Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-11-18
Interesting Aneed0te,

Il is not long since gentleman was travelling
in one ofthe counties Of Virginia, and, about the
close CT the day, stopped at public house to OBJ
tain refreshments and spend the night. He had
been there but a short time, before cid man
aligh.ed from a gig with the apparent intention
Of becoming his fellow guest at the same house.
As the old man drove up, he observed that both
Jfthe shafts of his gig were broken. and that they
were held together by witches formed from the
bark Of a hickory sapliug Our Traveller observ
vcd, further, that he was plainly clad that his
knee buckles were loosened and that something
like negligence pcrvaded his dress. Conceiying
him to he one Of the honest yeomanry of our land.
the courtesies Of strangers passed beween them,
and they en-. cred The tavern. 1t was about the
same time. that IN addi ion Of three or four
young gentleman was made to their number, most
irnot all of them, Of the legal profession. As
soon as they became conveniently accommodated,
the converse ion was turned b. one of the latter
to an eloquent haraugue that had that day bcea
displayed a the bar. L was replied by the OH
,r that he had Witnessed the same day degree
Of elolucnce. ne doubt equal but that 1t wa
from the pulpit. Something Ike sarcastic re
ioinder was made 20 the eloquCnce Of the pulpit,
and an able and warm alteration cnsued, IN
which the merits Of the chris ianrelgioa became
The subject Of discussion. From six o'clock until
eleven the young champioas welded the sword Of
argument, addacing with ingenuity and ability
every thing that could be said pro and con. Du
ring this acted period. the old gentleman
with all The lncekncss and modesty Of child, as
if he was adding new information to the store OF
his own mind, or perhaps he was observing, with
a philosoohic eve the faculties Of the youthful
mind, and now new energies are reFolysd Dy re
peated action or perhaps, with patriotic mo-
ton. he was reiec ing upon the future destInies
of his country, and on The rising generation upon
whom these future destinios must devolye; or
most pzoi,a bly, with a sentiment Of moral and re-
ligious seeing he was cCl,ec.ing an argument
which. characteristic of himself no arr would
be able to check, and no force to resist" At
one of the young men remarkng, that it was im
,.y,,-i,.v 20 coupar with long and established
prejudices, he whirIed around, and with some
familiarity exclaimed Well, my old gentle
man. what think you of these things %
If" said the traveller. "a streak Of vivid
lightning had at that moment crossed the room.
The a1nazement could not have been greater than
1t was with what followed T"
The most eloquent and unanswerable appeal
was made for nearly an hour, by the old gentle
man. that he ever heard. So perfect was his re
collection, that every argument urged against The
Christian religion, Was met in the order in which
it was advanced Hume's SOY histry on he srG
iect Of miracles, was, ifpossible, more Perfcc;ly
answered than i. had already been done by
Campbell And in the whole lecture there was
SO much simplicity and energy, pathos and sub
Imitv, that not another word was uttered.
I" An attempt TO describe it" said the travel
Ter, would be attempt to PAINT the sun
beams" twas now matter Of curiosity and
inquiry who the old gentleman was. The trav
eIler concluded that it was the preacher I ON
whom the pulpit eloquencc was heaTd-but no
il was Chief Justice Marshall.-W Winehester Re
puJiican.
II The idea ofhappiness differs wi different
people. a fortune hunter once wrote to af lend
:. Cong-a tulate ne, Henry, fer am the apFiest