Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-11-13
HUNTING AN OFFICE;
Or The Misfortunes Of Peter Brush.

time, when q considerable portion Of the
political world are apt to be despoadant,
and external things appear TO do Their ut
most TO keep them so. November, the
season Of detection, when pride Itself loses
its imperioas port, when ambition gives
place to melancholy; when beauty hardly
takes The trouble to look 10 the glass; and
when existence dofs its rainbow hues, and
wears an aspect OF such dull common
place reality, that hope leaves the world
for a temporary excursion, aud those who
cannot do without her inspiring presence,
borrow the aid Of pistols, cords, and cheml.
Gals, and seud themselves on a longer
journey, expecting to find her by the way:
"a season when the hair will not stay in
curl; when tho walls weep dewy drops,
to the great detriment Of paperhangings,
and OF every species Of coiouring with
which they are adorned; when the ban
listers distil liquids, any thing but beno-
fetal to white gloves; when nature fills
the ponds, and when window washing is
the only species Of amusement at all pop
ular among house.keepers.
1t was on The worst Of nights in that
worst Of seasons. The atmosphere was in
a condition Of which it is difficult TO speak
VITA respect, much as we may be dispos-
cd to applaud tho doings Of nature. 1t
was damp, loggy and drzzllng: to sum up
its imperieciioas in a sonorous and des-
crptlye epiihot, ii was "orrld muggy
weather." The air hung about the way
farer in warm, unhealthy folds, and extrac-
ted the starch from his shirt collar and from
the bosom OF his dickey, with as much
rapidlty as il robbed his spirits of their
elasticity, and melted the sugar Of self
complacency from his mind. The street
lamps emitted CHASTITY white glare, and
were so hemmed in with vapory wreath,
that their efforts could not project ray Of
light three fee, from the burnei.-Gloom
was universal, and any change, even to
the heat Of Africa, OF the ftosts ofthe arc.
tic circle, would, in comparison, have
been delightful. Pigs tails no longer
waved in graceful sinuosities; while the
tail of each night-roving. heciorlng bull
dog ceased Haunting iowa. IDS the clouds, a
banner of wrath and defiance to punler
creatures, and hung down dropping and
detected, an emblem of heart little dis.
posed TO quarrel and offence. The orna.
mentals of The brute creation beng thus
below par, 1t was not surprising that men,
with cares on their shoulders and ragged
ness in their trowsers, should likewise be
more melancholy than on occasions Of a
brighter character. Every one at all
subject to the "skey influences" Who had
trouble enough to tear his clothes, and to
teach him that the staple Of this mundane
existence is not exclusively made up offun,
has felt that philosopy is but barometrl-
cal affair, and that be who is proof gainsl
sorrow when the air is clear aud bracing
may be very miserable wretch, win no
great cause, when the wind sits in anoth-
er quarter,
Peter Brush is man of this susceptible
class. His nervous system is OF the most
delicate organization, and responds to the
changes of the weather, as an Eolian harp
sings 10 the iitful swelling Of the breeze
Peter was abroad on the night of which
we speak; either because, unlike the
younger Brutus, he had no Portia near to
tell him tina; such exposure was mot
physical" and that it was the part of pru-
dence to go to bed, or that, although aware
Of the dangers Of missmas to a man of his
constitution, he did not happen at that
precise moment to have access to either
house or bej in his opinion, two essen
tai prerequisites to COUGHING himself, as
he regarded taking it altresco, on cellar
door, not likely TO answer any SANITARY
purpose. We incline ourselves to the
opinion that he was in the dilemma last
mentioned, as 1t had previously been the
fate OF other great men. But be that as it
may, Mr.. Peter Brush was in the street,
as melancholy as an Embraced drum, ga
gib'd cat, or a lugged bear"
Seated upon the curbe, with his feet
across the gutter, he placed his elbow on
a stopping stone and like juliet on ms bal.
cony, leaned his head upon his hand--a
hand that would perhaps have been the
better Of covering, though none would
have been rash enough to volunteer 70 be
Ia glove upon i. He was in a dllap-
dated conditIon-out at elbows, out at
knees, out Of pocket, out of office, out OF
spirits, and out ia the street--an "out and
outer" n every respect, and as outre
mortal as ever the eye Of mau did rest
upon. For some time, Mr.. Brush's re-.
aecuons had been silent. Following
Hamet's advice, he "gave them an under
standing, but 40 tongue;" and he relieved
himself al intervals by splitting lorloFaly
into the kanaei. At length, suffering hrs
locked hands to fall between his knees,
and heavlng a deep sigh, he spoke:--
ga .ong time ago, my ma used to put
on her specs and say, Peter my son; put
not your trust in princess and from that
day to this hay't done any thing Of the
kind, because none OMEN ever wanted 10
borrow nothing Of me; aud never see a
prince or king. one ortwo, and they
had been rotated out Of olfice,--to berry
nothing OF them. Princes! poohl--Pu
not your trust 10 poiticianers-them's my
sentiments. You might just as well Try
to hold an Gel by the tail. don't care
which side they're on, for I've tried both,
and know. Put not your trust in poll.
3 II.