Hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1843-1845, 1845-01-16
The MAN that did not Vote.

Under thi3 lItle mere Is puOIisueu III
the Philadelphia Saturday Evening
Post. Two admirable sketches by j. c.
Neal, the Dickens of America. The
frs, Of these sketches introduces Nj
Peleg w. Ponder, as ',he Politician
without a side Mr. Ponder, as his
name indicates. never decided any
thing has,ily-in fact never decided al
all. Mr. Neal first gives rs some gen
eral accoun, Of the birth and parensage
of Mr. Ponder:
His mothers name was Mrs Per-
pfexi,v Ponder, whose earthly career
came to an end. while she was in du-
bualion aslto which Of The various ply
scjans of The place shoul be called III.
II there had been only one doctor IN the
town, Perplexuy Ponder might have
been saved. But there were many. and
wha. could Perplexity do in such a
case!
Ponder's father was run over By a
wagon, as he stood debating with him.
self. in the middle Of The road, whether
he should escape forward or retreat
back awards There were two methods
Of ex,ricaiion, aud between them both,
old Ponder became victim.
One of peleg's daily difficulties was
no, being able to answer the question,
how are you''
People, he says, ARE always asking
me how | do. and more than half the
time. | can't ,ell-,here's a good many
different sorts Of ways Of feeling be-
,wixt and between, very sick. | thank
YOU and people Won't stop to hear
you explain The matter. They wan, TO
know RICH, smack, when you don't
know right smack yourself. Some
times you feel things coming, and
just after. you feel things going.
And nobody's exactly prime all the
while; Amt anyhow-Pm kinder so,
just now. and Pm sor,er t'o.her way,
just after. Then, some people tell you
that you look very we'll, when you
don't feel very well-how then?
At table Peleg is not exactly sure
what he will take, and sits looking up
and down the board, deliberaling what
be would like, until the rest Of the COM
pany have finished their repast, there
being often nothing left which suits Pc
| legs hesitating appetite.
Peleg has never married--aot that
he is averse TO the connubial state-on
the contrary. he has large share ofthe
suscepnbliies, and is always partially
in love. Blu. female beauty is so vari-
! Gus.
If there wasn't SO many of them,
| shouldn't be so bothered said Peleg;
cor, if they all looked alike, man
couldn't help himself But yesterday
| wanted this one-to day, wan, that
one; and how can tell. if / should get
this. or that. or t'other, that j, wouldn't
soon be somebody else that | really
wanted! That is the difficulty |,
always happens so with me.-When
the laly's mos, cour,ed. and thinks |
ough, to speak out. then begin to be
skeered, for fear I've made a mistake
and have been thinking loved her
when | didn't. Nav he it's not the
right one-may be she WON'T suit
may be might do better-may be !
bad better venture at all. wish there
wasn't So many may bes' about every
thing, especially in such affairs. I've
go, at leas, dozen unfinished court
ships already
Mr. Psn'or is next introduced to us
as pell,ician-his fortune becomes
impaired. and he wants an office. But
here difficulties increase.
For whom shall P-Ieg shout!
Behold him. as he puzzles over the
return. of The STATE Elections. laboring
in vain TO satisfy his mind as TO the re-
sui. IN tire Presidential contest. S,upi-
| fled by igures--perpIexed By contra,
dIctory s,atemen,s-ho,hered bv the
general hnrrah; wha, can Peleg ID!
Who's going To win! That's all |
want Ia k3lnw, exciaims the vexad
PeIeg; i don. wan. to waste my ,imr
by blowing ou. for the wrong person.
and never get thank What's the
use of that! There's Simpkins-says
|, Simpklns, says |. which is the party
that can't be beat? And Simpkins
turns up his nose and tells me every
fool knows ,ha,-it's his side-so |
hurrah for Simpkin's side as hard as
can. But then comes Timpkins-
Timpkin's side is t'other side from
Simpkln's side, and Timpkins offers to
be, me three levies that his side is the
side that can't he beat. Hurrah! says
/. for Timpkins side!-and then ]
can't tell which side.
As for the newspaper. that's worse
still. They not only crow all around.
but they cypher i, out so clear ,ha,
both sides must win, if there's any
truth in the cyphering book, which the
lent abou, election times. What's to