Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1843-05-25
EooENrRIcITIRs 81 4 MADMAN.

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good business, al once became insane
and took II iDto his head 10 abandon The
practice oflaw. and engage IN basket ma
king was al first very awkward
hand st this employment. but. By dint Of
perseverance. be soon became very skill.
| full. and could weave 4 basket as well
as be had formerly woven N argument al
the bar. He followed this BUSINESS about
six months, when. taking new notion
into his head, he abandoned il for that Of
chair bostoming.
/ The material used IL tbs pcsu2a!ion
\ Nas bark which hts.fippe llnn he irs Is
ii1 summer, when il peels most easily.
/ Having come home one day covered from
head 10 foot with mud, he was asked
where be had been, that he had got 50
thoroughly bedalbeds He answered,
that he had been 10 a neighboring swamp
afieH elm bark, Of which lie exhibited d
strip about forty feet long,
'Doyou remark this said he triumph
anily.
Yes; but how does ibis account for
your being SO muddy II isn't usual 10
find mud OH the tops Of trees
No; but you may sometimes, find i
lib the bottom. though. I'LL tell you kow
| found it. | cuithe bark near the root
Of the tree, and then stripped il upwards,
expecting X would come TO an end and
break off, and run itself out offer a while.
But II hung on like sail in chancery -
and slripli and silipt, until il run up for
| " feet and strong SIS eyer.-Thlnks | 10
myself, there's no use 10 pnrsaing the
thing any father, and 50 I'll enter mol.
4 lie proseqni. But not to lose benefit oI
what had done-that was the point TO be
decided. | wished al least 10 save COST
but pshawl forgot-Im not a<lawyer
now. Well. as was saying. looked
atthe subject to see how'll could secure
the bark. II was too strong for me to
break off Al apy rate, thought |, there
more Than one way to skin a cat, as q
4 butcher would say iii cannot break
off this bark, lean climb up BY it. No
sooner said than done. | seized hold oil
The strip, and placing my feet against
II the trunk Of the tree, ] ran up hand over
hand. BY this method Of climbing, you
viii perceive my back must have been
downward, and nearly IN horizontal Po-
siiion--my feet being 5raced against Tie
tree, and my head standing from il in an
angle ofnearly niuetv degrees Having
arrived At the proper height, twas then
in a quandaIy. how to get my knife oul
Of my pocket, and how 10 get it open
i when it was out. LII lei go. with ons
hand. ! was fearful the other would no
8 hold me. However. says I'll is neck 81
nothing. I'll try The experiment at any
rate-so / griPped powerfully, With my
left hand, while I took out my knife viii
my right, and opening i with my tech
J whipped off the bark as clean as the Law
would dock an entail.
and what doyou think was the re
{ snlt?'
!. Why you come aat on your back .
. course
II Right gentlemen Of The iqry-a verl
correct verdict, indeed | came dow
i fat in the mud. Nevefzmas clientIlaii
!. Aatler on bis. back Than land never va
one So completely bedaubed with GltI
{ and mud. But thahks 70 he yielaint
I nature Of The soil, Isayed my bones. an'
! only brought away the mischief on p,
( coat. gained my cause too-whieh i
more than can say 81 all my undeftak
ings.'
I The company laughed heartily at ID,
ex-lavyer's account Of his exploit-Whil'
the latter, hanging bis coat up ID thesun
I said, that the mud, like the old woman
! grease would rub OFF when it was dryJ
u He continued while longer o follow
, bis occupation OF chair botloming. when
] suddenly becoming sane again, he resum
n ed the practice of law, and has, eyersince
. preferred laying his opponents on thei
backs, in legal way, 10 being laidson hi
a own in 50 ludicrous a manner as that a
!, bove relsted.-9, 7. 1rens