The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1848-11-29
THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY,
BY holm OF YORK. OR TIE PENNSYLVANIA.

BY JOHN OF YORK, OK THE PENSsfL'ANiAN'
, Everybody who "travelled" much in the Az
lee capital during its occupation by the Ameri-
can forces, knew the affable and clever Major
of the Third Regiment of Dragons. He was,
perhaps, one of the happiest officers with US,
always open for joke; and the first in at the |
death of good yarn, while there no one
who could tell one better man might cam
paign with p. year and never learn from his
lips that he was the near relative OF high dig
nitary in very considerable grocefs supposed
10 belong to Brother iona than, and he is GER
| tainly one oil the most agreeable companions
either In camp. at table, or on a scout. While
on one of the latter with him few days pre-
yious TO the arrangement Of the armistice, we
had the following yarn from his own lips, as
small party were seated around cracking
camp fire.
Shortly after the Mails arrival in the CAPT
tal he CHANGED TO fall in with and be inroduc-
cd to several officers of the regular army. He
already knew them by reputation, and very ma
turally feeling that his relations at home, and
the fact of his being new appointment,
might perhaps be no weighty argument in his
favor, he endea, ored TO be as modest posi-
BILE, and TO make himself as agreeable as he
could. To use his own words, he felt "a little
quieter than usual" but after some moments
had passed in conversation, he began 10 grow
more comfortable, and was fact gaining foot
ling, when a very awkward incident-for the
| Major, at least occurred.
The party were standing directly in front OF
the Lafayette Fonda. at that time very pop
ular resort for Americans, and from the corners
and goers. some eight or ten officers had join
ed it. The Major, having the floor. was relat
ling in his happiest manner one of his thousand
aud one stories of back woods life. when he
was suddenly interrupted by a laundering
whack upon the back, aud greeted by rather
enthusiastic "fiow are YER He turned a
lround 10 see who the iltruder was, but didn't
!, seem at first TO recognize him.
= The individual no made such an abrupt
lsntree into the party was, take il, one of the
Tennessee volunteers. He stood about six feet
, two-(ihey raise men as tall as their corn In
: Tennessee was broad shouldered, little
rounded, however, and had no flesh TO spare
2 probably had spared too much already, for his
E butternut- colored jacket. and blue cotton ter
E limitations strongly advertised "room TO let in
every part Of them. Seeing that he was not
I recognized, the woodsman sung out in voice
i that wouldn't have sounded bad at battalion
D parade.
5 "Why, dod dern it, Mage. ye don't pear TO
know frller"
8 "Recollect your face, very well. responded
Z the Major; ''but the name must be on leave OF
a absence, for can't call il to mind"
!, "Well, o all things, Mage, ! wouldn't o
j tho't that. WY don't ye reflect when you
$ used to come down to Squire Akinses lection
!, eerin? WY dod dern it, I've voted fer you
: twice, and for Jim tu. S'pose you don't rec,
i lect the time we slep in the barn, down a,
: Squire Aknses, huskin, and drinkin SO much
of that odd Tennessee'-thander, want il fiery
J, though-and squire Atkins, he played the ed
d dle-yea-sI"
3 The Major very modestly replied that be had
a vivid recollection of the affair Of the corn
husking. and Of Squire Atkins aad the fiddle
:. land was about saying some thing more when
=. his friend brought down his big hand with ell
other slap
!, esquire Atkins. he's dead you know?"
hadn't heard OF 1t BEFORE replied the Ma
!, ljor.
+ 80 yeas! died Of the measels, tu. Neve
!, had 'en in his youth, you know, and so bein
old eyed, he tuck II oncommonly hard, and
j and then he died, you know. There want
% clever fellow on Gods yearth, than that same
. Squire Atkins, Mage
y How far he would have gone, nobody could
h guess--for he talked with the apidity of a
y mill iail-but the Major finding the thing wa
i getting little too fat, proposed drinks, by way
. of shortening the interview.
dl iuC wv tilC iOu>Id, Which was Idic
n " ever frequented By soldiers, and as the,
!. walked up TO the bar and called for liquor, TIT
rennessean very naturally drew considerable
). Iattention. The party outside, who were en-
r. Toying silent laugh at the Majors expense
70 had quietly followed him and his friend in.
n "What will you haveP inquired the Major
. "Wa-al-I don't care eff | sample little o
.r that big bottle thar marked old Monongahaly
lit looks putty good and narral," said hi
10 friend.
,s The bottle was produced and the Major yer,
!, politely showed il 10 the other. The Tennes
!. sean very politely picked upa common sizeC
bar tumbler. filled it TO the brim with clea
Iwhiskey, and with ''here's III ye," was abou
70 putting it under his jacket, when the Majo
,, tapped him on the shoulder, and with quie
{. curl in the corner of his left eye. inquired
"How many fingers do you generally take,
- my ftiend7''
:. The woodsman very coolly took tn,
Ia glass in his left had, and putting the index o
d bis right into a perpendicular position, re
Al piled;
n "Wa-al. Mage; calc'late don't often tax
i more'n one, bu: (here he thrust the end of hi
long bony finger in to the glass till it touche
g the bottom,) but generally measure it SOL
in The Major paid the score, and owning L
4 zone" left suddenly, with pretty strong con
viction that his Tennessee friend had rathe
The majority.
re The lSDiAS MorHER.--How.helpl ess the In
- lar rnf.R hrar xt-rfh hal IL