The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-06-01
Eccentricitiea Of a madman.

Mr.. -, lawyer in Vermont, doing a
good tusiness, az once became insane, and
took int be head to abandon the practice o.
law, and engage in basket making. He was
al hrst a very awkward hand al this employ.
ment bul b. dnt Of perseverance he soon be.
came very skilul, and could weave a basket
as vel ss be had formerly woven an argument
al The bar lie followed this business about
SIX moths, when, taking q new notion into
his head he abandoned il for that Of chair bot
toming.
The material used in this occupation was
bark, which be stripped from the trees in sum-
mer, when i pees most easily. Having come
home one day covered from head to foot with
mud, be was asked where he bad been, that
he bad got 80 thoroughly bedaubed. He an
swefedi that be had been ia a neighboring
swamp ahor elm bark, Of whichhe exhibited
q strip about forty feet long.
do you remark thisP said lie triumphantly.
Yes; but how does this account Tor your
being so muddy Il isn't usual to find mud on
the TOP Of a tree
mo but YOU nav sometimes, find It 10 the
bottom, though. l'll tel you how / found it.
cut the bark near the root Of tie tree, and
then stripped it upwards, expecting il would
come 70 an end and break Off and run itself out
after a while. But Il hung on like a suit in
chancery and / strpl, and strpt, until it run
Up forty feet and strong az ever Thinks
to myself there's no use IN pursuing the thing
any farther, and so I'D enter a MOLE prosequ.
But not to lose benefit Of what | had done
that was the point to be decided. wished
az least 20 save costs--but pshaw ! forgot
I'm not a lawyer now. Well as ! was say.
ing looked al the subject 10 see tow ! could
secure the bark. It was too strong for ne to
break Of Al any rate thought ], there's more
than one way 10 skin cat, as a butcher would
SAG. II cannot break of this bark, can
climb up by it. No sooner said than done. ]
seized hold Of he strip, and placing my feet
against he trunk Of the tree, ran up hand over
hand. by this method Of climbing, YOU win
perceive my back must be downward, and
nearly 10 a horizontal posib0n-my het being
brace2 against the tree, and my head standing
from it 10 an angle Of ninety degrees. Having
arrived at the proper height, | was then in a
auandary, how TO get my knife out Of my pock-
ct, and how 20 GET it open when It was out.
III letFo with one hand, was fearful the 9th.
er would not hold me. However says |, is
neck or nothing. III Try the experiment at
any rate-so ! grpped powerfully with my
left hand, while I took out my knife with my
right, and opening it with my teeth, whipped
Of the bark as clean IS the law would dock an
entail
And what do You think was the result 2
.Whv, YOU came fat on your back, ofcourse'
Right gentlemen OF the jury--a very correct
verdict indeed. came down fat in the mud.
Never was a client laid latter on his bach than
land never was one so completely bedaubed
with filth and mud. But thanks to The yield
ing nature Of the soil saved my bones and
only brought away The mischief Of my coat |
gained my cause too-which is more than
can saw Of an my undertaking.
rue company Iaugneu uearuy "a the eN-
LAWYERS account Of be eXp'0it--whde The lat-
tor, hanging hs coat Up IN the sun, said, Tat
the mud. like the old woman's grease would
rub off when it was dry.
He continued a while longer to follow bis
occupation ST chan bottom ne, when, suddenly
becoming sans again, he resumed the practice
Of law, and has, ever since preferred laying his
opponents on their backs, in legal way, to
being laid on his own in so ludlcrous manner
as lhat above reated.--N y, Trans.