The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1836-09-09
From the M,p York Transcript.
ECCENTRICITIES OF A MADMAN.

Mr. lawyer IN vermont, DO
ing good business, al once becams insane,
iud took IL into his head TO abandon the
lraciice Of Jaw, and engage In basket max,
ing. He Mas at list u very awkward hand
II this new employ ment, but by dInl %; per.
severance, he soon became very skiliul, and
could weave basket as well rs he had for.
,ierly woven an argument al the bar. He
ullowrd this business about six months,
shen, taking a new notion into his head
he abandoned II for that OF chair botiomiDg.
The material used IN this occupation is
bark, which he stripped from the trees il
.ariy sumner, when II pecls most easily.
Having come home one day, covered from
lead to foot with mud, he sss asked where
ne bad been, that he had 90, so thoroughly
ledaubed. He answered, that he bad been
n neighboring swamp after elm bark. Of
which he exhibited strip about 10 fee,
long.
3D. ynu remark this" said he trium.
phanth.
Yes, but how does that account for
>our being so muddy |, ISM! usual TO find
mud on the top al 4 Tree"
No, but you may sometimes find i. at
he bottom, though III tell you how found
Il. cut the bark near the root Of the
rec, und then stripped it upwards, expect.
ing il would cnme 10 an end and then break
q, and run itself on, after while. But i,
luug on like a sui IN chancery-end strlpt,
until ii run UP forty feet as broad and strong
~ ever. Thinks | to myself, there's no
USE IN pursuing The thing any further, and
40 III enter nolle prosequi. But not to
,nse the benefit &c What | had done--ihat
as the point to b. decided. | wished at
least to save cosi-but, psha~ ! forget
Tn not lawyer now. Well, As was say.
,ng, | looked a, the subject TO see how |
could securs the bark, Ii was too strong
f"r me to break Of. AT any rate, thought
|, there's more than QUE way TO skln a cat,
~ a butcher would say. If | canno, break
& tins bark, can climb up by it. No
~Epner said than dune. seized hold OF the
"trip, and placing my feet against tho trunk
{ the tree, ran up hand over hand. By
his 1h-ihat Of climbing, you will perceive
my back must have been downward, and
trar'y IN horizontal posltlon-my feet
Traced against The tree, and my head stand.
ing fiutn u, 10 an angle of nearly ninety
degrees. Having arrived a, the proper
height, was then ia a quandary how TO
get my knife out Of my pocket, and how to
rat "A .Ax.~. L t<k
with one hand, was fearfu the other would
not hold me. However, says |, its neck
or nothing. Ill try the experiment a. any
rate--so | grpped powerfully, with my left
hand, while | took gu, my knife with my
right, and opening it with nv teeth, whip.
ped of The bark as clean a. the law would
dock an entail.
"And what do you think was the result, I"
"Why you cane fiat upon your back, Of
course"
Right, gentlemen of the lury--a very
correct verdict indeed. came down flat
in the mud. Never was Glen, laid fat.
ter on his bark than land never was one
50 completely bedaubcd with filth and mud.
But thanks to the yielding nature Of the
soil | saved my bones, and only brought
away the mischief on my coat. gained
my cause, too-which 10 more than | can
say Of all my undertakings"
The company laughed heartily at the ex.
lawyers account Of his exploit while the
ialier, hanging up his coat in the sun, said
that the mud VAS like the old woman's
grrase, would rub of when il was dry.
He continued while longer, TO follow
his occupation Of chair bottoming, when
suddenly becoming sane again, he resumed
the practice Of the law, and has ever since,