Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-05-06
From the Barnwell Is. ca Sentinel,
DECIDEDLY RICH.
BROADWAY, Nnp4 JIM
March ] 9Th. 1854.

Il 9
* G. f. ToBIS ESQ Dear iSis.:.--Yo our name has
been proposed as a suitable one TO occupy place
in our 8 Portraits and Memoirs OF eminent Amer
scafs' nov living of which several volumes nave
been already published. This great work has been
received with much favor everywhere, and contains
many of the first names in the country or iuItn-
er information of its general scope and plan, Deg
to refer you to circular herewith sent Our por-
traits are engraved Steel by the first ARTISTS SO
that the Ikcnesses are true and fe-ke representa-
tons of their originals, possessing greater value "
the subjects and their friends than the most costly
paintings. - & - $
the pages of this work Should your consent afford
us the opportunity of thus giving to the world
true ard permanent record OF your te ana features
please send me your likeness "a good daguerreotype
of the same size portraits Is, best) SO that IL
may be handed over to our engraVers.
Please cause to be sent to me also. memoir OF
Yourself or such facts will enable me to prepare
it. and will not forget to say, that the facts Tor the
sketch should be fully and accurately given.
l hope you will send both the daguerreotype ano
memoir at your earliest convenience, as we have a
volume in progress, and wish to avoid delay. Hop
ing to hear from you, / am, yours truly ;,ceroNs
DEAR SIR: The above communication reached me
last week. and in replication, beg leave to state,
that if have ever done anything worthy of the i'm
mortality your magazine is likely to confer upon
me, am not conscious of it. However, as true
merit is always modest, it may be to that virtue
that owe my ignorance, at all events, (and am
anxious the world at large should know IT'D have
not sought fame, but fame has sought me, as Alex
ander Smith the poet would say,
"Fame Fame next grandest word to Cod!
In taking retrospect of my early days, can dis
cover nothing worthy of record, unless it be the
stealing of few watermeons at school, for which
beaten with many stripes, or the riding OF lew
quarter races, for which l received an occasional
and solitary ginger cake, or adventures of similar
import.
At IT, I Runaway from my venerable old Guar
dian, the Rev. Hansford Dade Duncan, Qong life to
hinrJ and vamosed to the great far west where l
Aourishcd for short time, and short time only,
and upon returning lost all of my money upon
game vulgarly called "poker" (of which OF course,
you know nothing,) upon one of the boats OF the
Alabama river. This about the time the Ben.
Franklin bursted, and killed many, and had l
not been standing the stern Of the vessel, you
would never have had the opportunity of handing
my name, fac simile, character and adventures,
down to an eager poSterlty In the columns OF your
Justly celebrated magazine.
returned to my own, my native land, fundcsS,
and perhaps somewhat seedy in appearance, and
for 1st Lieut.. in distinguished militia compa-
n.y. but unfortunately beaten by the loss of one
vote, by my worthy competitor.
In the year of Lord 1919, my illusrious friend
Thos. D. Condy, gave the Office of Assistant
Deputy U. S. Marshal for the District of Barnwell,
and while taking the Census, killed one horse and
another ran away and broke my buggy, upon which
occasion, rode my horse bare back IA miles in 40
minutes, of which fact, Col. B. II. Brown is living
witness.
After had concluded this Aerculean undertaking,
man calling himself |" c. Frank Powell" wrote to
me from Washington that if would forward a
tain amount of money to him, he would prosecute
my claims for an increase of pay sufficient to cover
these immense disasters, but l greve to say that
from the time l sent the money l have not heard
word from: the aforesaid and never-to beforgotten
c. Frank Powell, he probably having gone to parts
unknown. However, still entertain strong hopes
of seeing his distinguished and fac simle in
your widely circulated magazine.
Last year ran for Tax Collector in this important
Township, and was beaten so badly by base
bination, of which was wholly unconscious until
few moments before the closing of the polls, that
have not since entirely recovered my equanimity.
As salvo however, to this disaster and just at this
crisis, my distinguished but henighted friend, the
lion. James Campbell, Post Master General, gave
l may without vanity say, have discharged to the
complete and entire satisfaction OF the ch0Le
nifty.
My friends are anxious to secure for me the dis
tinguished honor you have politely rendered and
as reward for my various and arduous services,
are now busily engaged in raising subscription for
the purpose of defaying the expenses attendant up
of my portrait. They have already appointed
committee tosecure the services of competent
fist for the all absorbing occasion, and the
picture is completed will forward your address
Permit me to express the hope that you will de-
lay the publication of the next number Of your mag
aZine until it makes its advent.
1 avail myself of this opportunity to assure you
of the distinguished considerations with which re-
main, Dear sir,
Your grateful and ob't servant,
c. F. TOBIN Postmaster,
AT Barnwell, c. H., S. G.