Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-04-07
lcoEFeaponlenee Of the Wheeling 1nselllsrneer.l
Face southward.

from that delectable town of Sterling written
you about what can't say now, further than
that Initiated you and your.tnany readers into
my new theory Of writing history. In this, /
propose to give you something Of more per-
sonal nature. started yesterday southwark
for the glorious Old Dominion, my trunks
were packed aud tarewells given, just as the
stage, a real yankee stage, wheeled up before
the hotel. But before part with the "rural
districts -whereI must say = have spent week
yaiy pleasantly, and made many friends-I1
must tell you something of the yankee farmers.
As class, they range far above the ordinary In
borers, in point of industry, intelligence, and
all that which makes up t'the gentleman"
And them quite inLlenendeut, and often Obsti-i
nate in their opinions. They read great deal.
In all the large towns there are reading rooms,
and | have frequently seen the 'swaFthy labO-
rer, !" sthe greasy mechanic, tilted back in his
chair, with his feet on the back of neighbor-
ing bench, or on the table, reading the Rich
rn0nd Enquirer, tho Charleston Mercury, aud
the like. Many Of the farmers take several
newspapers, and probably you will not find one
in independent circumstances, who does not
subscribe for atleast one weekly. Youwill, not
unfrequently, find the same farmer receiving
from the Post Office, a Religious, Agricultural,
and Political Journal lelatter sometimes
two Of opposite politics. Nor are the children'
forgotten. They must have paper devoted to-
their little wants. and all these, with their pri-
Vate md public libraries, make good deal of
reading for family. They arc shrevd in argu-
ment and ready in quoting from history both of
the country and of politics. The United States
history is common reading book iii their
schools. An anecdOte on this point.
An old farmer, whose acquaintance made,
and whom the neighbors, doubtless from his
long yellow hair, called by the euphonious SOU
briquet of s'Uncle Sandy, was attending po-
litical meeting in 1910; when you, recollect one
of the issues Of the campaign was the rechaT-
tcring Of the United States Bank. The speaker
of the day was Lawyer from a neighboring
town. md whilc he was enlarging upon the
beauties of Democracy generally, and denounc.
ing the Spank" in particular, "Unclc Sandy"
called him to order. The speaker OH the outset
requested any one in the audienceto do so, in
case he made any misstatements
MIR. Lawyer" said Uncle Sandy, s.you are
WrOng-that amt So "Did some one speak ~
asked the speaker. Eyes sir" replied Unclc
Sandy. Are you Democrat Intercepted
the speaker. No sill" was the answer ibid
you vote for Gen. Jackson?" mo sir, l have not
the honor of that either, was Uncle Sandy's re-
ply. Very likely the gentleman will dispute
me, then, replied the speaker, who thought thus
to escape his opponent; but Uncle Sandy was
not to be SO easily SilenCed. "Sir," said he,
erecting his tall form to full height ''you charge
George Washington with perjury and [ hold you
responsible for it--you say thathe having taken
Oulll W SupkluEkE SuIlSLtlullOiL vi ltlG
United States, signed law from expediency (the
first charter of the U. S. Bank) which he knew
to be unconstitutional; it is false, and i charge
you with it.n The upshot of the matter was
that the speaker, being thwarted and confound-
cd by the old man, gave over, and the meeting
broke up with nine cheers for "0ld Tippecanoe.n
But am off the SUBJECTIVE stagC-driver soon
strapped on my baggage and away we went
The vehicle was box concern of thing, with
seats without or with perpendicular backs, and
with thick strap springs made strong to carry
heavy baggage and many passengers. The
horses were a black and bay, balky and bobtailed.
Merrily we rode down the gravel road over
fiat of some three quarters of mile in extent,
till we reached hill when, 10 we stopped
The ''ofI7' horse had baked, and thrown his
head over rights" neck, andwas looking def.
ance ut the driver, but Jchn was cool; no swear.
ing or getting mad. He gathers up his lines,
and lays his "hlack snake" SaVagely into Balliy's
flank. BalkyA kicks a tug. Meanwhile, with
the mid of nigh" the stage performs certain du-
blouS movements about the road, with an i'm
pending prospect of a launch down bank on
to a stake and rider fence, Operations at this
point were suspended till the ''tug" was fixed,
which was done at the nearest farm house,
When oil was ready, the battle was rencwcd--a
few more kicks from balky-a few more gyra-
tions on part of the stage and "nigh" and the
team was headed down hill on q run. This was
kept up for forty rods or more, when there was
a turn about and new start for the hill. HE
horses We're determined and gritty; the driver
non-committal in language, but cracked his
whip smartly around his horses ears, Fury
how we went! Your humble correspondent
chung to his seat, and doubted for u while his
ability to ever finish his letter to the Wheeling
Lntslligeneer, -240's and lightning trains were
no shakes TO us,-mud and gravel stone flew with
a vengeance. The hill was reached, and, presto,
it was scaled. Our headlong speed was checked,
and while the horses painted, the driver and
looked about for our hats.
burn, and barring balSy horses, is a pleasant
route to travel AT dusk we reached tho place,
in good time for tho cars to Geneva. To.mor-
row take the boat up the Lake (Sencca) and
Will write you from EmiTa, L.