The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-05-20
From the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph.
"A Doctors Story. q .o7os

little business excursion into the State
called Npon an old acquaintance
whom ! had formerly known in Geor
,gia, and was induced to spend the nigh
al his house. III, t,..9., ,-t,
j, My friend had been successful prac
sitioner ofmedicine, and had risen pret
Wy well in The world. The air Of ease
and comfort, and even elegance, ! saw
,around him, attracted my admiration
and l could not help congra.ula.ing
him upon the same, and upon the envi,
.ableness Of his situation. With such a
beautiful plantation, such 4 lovely and
smiable family, and a plenty of the
worlds goods, what more, asked Of
him, could any man want to be happy
He admitted there was nothing else
. man could reasonably ask or desire.
But ] could discover, Notwithstanding,
that my friend has his share Of cares
and anxieties. He had found out that
wealth brought along with it a dispro-
por,ional increase Of troubles and vex.
aiions, and that happiness was as far
from his grasp as ever. A desire for
popularity had also taken possession of
him, and an ambition 10 figure in the
Legislature and in Congress, occasion.
ed him many restless nights.
We continued to converse about old
times and old scrapes, I'LL late bed time.
sBy the bye,' said he, did you ever
hear how ! first became acquainted
with my wife' ntea;@,1sc,a I
Never, said |, sand above all things
should like TO know, as | am certain
there must have, been something ro-
mantle about it, Ia. =, ,,,vo@....
do you think, then, am romantic?'
mo! and thai is the reason any thing
q little uncommon would make a live
,lier impression. But pray 60 on
'sYou must kno W, then,' said he, shat
Icomple,ed my medical education about
the time Of the first settlement Of old
Monroe. Captiyated by the dazzling
accounts which land spectators gave
Of the richness Of the soil in the then
new purchase, particularly in Monroe
county, my father was induced to sell
his beautiful plantation in old Putnam,
at less than one fourth IFS value, and
buy wild unimproved land in Monroe,
ntnore than four times their real worth.
But you know very well how it al
ways is, when q new country is to be
settled! how the old farms run down,
and the new ones run up? The same
notions that brought my father to Mon
roe, brought me to Alabama--so true it
is, that the experience Of others is but
q feeble monitor to Us. ID, t m
Having obtained il diploma of NJ. d. |
] started for home with spirits as light |
as ether. crossed the Ockmulgee on |
the road from Clinton 10 Forsythe, and
entered the new purchase, at that time
but very thinly settled. The ferryman.
] found, knew my father, at least he said I
he did, and gave me directions TO the
house, which was about ten miles
distant. $780, ,,e..1 ,,t..,,',
q followed lbe directions of the ferry.
man--took right hand road, then n
left one, crossed a branch at the foot OF
q, steep hill, then went over another
right hand road, &c, and found plan
ta,ion corresponding exactly with the
one he described-a cotton field on one
side, new corn on the other, a double
log house with passage between, and
n piazza in front, and number of ne
gro houses, stables, and corn cribs TO
match. letats3 sssdt 1a.I stsa |
u..Well,'o said ! to myself. old Dad is
pretty well fixed-reckon he did good
business in selling his worn out Put.
nam place. NV .7s,ie,i b,7om % I'd
,,o III was ABOUT two, o'clock rs ! ap.
preached the bouse, on one ofithe hot.
test days in July, that you perhaps
ever saw.bo A number Of welLfed, long |,
legged ,shoaisa were asleep in the lane
that led pP, 70 the house. In the horse
lot were some seven or, eight horses;
and the mules stood over their corn, ,fod.
der, winked att the flies, or were rolling
IN qhs sands Here and there negro
mighfbe eenistretched at his fulllength
in the sun, fast asleep. a. pack Of
hounds were also enjoying The same
laxuryin'the shade. Nobody was stir.
ring eitbcr in the house, the yard, or
thsNkitcRen. Really thought /, this is
the land Of lNod!ls The fact was, as /
afterwards Learned, they had just laid
BY their crop, and the hands were en-.
ioying the customary holiday on such
B Dccasiohs, Y Heihsa 'iie Raiss #o'i
a'T0 humor the thing a sudden fancy
coming into my lhead at the time,
stripped my horse, and turned himinto
AMI eHpty stable, where q supply ofb,
proyepder seemed inviting, him, and
walked into, the piazza without awaking !
any, one Of The slespeEs. From thsloud
snoring in onsepd Of the house, easily |;