Columbus Democrat., 1849-04-21

% exclamation, Wlch ipumed iof,h from the trees
and posts along the edge OF The pavement
had the curiosity 20 stop and read one Of these,
when the following annunciation met my eve.
strangely Illustrating more po.ently, the thoughts
which had occurred % the hen looking over ibe
all healing nostrums aud invaluable medical dis.
coveries.
CT STOP AND READilllk 90
J.H B. Bigbug, shoeblacl,. having determined
to settle in Columbus respectfully offers bis pro-
iessonal services to all such as will iavor him
with their patronage. lie belongs to the new
school Of shoe bIasks, having taken his degrees
at Goodenhrush College, Ireland, aud hopes,
should occasion ctter, 10 prove that those who
style themselves ih, regulars are the true quacks.
The citizens OF Columbus may not he aware
that new and important discoveries have been
made recently in the science Of shoebacking.-
Under the benign influence oflhese valuable dis,
coypriys many boots and shoes which are now
iastWearing out, and dropping to unlimely decay
Under the psmiclous system used at present to keep
them bright, will be beautifully restored. The
whole .sihSlance and constitution of the leather
will beEesuseitated mrscaously quick, without
leaving anyipjaFious poiscns to undermine and
weaken the strength. This may be done too at
one quarter of the usual expense, aud by the use
Of one hundredth less Of lbAcking thon is!employod
under the old system. His materials beiag pre-
pared either by himself or experienced agents al
the north, he will ayouch their being genuine and
eficaeious. lie may always be found, when not
professionally engaged,) at No. %, Market ST."
You can well imagine, my dear s., that
surprise was my first emotion on reading this u
nique card and found myself inyolunarily laugh
ing at the singular assurance, as then thought
il to be, which characterized its author. But on
mixing in with some few friends and acquanan.
ceS ! soon found that must use some cautinn in
/ speaking out my Impressions, and that this Mr.
Bigbug was already beginning to take the town
by storm. Most every person was his advocate,
and many ardently testified to ais superior aud
unheard-of dexterity. saw That Imagination
had taken wing, and the numerous instances Of
his skill which were m0mentarily reciled in my
presence, almost convinced me that MIR. Bgbug
was going to prove the eighth and greatest won,
der of the world One or two Of the old shoe
blacks, who accidentally passed up the street.
and whose faces had been familiar to me or
years, looked as blas as indigo, whilst sardonic
DHSWt Cuiltu lutH saw lUul II, ike GtESdf
they were doomed to fall they had made W
their minds to fall with dignity at the base O
Pompeys statue.
Weeks and months succeeded and rolled away
and still the wondrouS achievements of Mr.. Biz
bug were the theme of every bodys eonyersa
tion. Shoes which had lain moulding for YEAR
tn the garret, aid which defed all the efforts o
n,.ll oh, n
magic touch more brightly than a barber's basin
Boots which had been dismissed from seryc,
time out OF mind and thonght utterly imperviou
to all recuperatiyc efforts, borrowed suddenly al
their ancient polish, and emitted such luminou
: etidlgonce that dandy might use them to see hoy
TO curl his whskers. How soft the soes had be
oomel how plant the tops werel how spring
: the heels leltl You would have supposed ha
Mr. Bigbugs touch had done the work of 81
months soaking, and that the wearer was suIli
cienty inspired to leap ten rail fence wit
: stakes ~ riders. And all this too was done by Nj
, Bigbug alone-and no one else knew or coul
| know how it was doae without a regular cours
: of apprenticeship under Mr.. Bigbug Some az
| tually averred that he was more ihan MORTAL an
5 that he knew too much for any good. His hal
Y its were not like those of other shoeblacks. II
i did not load himself with brushes and boxes;-
A he had only TO distill from iaybird's quill III
0 least part Of strange looking fluid, and the
n touch the shoe once or twice slightly with teatl
y er from the wing of u whip-poor.wilI, and III
S work was done, and all over. No noise of rul
e bng and scruhbng accompanied his efforts n
e smell OF iampblack and turpenline could offer
!. the nostrs after he was done with boots. II
. had also been heard to contound the wisest Of h
0 profession, and to declare that he depended NJ
0 alone on the natural properties of his blackn
All these things were closely and reycrent
e treasured, and the old housewives and ocogent
d ry men, who had been raised up under the reg
ardynas'Y OF blackspious declared hat tlht
Y they feared 10 touch any or shoe which had bee
:, cleaned with his backing aud feather. II
II name and tame were soon spread abroad and NJ
)t Blgbng was often sent for from distant places
n arg the benefits of his novel art of b ackil
d hoots and shoes. lie would return from su,
h visits in any kind OF weather. caring neither {
lf rain, or lightning, or thunder, aud was frequent
: heard gallopng lnriousy along the road at mi,
+. night, striking fire at every step Of his hors
d like any romping, devimay care goblin. Ho
IS could all this result otherwise than in building
Al for Mr Bigbug prodisious popularity oversha
N owing the pretenslons OF all other shoeblacksl
Of But his admirers did not suffer his claims
10 pre- emlnence TO rest even here. Many assert,
}. that his backing seemed 10 impart an elastici
ID and vigor to the tbres aud snews Of the foot whit
ID aided the operation of walking no little and th
IS water could notso much as light on boot or sh,
lt he had once touched, let alone penetrating Il
e leather. Others again declared that they ha
II under his direction, used his preparation with Il
n greatest amount of profit on their plantation
l. and that brogans which had been lime eaten
.. the prairie mud and laid aside for year as pa
le use,were suddenly restored to all their ancie
r toughness aud made to answer the purpose OF
of new purchase. In tsct,marvelS multiplied wo
rs de increased to such an extent, that the appea
ly ance Of Mr.. Bigbug on the streets was sure
e. produce universal gaping and staring, and ev,
So the old shoebacks would look at him as sort
| 4 i. /