The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-01-02

u you open 'hu we're ao'r. ihg
ont - This. and no questions axed---
{" That's the door, sir
"That brass handler"
"les."
/" I'm blowed eff you do, though !!
This child don't NEEDLE with no more
hardware in this trap. no bowm
The donr was opened by the clerk.
and the fellow sided ont. A suppress
sed laugh pervaded the c"untenance OF
the attendant. as Zenas departed.whirh
as the door closed, vented itself in II
broad haw haw.
"You're a smart young gentleman-
YOU are!" bawled the loafer, through
the keyhoIe, as he held The door fast
with both hands-"vou're very smar,
young man; may be! you'd like To ge,
out o'ihat. and go 10 your breaStas,.
bImeby, may be! An if yer do git any
grub afore noon, jes lie, a teIler'bou
my size know twill yer?" Ill teach
yer to knock people down simultane-
ously for nothin'-l wil''--and. from
the preparations making on the out
side the prospect was that the insiders
were TO I've made prisoners.
A thought struck the attendant. He
disconnected the wire, and placing it
in contact with the knob of the door
upon the inside, his companion lei on
the battery.
The door flew open instantaneously,
and our valiant stranger with the seal
skin cap was discovered in the act OF
an anti-angular descent down sairs.tle
side of his head scraping the paint from
the edges of the steps, and his legs.
mean time, performing an involuntary
pirouette, which would have done inf
mite credit to French dancing master.
1t so chanced thar Zenas had purcha-
sed bunch OF ucter matches the night
before, which bad been deposited in his
coat pocket. In his progress down.the
matches had become ignited and by the
time he had reached the first flight he
had partially recovered from his first
effects of the shock'-but the fluid tin
gled through his veins. his coat tails
were on fire, and he was not 'set for
ward in his imagination any by this
last effort of his tormenters. lie dis
covered the fire, and, presuning 1t was
part and parcel of the 'cussid invention
he sprang to his feet, and with both
hands briskly a, work behind him. for
the purpose of smothering he flame,
which was roasting the seat of his in
expressbles--he put for the street
door at full gaIop.
"Fire! Fire! Help! yere! ON! muir
der--fre! help" shouted the victim, as
he darted into the street.
Away he dashed towards Baltimore.
at a speed which the 'lightnn' line
itself might have been proud of. Luck
lily, IA square of, he discovered a ser-
want with hose attached to one of the
hydrants, busIl y engaged in washing of
the pavement. He rushed to the spot,
and turning short before hlm--.a pos.
,erio,i-he begged him, at the top of
his voice, for Gods sake to put him
ouin
Perhaps his sable friends eye didn't
glis,en, and may be his ivory didn't
shine, as he cbarltably turned the cur
rent of that stream upon the unmen-
lionable portion Of the poor devils
netherments! 'The fire was extn-
gushed without serious damage,' AS the
papers say--the loaier was thoroughly
saturated--aud having exchanged his
heavy inside VET for Il skin-drenching
he departed. perfectly sober. amidst the
iaers of the crowd who had witnessed
The faale-most vocierouslv cursIng
all improvements in magnetism and
combustihles. G.. 2. B.
PHiLA. Oct. 5.1846.