Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-06-26
For the Gailipolis journal.
MY GRANDPARENTS PAPERS.
NUMBER 1.
BY LAMINGToN.

curiosity TO examine old papers
books, records, letters, deeds, memo
randa, compositions no matter what
so they had the dust and smell o.
age, they possessed charm and in
terest for me above every thing else
When a mere child, long ago,
well remember an adventure | had
with some old musty books and pa
pers that had long been laid away in
one corner of our little old garrett
far up among some ancient rubbish
that had been worn out and flung
aside as useless, or had outlasted its
fashion and had been filed away for
future use. t
One day, whilst tumbling about
this mass Of antique property, in
search of old strings and yarn Of old
stockings for the purpose OF making
into a ball, | espied an odd looking
old basket, shaped something like a
cone, its capacity about two bushels,
and appeared TO me, after examining
il careIully,to contain books and pa
pers Of ancient date and make. Ny
boyish curiosity was at once aroused,
and forgetting bats and balls and
martial plays, dove at once into this
congregation of hoary literature and
soon had il scattered in wild conlu-
sion over the floor; then sitting
down in the centre OF this kingdom
of my own exclusive glory | began
a rigid examination of every indiviG-
ual hook, card, paper and envelope
that lay around me. Had lived in
the days of the contest between the
roses Of York and Lancaster, |
should have been a follower of the
red rose, il ior no other reason than
the colOr Of the ensign Of that party.
So in my younger days, | had an ex-
treme "penchant" for the red, and
especially papers tied up with ribbon
or Iape, in my young fancy were
douhly valuable. Red is said to be
the sign for pride, if so, it is true in
nv case, Tor | am a proud man, was
a naughty, proud boy and in The con-
test for a place ard a name in the
world have ofiener been wounded
in that particular feeling than in any
and all others put together. Hence
il was that every bundle Of oil pa
pers that was tied round with red
tape, | put aside for further exami-
nation; for I had often heard my faith
er and grandfather and my eldest
brother, who had already begun his
career as a lawyer, talk over legal
matters, and always TOO whenever
my brother had in his hands some
document tied with red tape and
which was always referred TO as um-
pire in these discussions. Hence 10
my childish fancy, there was some
thing legitimate as well as all-im-
portant between the law and red
tape and especially a green bag. |
could read written and printed Dords
when only three years old, and as
thought could understand all | read
OF these old papers, ] suddenly took
it into my head, TO steal and lay
away Tor future use these old musty
bundles Of papers. What was the ex-
act motive that led me to this singu-
lar resolution then, / cannot very
we'll say at this Gay, but | have a
vague, indistinct idea, that as | had
already determined to become ld,o-
yer in time, it occurred TO me that by
keeping these old records, | should
be able by their help 10 decide some
great question Of the law. My old
grandfather was then living with my
father and | had ever been taught 10
reverence all his sayings and doings
on all occasions; and | had heard
something said about his old papers
that had been long lost or mislaid,
! imagined at once that these were
the bona fide documents, and as a
consequence their value was greatly
enhanced in my estimation. What
dId with the other articles ! had so
unceremoniously disturbed, | don't
SO well remember; but the papers so
neatly folded, so nicely tied with red
RIBBON and tape appropriated to
myself and laid them away in my
chest, an antique box that had been
in the family for half a century. AZ
ter thus disposing of This stolen pro-
perty flor | then thought had stolen
something Of great value TO my old
grandiather) hastily reireated from
the little old garret to seek my broth
ers and playfellows. It is strange al
what an early age, we get an idea oi
MANY OF the crimes denounced by
the Decalogue, for at that tender age
knew il was wrong to steal; and
althoughif had been asked ! could
not have answered wherein it was
wrong thus to pile away those old
papers. yet felt as if ] had commit
| ted great wrong somehow, and tc
Inv aged foreparent. And as ] saw
him tottering along leaning on hi
staff. his venerable form bowed will