Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-07-09
THE PHILADELPHIA DUN.

er was seen riding slowly through the
streets of f1ourishing town in Ten
nessee. He was a well dressed, good
hooking young man. mounted upon
what in this country would be called
~the best kind of a nag" His aP-
pearalce, altogether, was respectable
enough; it was even, as respects ex-
teriors, a touch above what is COM
mon; and he would have passed along
had it not been for one
thing, which excited universal atten-
ton. Although the streets were
crowded with people. and the fronts
of the stores adorned with fine goods
and such fancy articles asSusually at
tract the eye-the strangers gaze
was fixed on vacancy; he turned has
head neither to the right nor the left ;
he moved not;lip nor eye-lid; but rode
forward, as if apparently unconscious
as well of his own existence, as of the
presence of his fellow creatures.
1t was court week, and an unusual
of people was collected.
Here was the judge, with a long
tram Of lawyers. The candidates
for office were here, distributing
smiles and kindnesses. and practising
all those popular arts, which are SO
well understood in every republican
Here was the farmer, clad
in his neatest homespun. and mounted
on his best horse. Here was the
with his rifle. Here, in short,
were the people; collected, some for
business, exhibiting that excitement
of feeling which crowds always pro-
duce, with a good humor which is
only found in countries where all are
free and equal. The public square
exhibited a scene which would have
been amusing to one unaccustCmed
to such displays Of character. At
one spot were two neighbors driving
a bargain. Unlike the people Of
other countries, who transact such
business in private, they we're sur
rounded by host Of people, who all,
occasionally, threw in their COM
ments. A stranger, judging from the
sly jokes, the loud bantering, and the
vociferous laughter which passed
round the circle, would not have sup
posed that any serious business was
in hand; resident only would infer,
that before this little circle parted, a
horse would be snapped, a crop OF
tobacco sold, or a tract Of land con-
veyed. Not far off was a set OF
politicians, settling the affairs of the
nation. But the most amusing indi-
viduals, were some two or three,
who were carorting. NOW, if any
lady or gentleman is SO ignorant Of
the American language as not to
know what cavorting is, and if Web
ster's celebrated quarto does not fur
nish the definition, it is necessary that
we explain, that it expresses the con-
duct Of ar individual who fancies
himself the smartest and best man
in the world. On the present occa.
sion, a fellow might be seen, dressed
IN hunting-shirt, with a rifle on his
shoulder, mounted, half tipsy, upon a
spirited horse, and dashing through
the crowd. Now he would force his
spurs Unto his horses sides, and put
him at full speed, or rein him up until
he reared on his hinder feet; and now
he would command him to stop, and
the obedient animal would stand and
tremble. All the time he was rant
ing and roaring in praise Of himself
his horse, and the United States Of
America. He boasted that he was
born in the woods, rocked in a sugar
trough, and sucked by buffalo, tina,
he could tote a steamboat, and out.
run a streak of lightning; that his
wife was as handsome as a pet fawn,
and his children zeal roarers. He
bestowed similar encomiums on his
horse; and finally avowed himself to
be a friend to the United States Of
then he commenced
again and went over the same round.
flourishing his rifle all the time, and
'exertlng his lungs to their utmost.
Although he often declared that he
could whip any man in the round
world, except Col. C. that he fit I'm.
der at New Orleans, nobody accept
ed the challenge, or took offence; the
whole being considered as a matter
of course, and as the natural efec1
Of stimulant rotations upon an illite'
rate man of ardent. temperament
who, when duly sober, was an hon
est. m,ief. and inoffen siye citizen.