The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1850-10-12
For The Cecil Wing.
ScragE's Picture Gallery,
OF Oddities and QuidditiOs.
sKErcHEs WITH A BLAcKlNG-DRusH
No. l.

VIA" - OANO cAs
No. l.
II is amazing how many shades Of hu-
man character are floating around us in
the sun-rays OF human existence, and
blending into each other, like pr,sma,ic
hues, till they are left with no line Of de-
markat,sn to define them: and too, tall tn v
are almost unnoticed; like the atomic be-
ings Of the lesser insect tribes; till some
microscopic eye by lens spies spots, or
dots, or hairs of char acterstlc is,inctness
worth passing notice. shall not at
tempt that exactn-ss OF features and Inca
ments that belongs only to the camel's-
hair pencil Of sk,lliul artist: but rather
than abandon the field entirely because
am dauber, I'll try, even Il do here
and there, now and then lay 1t on too
thick. Well then jus. here, think ct
taking my "pot-hooks" degree, by paint
ing a little at
FUNK FROST.
1t just as like as not Funk will at
times speak for himself, but where rxces-
sve mod.,ty, or any ether jus, cause may
impose hiatus, i, may be that can fill
at out.
Funk has told me how from his infancy,
he Mas a martyr to system. System is good
enough IN its place But here let htm
speak tor himself, as took it down, in
short hand.
"My father, Mr.. Scraggs,-the devil J
Mr. Scraggs, why dons you attend TO me
better, instead OF sctitblirg on that BIT OF
paprrr
go on Funk. I bear every word
and it IS just on purpose 10 pat i, on paper,
that ! lister. So talk slowly, will you -
"Well then If tina, is it, my father, as
was about to say,-O, d-nt! Mr.. Scraggs
shall give i, up, If You dom, quit play
ing with tina, cat. ] want the undivided
attention Of the house.
"W-'i, we'll, my dear Frost, excuse me
- YOU shall have it--now 90 on, do"
"My father, being monomaniac on
that subj'c, took me OF his knee, when !
began school, and stroking my hail to
make II look slick, Just as YOU were dong
that cats jus, now--"Funky,' sand he,
(ha' ha! hr always called me Funky!l
"Funky, my boy, you'll never learn any
thing Alright, till you get acquainted with
sysiem.'
"Who is he father ,'-I asked, think
ing il was some Wise man"
"Pshaw. Funkv, you are BOBBY.
Rut so was l once - and SO, ] must bear
with you. Well, my son, you are to be-
gin school TO day; and wished to impress
upon you the ut,rr futii,y OF attempting
anything, without the indispensable aid
OF system-that is, il YOU don, understand
YOU mus, do everything bv the rule and
the square You must no, read till you've
learned to spell You mus, no, spell till
you've learned your alphabet. This you
must not begin at the end, hut be careful
10 commence at the other end. And de.
pend upon il you can never learn SYSTEM
a,icaIIy without quitting such vanitips as
tops and marbles. They ar- too uncer-
tain. You never know which way they
are going to roll. Kites may do, simply
because they assist to elevate the mind
and teach our mind 10 soar above the
groveling baubIes Of this mundane sphere.
And there is system IN flying kite. But
eschew tops and marbles. II you let
these off, there is no knowing what will
become Of It There IS no string made
fast, by which TO pull il back. System,
system, tell you, Funky, my BOY, sys-
tenn that's every,hing.' "Th,s, Mr..
Scraggs, suppose may be called, lesson
number one: Have you got it all down 2"
ayes SIR"
"Honestly!'
"Ay."-
81 grew little older. One day SAID
playmate, "Funk. LET'S skin the cst."-
'I'll be torn down If do said .Whyp
said he sthere's no harm in it, mo
harm in skinning the cat! Would there
BE- no harm If l skinned youp yes
but what have ! done, that you should
skin mel sWhat has the cat done g
said l. 'Poo! boy, you're fool;' SAID he
-'Whyv said l. 'Because-ha! ha! ha!
-ha! hay you are talking Of an animal.
a puss- while l am talking Of play"
'Why then did you not speak more sys-
tematically, and call things by their light
names, and propose to play the play OF
Skin the cat,' and would have under
stood you' Here you see the effect Of
your want Of system'-said !. This was
told to an old, snuffy aunt Of mine who
duly reported it with CLOSES, to my father;
who rubbed his hands,with glee, snuffed
with her and then said, "mark me Peggy,
he'll lo.'-'As q part Of my fathers sys-
tenn was, to r1pend as few words as pos
sible, 10 economist in breath, he some