The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-06-01
Eccentrici1ics of q Madm5n

MF. -, lawyer in Vermont. doinp
gooo business, at once became insane. an
TOOK Inte his head to abandon the practice Z
law, and engage in basket making. He wa
d. H[st very awkward hand at this employ
lueDt' OUT Dy dint OF perseverance, he soon be
came very sklltul, and could weave a baske
as well as he had formerly woven an arpumen
at the bar. He followed this business abon
SIX months. when, taking new notion into
MS head ne abandoned it for that of chair hot.
toming
The material used in this occupation was
bark, winch he stripped from the trees in sum.
Iner, when It peels most easily. Having come
home one day covered from head to foot with
mud, he was asked where he had been, that
ne had got so thoroughly bedanbed He an.
swefed, that he had been in a neighboring
swamp after elm bark, of whichhe exhibited
a strip about forty feet long.
do you remark this!' said lie triumphantly.
yes; but how does this account for your
being so muddy 1t isn't usual to find mud on
| the top Of tree.'
NO; but you may sometimes, find it in the
bottom, though III tell you how found it.
cut the bark near the root of the tree, and
then stripped it upwards, expecting it would
come to an end and break off, and run tselfout
after a while. But it hung on like suit in
chancery-and | stript, and stript, until it run
up forty feet and strong as ever Thinks |
TO myself there's no use in pursuing the thing
any farther, and so III enter nole prosequi.
But not to lose benefit of what had dome
that was the point to be decided. | wished
at least TO save costs-but pshaw forgot
I'm not lawyer now. Well, as [ was say.
ing, looked at the subject to see how could
secure the bark. 1t was too strong for me to
break of. At any rate thought /, there's more
than one way to skin a cat, as butcher wond
say. II cannot break off this bark, / can
climb up by it. No sooner said than done.
seized hold OF the strip. and placing my feet
against the trunk of the tree, ran up hand over
hand. BY this method of climbing, you will
perceive my back must be downward, and
nearly in horizontal position-my ieet being
brace2 against the tree, and my head standing
from it IN an angie OF ninety degrees. Having
arrived at the proper height, l was then in
quandary, how to get my knife out of my pock-
ct. and how to get it open when it was out.
If let go with one hand, was fearful the 9TH
err would not hold me. However, says |, its
neck or nothing. III try The experiment at
any rate--so / grpped powerfully, with my
left hand, while | took out my knife with my
right, and opening it with my teeth, whipped
off the bark as clean as the law would dock an
entail
sAnd what do you think was the result =
why you came fat on your back, of course |
Right gentlemen OF the jury--a very correct |
verdict indeed. | came down fiat in the mud. |
Never was client laid flatter on his back than |
and never was one so completely bedaubed |
with filth and mud. But thanks to the yield |
ng nature of the soil, saved my bones, and |
,nIy brought away the mischief of my coat. |
gained my cause too-which is more than |
AN say Of all my Undertakings
The company faugned Deartny AT the ex-
awyer's account OF bis eXploit--while the lat
er, hanging his coat up in the sun, sad, Il at
he mud, like the old woman's grease would |
-ub off when it was dry.
He continued while longer to follow his
Of char bottomng, when, suddenly |
becoming sane again, he resumed the practice |
If law, and has, ever since preferred laying his |
opponents on their backs, in legal way, to
icing laid on his own in SO ludlcrous manner |
IS that above related--N. Y. Trans.