The Georgetown news., 1855-12-06
HAPPY us a Clam,

a cheerful temper is natural Gift the
desirability of which cannot be Questioned
but seldom do we meet with a spirit so thor
oughly saturated with good nature that no
disappointment, no poverty, deprivation or
combination of adverse circumstances can
break 1t down or overcome its geniality.-
But yesterday morning man made his ap-
pearancc before Justice Brennan, who
seemed to have perfect fountain of undilu-
ted contentment somewhere in his composi-
tion, which no depressing influences of care
or accident had been able to exhaust or
adulterate-a typo, a modern edition of
Mark Tapley-a human barrel of holiness
without hoops on. He was arrested for be-
ing intoxicated. He gave his name as Get
typhat Take, and said he was a printer and
hailed from "The Gem of SCIENCE Office
He is a short man, Of beer-cask figure,
und face as rubicund as if he slept in a
room with 4ed curtains. His answers to
the questions of the authorities showed his
contentment under all shades of fortune.-
The Justice being also in a genial humor
was inclined to banter the disiple of Ben
Franklin und accordingly addressed him as
follows:
Judge-Well, Mr.. Take, it seems YOU
have thrown aside the composing stick, -
and gone to getting drunk for living. I'm
afraid you're "bad case" and stand in
need Of correcting" think I shall send
you to ''quod"
These technicalities, which were uttered
in a sort of you-see-I-know-your trade-as-
well-as-yOu-dO air, seemed to give Mr.. Take
that assurance which printers seldom lack,
but of which the solemnities of a police
court might have temporarily deprived him,
and he answered:
Prisoner-Well, at any rate, I'm glad
we've no "galleys' in this country, or
suppose yo'd put me there, and well "leaded'
at that. But bless you, sir, going to iail's
nothing; the last time was there [ tanned
a rat and taught him to chew tobacco, be-
side inventing three new steps for a fancy
hornpipe-it's good deal better than set
ting ''sOlid minion," more than three quar-
ters "fgure-work, and getting only a
"price and half for it: Lord bless you,
Squire, I'd great deal rather 60 to jail
ten days than not. I've got sick of work
just now, and I'll have chance to get the
bile off my stomach"
Judge-You seem to take it easy; how
do you propose to employ your time this
trip?
Prisoner-Well, Corporal, I'm undecided
whether I'll learn to whistle the opera O
the Bohemian Girl" practice standing OF
my head, or undertake to acquire the ele
giant accomplishment of balancing straws
on my nose; if [ could get a cat, Id teacl
her to play the fiddle, if [ thought the string:
wouldn't remind her unpleasantly of the in
testinal discords, after her feline body haC
been nine times slain.
Judge-Mr. Take, you seem particularly
happy under the circumstances; have you
got a wife?
Prisoner-Not now, Lieutenant; had
one, but she run off with a bow-legged cob.
Ter; [ was so glad about it that l sent her
her dresses and a quit-claim deed of her
person, which signed in capital letters;
she left me one boy-but he was q ''foul
copy not a bit like me; | bound him prem
tice to the type-sticking trade, but the first
day he quarreled with the regular "devil," :"
tipped over the "bank," pulled "form" of
the imposing stone" and "pied" five "col-
umns;" he dropped the 'shooting-stick" into
the alligator press, and in the evening he
and another hopeful boy were caught re-
hearsing broadsword-combat with cou-
pie of column rules" the foreman" chat
tered" him with the "mallet," and when he
got home to me he had fancy head" il
there ever was one.
Clerk-Where is he now?
Prisoner-He ran away with a circus
and the last | saw of him he was in the mid
die OF sawdust ring trying to tie his legs
IN a bow-knot round his neck; I've been
Jolller since then than ever before.
Judge-YOu seem to be always jolly.
Prisoner-So am; l laughed when my
father turned me out of doors at eleven
years old, laughed when | broke my arm
and made funny faces at the doctor when
he was setting it; the happiest day | ever
spent was one time when L hadn't but one
SHIRT and pair Of pants to put on, had
spent all my money, and gone hungry forty
hours. L never was really unhappy but
once III my life, and that was when | fell
down stairs, fractured my collar-bone, and
skinned my leg so badly couldn't get down
on my knees to thank God | hadn't broker
my neck.
The Judge relented, and let Mr.. Take
go, and that rotund Individual left the room
trying to whistle and sing at the same time
and also dance an independent jig with
each leg TO different tune.