Of this anomalous state of feel
ing, endeavored once moro to bring his
delusion to the test Of simple sensation, by
placing one hand on his nose and the other
on his breast, and asking him which was
which, and whether both did not lie in the
same direction? He wished to know why
persisted in making myself merry at bis
expense. repeated the question, still
keeping my hands in the same position
bu, he suddenly pushed them off, and ask
me, with Indignation, if | was not ashamed
to keep his head looking over his shoulder
in that way the words will.
a shake of the head and sigh Of exhaus.
ton, as if It had really been twisted rsund
into the wrong direction.
"Ah" he exclaimed after a pause, "if
this unnatural state Of affairs should prove
III pnt an end to the
chapter!" he continued, bursting suddenly
into one Of those short abrupt lsug which |
have before attempted 10 describe. aHc- !
he-he how odd !" We both ssked him, in !
surprise, what he meant, for his eyes were
dxed on the FIRE in apparently melancholy
mood.
"He-he-he! exquisitely odd! He -he-he!"
After repeated enquiries, he disclosed the
occasion of his unusual cachinotions.
"lve just been thinking" said he, "sup
pose--He, he, he !--suppose it was to como |
10 pass that should be hangtd--hc, he, he! |
God forbid, by the wsy; but suppose ! |
should, how old Ketcb would be puzzled
my face looking one way, g. my tied hands
\ nd rms pointiny nnother How Tho r. croud \