The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-08-11
from the nelot twIs.) sournal, July i4a
@ GRAFT Taorlura.

! + I@
MEssEs. EDiroRss A. few weeks aincei
happened into the business Office Of book.
publishing friend In Nets York Citr. IL
little old man / ever iookad at. His dirnin-
utive figure was hid, and. as it were, extia-
guished, under. a long, .lopEe. immense gray
ovcrcoat, tho skirts Of which SWEPT his an
cles His little bullet head Was pushed up
into broad d-brimmcd, loy-crownef gray
hat. His neck, wlgieil seem cd as,sarg : as his
waist, was enYelopel in the snowies, OF cfa-
vats, and his square-toed SHOES, with their
shining buckles were polished, 70 the high
est degree, and altogether as restless as q
popp!e leaf. Perceiving that Rad come on
business the cd Gsntleman Mraed Is 5sgfVe
me the opportunity Of Addressing friend,
who, in his turn, perceiving that / was uil-
acquainted with the ancient apparition be-
fore, introduced me, By saying, "Don't sol
know GRANT THanBrR Rs! .sNo" "Well,
this is Laurie beside himself. II he shows
any alteration Of mind pay don't notice il,
for the old boy is just going to marry z
young girl"
"And why shouldn't 10 broke in Nr.
THoRBuEs;'I am eighty-one years old, to
be sure. but look here,-and putting oae
hand on the counter Or long table, he spraag
over to its other side as ninbly as boy
"There! If you can do thatyon are fit TO mar
ry anybody. | can leap five barred fence
as well as ever could; and see there too"
and from under the skirts Of HIS eyereeat
he put out a leg, the symmetry Of which
was well shown by the close fitting tights
and kree-breeches which envelopcd II
.:therc's as handsome leg as any oryou can
brag Of"
We assented, and took the opportunity
Of SAYING that was extremely erattihed to
have met him, for had heard of him, and
becn familiar with his writings all my days.
He grasped my hands, and tor the first time
looked me in the face.
'.Sir,' said he, Il feel eomplimented. /
have written to crafty old and young, and
think have been somewhat successful.
You are young yet, and you have chance
of doing great deal OF good, if you only
try: and | have this advice to give you: it
you are layman, don't betray your coun-
try; if you aae clergyman, preach extern
pore sermons"
On those. subjects, as On text, the cid
man ratified on, for some minutes, giving me
full opportunity for seeing that he had shaFt
gray hair, bright, hazel eyes, and restless,
constant play of his features. H. was con-
stantly pulling off his hat and replacing it,
and making m Jst extraordinary bows at his
emphatic words, and catching at my coat
button holes with one haud, and with the
other hand, and with both hands, and seem
ingly forgetting where he was, or who was
about him, be flashed along in his discourse
as if he and | were the only persons in
the universe, and that our lives depended
on ny conviction of the truth Of his coun-
sells.
All Of sudden he stopped, and demanded
first my name, business, residence, and per-
suasion; and second, which Of his writings
liked best.
Easily satisfying his first question, hest
tatcd on the second: but finally suggested
his account of his visit to Jenny Lind.
Ehe old man fairly shook like an earth
quake with laughter. | had excited aggrca-
bic recollections, it seemed, and he enjoyed
the reminder. So he laughed until he made
us all laugh in concert, although we knew
not q hat we were laughing at. was be-
ginning to feel ''iooiish,'' when he suddenly
ceased roaring, aud said, semi-confpentially,
8 Sir, she did kiss auld Lauro Todd teItt
hcre'" and be put his finger on his mouth.
THE CURATIVE PoHER OF Moacy - n
eminent surgeon from this city was recently
called to New Hampshire BY the officers of
4 railroad corporation, to make professional
examination of a number OF individuals who
were injured by an accident upon railroad
last year, and who have put in high claims
for damages, On instituting d rigid exdm
49, ~ ~ f.re AS ho ,rsif,,