The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-07-11

Cousin barney Tramp.
An odd specimen Of humanity 10 your rowing
Goumeyman printer. Surrounded from his youth
up by a pile of newspapers and the literature of
the day, from which, in the ordinary Of his
business, lie is obliged to CLEAN the prominent and
choicest parts, at a maturer age, when he has
mastered the mysteries of the 'black art" he is
perfectly familarized with the ways Of the world,
its prominent points and characters, and casts him
self on its broad bosom careless and unconcern-
cd, as one whose mind is made up that the world
owes him living, and he is bound to have It.
Moro intelligent than the common run of mocha
nics afraid of no kind Of work, he is always rea-
dy to turn his hand to any thing to make living,
from delivering lectures on temperance or aboli-
tionism, down to acting as clowni in circus COM
pany. Liberal TO fault kind-heartcd with a
hand "open as day to melting charity" while IN
possession Of a 'sii, no chum blu. he viii divide
with no suffering but finds relief tohis ulermost
ricayune; and thus it generally happens, when
he is out Unemployment. he is out of "sorts, and
often even i,tic more so. Yet let it not be in
ferred that your perigrinating typo will cringe or
fawn, or in any way compromise his independ-
encc or dignity to fashion himself to the varied
circumstances or characters he has to deal with.
Far from II. In oil his "ups and downs" he ne
yer ceases to cherish proper notion Of his own
Importance and of what is due to MAN; and let
one but undertake to Cypress him, or treat him
with conlumely or contempt, and no matter how
low hiDfortuncs may be, our word for il, he will
in summary and quite efficient manner let il be
understood that he is not craven.
Prc.cminently marked by all,hc characteristics
of his craft was our amiable Cousin Barney,
the presiding genius over the Iittlefort Poreupine
Had we room TO chronicle all his advcnts-.s--Lis
ttlu"r' o,,s daagvsis hattlcsr r',eses, fortunes
by food and a,l give our readers lsrpS
.. fume Of ine'1 philosophical reflection.
.assas,ai iutarch in.ipid. Are thew no,
all written in his diary! From this voluminous
and truly interesting memoir we can give our rea.
ders this week but single lcof, and that OILY as
our poor, lame memory has retained it.
On page 742 the aforesaid diary, if our m G.
"
ney, after somewhat extended tramp through
the southern states, had arrived at ST. Louis,
and on the second day made application for "st''
at the large book and job Office Of Mr.. Bartholo-
NEW Scroggs; and was accepted Barney un-
derstood his business perfectly-this no one dare
dispute; and he was good-hearted, of an even
and amiable temper--ncver gave any man occa-
sion to quarrel with him: and yet, il may seem
strange, he and Scroggs were unable to agree.
Barney had the poorest stand, Barney got the
leancst stakes and at the end of every week
Barney'sbill was disputed. Besides this, Scroggs
was overbcarng, tyrannical, and particularly hard
in the treatment of his boys and his negroes
Now whether il was because Barney's own head
is little wooey, and his skin rather dubious
white, or whether it was because Of his kind-hear
ted nature, we cannot determine; but certain i,
is, he always had a sympathy for the oppressed
sons and daughters of Ham, and never could bear
to see them ill-treated and on one occasion,
when Scroggs, with large "bIack SNAKE" lay il
on the naked back Of one of his'negroes, SO that
every cut brought blood, Barney interfered--
swore is was inhuman, brutal, and must be stop
ped. Scroggs couldn't understand what right
Barney had to interfere. Barney plead the right
OF common humanity; at which Scroggs swore
he was an "infernal abolitionist," and shouldn't
work for him another hour, and told him to make
sssA his-k.n. Barney was used to being discharg-
ed, and complied without hesitation Coming to |
balance accounts, however, Scroggs was dismayed
to find that Barney had overdrawn his account
about ten dollars, and he now insisted thar he |
should remain and work out the amount. Bar
ney put his thumb to his nose and made some
significant motions with his fingers, at which
Scroggs became perfectly furious, and swoe he
would advertise him in the Rereilc, and-passhiu
as cheat, scoundrel, and pokroon; and following
Barney to the door, just as he was stepping out,
"-Gave him witch,
As quch as lightning, in the breech,
Just in the place where honors Lodge,
AS wise philosophers have judged;
Because kick in that part, more
nurts honor, than deep wounds beloc."
Such at least it did in Balney,,s case; andhe in
stantly turned to demand satisfaction for hiswoun-
ded honor, but the door was slammed 10 in his
face, and the key turned, and Barney was obliged
>supasasckei the alIront.
The season being didsll Barney found 10 new
'tsit' in the place. and aftef>d duly weighing the
matter, determined to "PulI stakes" fort e moth,
for Chicago, and the nourishing region Of the
lakes. To ascend the Illinois river 10 steam
boat was out Of the question, for the very simple
reason that he lacked the whercwithal to pay his
fare, and none Of the boats needed deck hand.
So Barney went to tho ferry, paid his Jas, picay-
uns to be carried across to the Illinois side, and
started on his long pilgrimage afoos.
J In that irksome and wcarying journey. through
the great American Bottom, i. would bctoo pain