Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-02-05

friend why he persisted in digging, and
urging him to leave The mines:
DOUGLASS Flat,
Oct. l3, 1851.
"Uhy VW ye die!"-Son of mani
for the llgh, of whose countenance, and
Tor the JOY of whose presence my spirit
yearneth and my bowels grumble,h,
doth thou ask me why? Is il not writ,
ten that fortune smiles upon fools! And
for the sake OF these smiles hath not thy
servant been making fool--yes, an ass,
OF himself, in vain.
For five score and ten days he has So
Journed in this place-he has. dug into
The earth, he has diveI in'o the water.
he has torn ancient rocks from their rest
ing places, and removed them afar off -
he has also torn his breeches in parts not
to be spoken OF! He has rooted into the
earth like unto swine! His beard hath
grown long, the skin upon his hands and
face hath changed color until he is now
like unto wild beast, and his garments
are rent aud soiled. SO that .ssack-clo,h
and ashes would be as fine linen and
purple unto him! He would fain feed
on husks, bur there are none. Yes, he
who in times past was wont 10 fare
sumpiuously, aud to grumbie ovel great
er dclicacies than were piled upon the
table OF Dives, now snuffs with glaGness
the fragrance of pork and beans-and
gnashes his teeth impatiently over fry
ing slap jack. He boile,h raw onion
with unspeakable avidi5! Potato skins
tear his presence, beef vanishes from be
fore him, and dogs look in vain for the
bones. lie sighs for the flesh pots of
Egy pt, aud mourns over the baroness of
the land! In his sleep, nevertheless. the
good angel of the past deigns to visit him
and delightful visions are opened to his
reflections, for delicious "bill of fare'
floats before the mind of the dreamer,
and he orders "Oysters and Terraplns
for SIX" only to awaken to his Internal
slap-jacks and molasses
All this hath thy servant endured. Is
he not then a fool, an abomination in the
sight of wisdom. And is il not to such
and such only. that fortune disperses her
favors! Yet she hath deserted me. L
her, and she heeth! I"double
on her trail,' and she ,urneth away! /
await her coming and she stande,h still
| secrete myself in her path, and siege
her unawares! But she glideth off, as
though had caught hog by her greasy
tail "Sic transit" Iexclaim, as with a
sick heart, ! revile poverty. and curse
fortune.
Lo! are not these evils! And where
fore shonld they bevislted upon thy ser.
want! Surely he hath not sinned as 9TH
er men sinneih. He hath not coveted
his neighbors OK, nor his ass, nor his
man servant, nor his maid servant, for be
it known unto thee, that there are no maid
servants here. He hath abided by ..the
law and the prophets" but the profits
hath not abided by him!
Now, therefore, renonnce these dig
gings-l absquatulate the premises-I
"yamose the ranch," take off, put off,
| slope. | depart without; scrip or proven
der, taking no heed of the morrow, for
the morrow take no care nor heed of me.
Ere five days shall have passed, the shirt
tail of thy servant will be waving in the
breeze of the Nevada. A remnant of il
will be nalledu upon The highest mountain
thai he crosses, as an emblem of the ex-
tremi,y to which man may be reduced in
the land Of Ophir! Yet, think not Oh!
Elisha, that | would rend my garments
for this alone. Verify say unto thee,
an evil genius hath long pursued me.--
She hath followed so close upon my foot
steps, that every thread and fibre of my
shirt tail is familiar to her eye. And if,
in her pursuit of me, she should gaze
upon this relic in the solitary fastness Of
the mountain, she will at once recognize
it and believe me to be torn and destroyed
by wild beasts, she will retrace her steps,
and thus viii escape her.
GO hence, Elisha, unto the town of
Sonora, where it has been prophesied
that thy servan, win heal the sick, and
prosper with amazing prosperity. AS
Moses reared the serpent in the wilder
ness tor the children of Israel to look
upon and be cured of their lnfirmities. SO
will elevate my Tin among the gentiles,
that they may gaze upon it and be made
whole. Their offerings Of gold and sill
yer viii be acceptable unto me, and il
they live not afterwards peradventure
they may find their treasure in Heaven!
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