Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-10-08
From the New Orleans Picayune.
lR.GxSxNnG TINE DEED.

very distingse individual. passing round
card, a Ia De PMron, which announced It's
owner as, very respectable = Reu.' OF no We
| nv particular denomination. Among other In.
| reductions at the hotel, the elegant young d.
| vine conlrived TO make the acquaintance OF q
gentleman from New York, from whom he OBJ
! ained loan. upon pretences which We're, not
long after, ascertained to be false. The FASH
| ionable looking clergyman shortly made sud-
den and mysterious, retreat from the hotel,
| leaving book-keepers, bar-keepers, and many
other unsuspecting individuals, minus in sum
| dry ways, and deponcns saith nothing more OF
| the gentleman until he was encouptered recent
| " in Cincinnati by the aMiable and sylph-like
Jim ", who at present is negotiating about
those parts. Jim knew the doctor. He had
seen the D. D. before, and what is more, he
still retained an affectionate remembrance Of
some certain sums Of money which the said
reverend gentleman had Obtained from him on
some former occasion, when figuring in solhe
other character.
Here was a prospect for fun in the Henrie
House, which soon resulted as follows. The
reverend divine was gravely informed that
gentleman had died in the house, aud the
friends of the deceased, learning that a minis
terial person was so handy, ventured to request
his presence for the purpose of sanctliying the
scene with the pions duties OF his office. At
once the worthy expounder OF theology res
pended to the call, and in few moments he
found himself in an upper apartment OF the
house, where body clothed for the grave, lay
stretched out in the midst Of a mourning group
of.frends. They were ripe wags. all OF them,
and such an imposing exhibition Of sorrow and
solemnity, no person uninitiated could ev-
Gov hs,.s. &Sa nj he
were now and then heard, aud noses we've
blown in a manner somewhat ambiguous. for
had the doctor felt at all suspicious Of anything
like plot, he might easily have doubted whe-
Their the good people around him were laugh
ing or crying. He. however, felt no uncer-
| tainly about his position, ard went on enactlng
his character with countenance Of most con-
summate gravity. So nicely, however, did he
counterfeit the air, appearance and name:
throughout of high bred clergyman. that
some Of the confederates began 10 fear tina,
there ight be a mistake, and lest so serious
an outrage should be played off upon a real
minister, they determined upon another review
of their information before the s. saw" should
ha run any further. For this purpose The mock
minister was drawn away into side apart
ment, while select committee remained to
cross-quesion the corpse. Up bounced Jim
in the coffin az soon as he saw the door close
upon his old friend, the doctor.
''Gentemen," said he, wiping his lips and
splitting flour from his mouth, 81 don't wish 10
hurry you at all, but should like to have this
climax brought about as soon as possible, for
between ourselves, my friends, (and speak it
in trepidation)-
''lu your coffin. JIM" remarked one of the
cross-questIoning committee.
s. Yes, in my coffin, yes indeed, bless YOU
said jun, land III be if stay dead much
longer! Yes, iadeed, bless you"''
Here followed sudden ,hrusting of hand
kerchiefs into mouths, together with sobs and
blowing Of noses as before.
'' But Jim, my boy, before this is carried any
further" said one of the most serious Of the
party, tive must be certain that you identify
rightly the Naturalization this person seems
to US as though he nigh: be truly minister
Of respectabii,y."
"a minister Of faro, my dear fellow-'yes,
indeed, bless you-sweet ideas know my
game, gentlemen-so bring on the doctor, for
l can't stay dead all night, here"
"Well, let's go on them" said ono of the
leaders of the frolic.
The corpse lay down in the coffin, but just
as the door was about being opened, up sprang
the "puItubed spirit" again.
"What's the matter with you now, Jim -
lay down." said one turning back.
No, SIR, don't lay down; want drink
hope shall not die again till have inlep,
yes, indeed, bless you, sweet idea" Such
were the words of the dead body, and there
sat Jim in his shroud. waiting for his julep.
"No, no, wait till the fun is over" was
urged. but The corse was obdura,e.
II can't play dead man without throwing
some Ifeinto the part" said Jim, .and as Pm
going into the land Of spirits, should like to
take some spirits along with me-"
Jim had his julep, for nobody could argue
with him, and soon after the elegant impos,or
was again introduced-every thing once mere
assuming the appearance Of death and gloom.
In the meantime the mock minister, while con-
versing in the other apartment, had betrayed
his knowledge of Jim, saying that he recog-
nzed The features Of the corpse as those Of
young gentleman he had formerly known in
New York.
The reverend roper-in thought, Of course,
dead men could tell no tales; and he as quite
safe in acknowledging the old acquaintance.
Now all was silence, sobs and sorrow, and
there crept over the knot Of young men
strange minging Of involuntary awe with the
opposite light sensations inspired by so ludic-
rous and extraordinary position OF affairs
Finally, all disposition for laughter faded a
way in the most breathess and serious pause
the young men yielding to the influence Of
SO critically curious juncture, and each puz-
zled and spell-bound between two ideas-one.
the question whether or not Jim could pre-
serve his deception till the best moment for
climax; and the other, whether the brazen-fa-
ced mock parson WOnld dnre kneel down and