Mountain Democrat., 1857-03-21
;7:'r as"inS;[GoVcruIncmt.
TALE OrIIrE N wASTlHGruN.

| II IL HOW NChIS-- years since luSt
| sat here in that Old time, when the blood
flowed buoyanty through my boyiSh
veins, and Hope stood Mt my elbow
How many generation, OF gold FISH,
| wonder. have lluatcd in the t.ark POOL
yondcr, with its odd shaft, since first
sat herry How many senators have been
beaten? How many du"ls fought How
many hearts broken And ah how ma.
ny oSsiiied as mine has?
like to examine ,hc new comcrS
nov. love to gioat over thu weary
waste Of life before Chem lhqvc tvavrr.
Sed il and know. know what il is to
set here -buncath Tie trees upon this
smooth-shnrn lawn with its level walks,
and iIowcry pastures waiting day hy
day, till our great Congress shall dcign to
pass my ''littlc bill" Pass it!--thcy
must pass it! JUSTICE torgot--I hare
no hope now. have passed Hope, and
She lies weeping tir behind me
81 have a caim--a claim against Gov.
crnmcnt Only for few thousands, which
Uncle Sam woulti-r never miss, while-it
would mckC me for life. \ l',ot clam,
too. Just Good IIcavcnS,-l forget
myself sometimcS--l intend to tell my
story. If / offend by my interruptions Of
myself. | beg pardon, am nm old man
AN old man!
II have claim, say. My lawyer
! found Il Hr me Hunted it up one NOR
uing before breakfast, rs one might say
Nh, keen man! A Akccn man! Bright
W. his nHme-Adam Bright "Euxv
hight" they used 70 call him, tor short
That was good joke once. I've told it
to Ambassadors, sir! The Spanish Min
lister laughed to dio Mt II, and thrn re-.
markcd---hN !-ha that owing TO my
rapid uttc1ncr, ~! his imperfect Eu.:-
! liza, he l!@l n"t cowlr,acnGri Worl ol
! Il.
why GnHS that r'Nn COMA this Way
tic promised me assistance aad drank my
wine. lie could '>l,i,c and suite, auIbl
: 4 william still Ma, --i,l g0r., ua ny IL,
steps. The cLr"S AIa rU'nrd hYo,ru
! hearted old man 80 with YOU! have
/ sat here on the hard seats, through the
hot dusty summers, I'LL the iron they are
made otha entered f'y soul, aud ceu.L
| CURSE mankind
Nv hat do live r,r? TIL I'll von
live to scc Tim" pass hv, wcmi'v, lring-
ing to other men joy, happiness, wealth.
family; while | sit here mnoNah'r, rus.
ting with the iron, while the wear Slips
past. live 10 sd NY life w0Strd and
aimieSs; my iit'lc fortune spoLt; my
friends cStrancv1; my enemies trium.
, rhaut; my reason lied; IN hrt, Hive 'uon
my hopes, and the Justice Of tA;S claim of
mine this clNim against Government.
III wNS young oncc. see you smile At
taat assertion, but It's true. | was young
and strong. That hand, sir was maIlvt;
and th"r" placid muscles were like >.rcl
Strong and grcathrartcd, and the l'ts. sirl
in the country loved me, sir. Az, I'm
an old, old man, nowy Poor Nelly,
Poor Nelly Why did you not LEAVE NV
when took Up tbs claim; Would that
had died IN your arms, when | took
leave of you, to come to WaShington.--
Ah but am proud that She lives, anal
he's never forgotten me-, Oh. Nelly dear
Il came to Washington. had t,mAv
if little money; and found specify way
into the best ScIilty,' SAW radiant
bellies and beauties of the republican
court. At the rreSi,rut', ,rvl>s ,hvy
throngcd the last R0om, aCd amidst
law-2ivcrS and iahohS, they hnrc them
loitily, hut none, nVuc was 50 E,ir a> She.
1hcg drove away in carriages, At walked
leaning upon my arm, for we were ular.
rird. had gotten n small c,vrN,hin--a
mere nine h'Ndrcd alt,ir hut it supper
ted It's while | 'nm>rd' my claim. 1t must
br one day decided ior me. know il
must! | forgot my,,it nay Eair, and
my God, sometimes. There Is only ouc
passage in the Scriptures that rcmcm,
Der &lwayS When am goHc from these
pleasant Capitol grounds lvttacm UiSScct
mc, and they will tind It cngra>vn upon
my heart, Ii is, put not your trust in
princes
got n government otfc> as told
you. When Sprnt my money when
the greedy Congressman had sucked me
dry; drank up my wines and eaten my
dlnncrS, the scoundrvl who lust passed us
curses upon him proc irvd pit il,
and tatR-ti1,, thinking me his tvr,--
his scrvant--hc dared To Insult my Wife
my prNr Nelly my lA6>nt torYanion in
adverSitv. IS.
clicked him from my doors. lkirk-
CT him out, aud he wroirm "lMiil not
challenge you, beggar that You are, for
YOU are beneath my notice, but vcu Shall
rue this day while vcuNvu-voH ~halno,
get your claim" Nlaughel at his threats,
fool that MAS
My claim came up at last, and would
have passed. was assured that il would
pass, ISat N the gallery cXrcctant,
iu, My wife was with me happv and
confident, when | saw this miserable
sr"unIrd pass Sip ofpapvr to his neigh.
h"r, il went from hand 10 hand; there
was little whispering and cuutu>iou 60.
my bill was lost lest
rcmcmbcr little Il the weary ,lavs,
and the burning fever, when NrtN ; cool
ami patient handS cayr>Scd my hot brow,
or held pleasant tlraughtS to nv r&ythvd
lips. The tevcr passed away, and | re.
covered to find my office gone, nv irwcl.
ry pawnCd to supply our wants, and my
sweet Nel'yS pale lips trying vainly to
smile comfort We went into humble
lodgings and Nclly--mv poor Nelly
took in ncetlc-work to support us, while
| nurScd my claim.
During the sessions there was excite
ment, and enjoyed the hitlcouS altcrna.
tlonS of fear and hope, have never WA.
gcrrd money Oh card; have never bet
on the black, nor backed the rcd; lknow
nothing Of the agony which have Srcn
on strong mems faces, as they watched
the revolutions Nr the roulette, with its
swiftly Whirling 6all; but | was a gam.
bier on n larger scale than this and my
cards NprN tho o,,,,