The American patriot., 1855-06-02
Miscellaneous Items.

service in Capt Cooks expedition to observ,
the transit of Venus, and whose name was con-
ferrcd by the great navigator, on "Gilbert's
Island" resided at Gosport, where, according
to the fashion of the day, like the Count d'Ar
tais, he wore very tight leather brecchcs. He
had ordered his tailor to attend one morning,
when his granddaughter, who resided with
him, had also ordered her shoemaker to wait
upon her The young lady was seated in the
breakfast room when the maker of heather
breeches was shown in; and as she did not hap
pen to know one handcraftman from another,
she at once intimatcd that she wished him to
measure her for a pair of "leathers," for as she
remarked, the wet weather was coming and
she feis cold in "cloth" The modest tailor
could hardly believe his ears.
Measure you, Misss" said he with hesita-
ton.
off you please" said the young lady, who
wasremarkable for much gravity of department.
''and have only to beg that you will give me
plenty Of room, for am great walker, and
do not like to wear anything that constrains
me-"
"But, Miss" exclaimed the poor fellow in
great perplexity; 81 never in my life measured
lady: T." and here he paused
"Are you not lady's shoemaker" was the
query calmly put to him.
by no means Miss" said he, 81 am leath-
er breaches maker, and have come to take
measure, not of you, but of Mr. Gilbert"
The young lady became perplexed, too, but
she recovered her selEpossession after q good
common sense laugh, and sent the maker of
breeches to her grandpapa.
A large, two-fsted, brawny fellow, who had
come down from Detroit by the Great Western
on the stoppage ofthe train on the other side
of the bridge, opened window 10 take sur
vey Of the last "wonder of the world" His
eye rested on the awful chasm, and the appa-
rently frail bridge over which he was soon to
pass; it was too much for him. Down went
window, and our hero sprang from his seat,
made convulsivc grab for his carpet bag, UNI
brella, and other paraphernala necessary to
traveller, with an ejaculation, "Look here
I'll be-if Tn going over that thing in these
ere cars" Out he bolted, and started to "foot
it, across the lower bridge. When the train
reached The middle, the individual was obser-
we'd ploddirg along beneath, doubtless NUT
tering to himself ''f this thing breaks am all
right On reaching the other side, he was the
source of good deal fun, but concluded to
settle the matter by treating all around"---
Buffalo .49rertiser
ANEcpoTE or NAPoLEoN.--Onc day the First
Consul, On dismounting from his horse, and
traversing the gallery adjoining the centre sa-
loon at Malmaison, stopped to examine a por.
ton of engravngs which had been placed upon
table at the park end of the gallery. Isabey
is said to have entered at the end next the court
The First Consul was then slim, and wore the
uniform of the guide or horses chosseurs of the
Guart4-that beloved uniform, the very sight
of which makes the heart beat. Eugene Beau.
harnais, as have observed before, was Colonel
of that fine regiment. Isabey, who had not heard
Of the first Consuls return from his ride, seeing
small slender figure in the uniform of the chas.
seurs and observing the two epauettes suppo.
sed it TO be Eugene, with whom he was ex-
tremely intimHe, and determined to take him
by surprise. Dcxterous, light, active and sup
pie as cat in his movements he advanced
softly without the slightest sound upon the
First Consul, and alightcd in straddle on his
neck. Napoleon imagined the house was fall
ing or that the old gentleman was come to
strangle him. Rising up, he discngagcd him
self by main force from his new fashioned col
lar and threw poor Isabcy in his tnrnupon the
ground, and, presenting to his dismayed view
a countenancc for which he was certainly little
prepared, demanded in a severe tone; "What
is the meaning of this bufIoonery ?"
81 thought it was Eugene" stammcred out
the lucklcss youth
"Ana suppose it was Eugene" replied the
First Consul, "must you needs break his shoul-
der-bones 2" and he walked out of the gallery
This story, though carefully concealed, was
soon bruitcd about. The First Consul had too
much tact not to perceive that his was the rid
iculous share of the adventure; Isabey under
stood it too, full as well, and both would will
ingly have kept the secret. But, whether the
one in the first moment of his terror, related
the whole to Eugene himself, or the other in
his resentment could not withhold it from
Madame Bonaparte, the affair got wind.
know that ii short time afterward the truth
was denied. AT all events, if it caused the
departure of Isabey and his loss to our com
pany, | must call it injustice and an act of
useless injustice, for truly one must be lines-