The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-12-10
The Life Of Aaron Burr.

~ + s4sA
The Life Of Aaron Burr.
We copy few anecdotes of Aaron Burr,
from recent biography of that remarkable
man, by J. Parton. The last six chapters OF
this biography contains many anecdotes Of
Burr, and numerous incidents, which throw
light on his character and peculiarties. A
gentleman who spent some time in his office,
gave the author the following account Of his
habits:
He rose at the dawn. A breakfast of an
egg and cup of coffee sufficed for this most alb
stamious of men; after which he worked among
bis papers fnr some hours before his clerk and
assistants arrived. He was hard task-mas-
ter, he kept MS all upon Jump All day he
was dspatchihg and receiving messages, send
ing for books, persons and papers; expecting
every command to be obeyed with next-to-im-
possible celebrity, inspiring every one with his
own zeal, and getting surprising quantity
of work accomplished. ssHe was business ir-
carnate," said nv informant Aoour 10 in.the
evening he would give over, invite his com
panions to the slde-b board, and take a single
glass of wine. Then his spirits woule rise,
and he would sit for hours telling stories of his
past life, and drawing brief and graphic sketch
es of celebrated cha actels with whom he had
acted
Often he was full of wit and gaietyat such
times; ''the liveliest fellow in the world:o "as
merry as boy;' snever melancholy; never
illnatured. Abou: midnight, or later, he would
lie down upon hard couch 10 the corner of
N pt nd al
morning. In his personal habits he was
thorough-going Spartan: eating little, drinking
little, sleeping little, working hard. He was
fond of calculating upon how small sum life
could be supported, and used to think that he
could live well enough upon seventy-five cents
| a week.
Passing in Broadway maiden lady or
certain age, whom he had not seen for MANY
years, she accosts him with, sColonel, do You
not recollect me?'' 81 do not, madam, 81
am Miss K, sir,'' said she ssWhat!,, he
exclaimed, ''Miss K yet?o ssYet, sir,n re-
piled the lady, little offended, 'sMis K-----
yeti"
Perceiving the error he had committed, he
gently took her by the hand; and said in his
| bland, emphatic manner, "Well, madam, then
Iventure to assert that it is not the fault of mv
| ser,'
Returning from professional visit to Oran-
ge county, in the seventieth year of his age, he
was compelled to ask shelter for himself and
man from severe storm at farm houses -
| On entering the house, he noticed casually a
plaster bust standing on shelf in the corner.
Turning again to ascertain which of the ma
tional favorites it was whom the old lady had
| chosen to adorn her abode, he was astonished
to discover that it was but bust of himself.
"Whatp' said Burr to his hostess, shave you
got that vile traitor here?',
The woman paused in her work, as he utter
| ed these words. Her manner changed in
moment. Putting down some plates which
she had in her hand, she walked slowly up to
the fire where ne was sitting, and standing be-
| fore him said with intense emphasis
"Sir, have taken you in tonight, and have
done theibest Icould for you; but If you saw
another word against Aaron Burr, Pll put YOU
and your man out where you came from quick.
| er than you came in.n
| He apologized, and after a time, succeeded
in regainingher good will. He did not tell her
who he was, nor could be reco,lect her.
Always bearing bis troubles manfully, he
never liked to hear others complain.
On one occasion, when friend had met h i'm
with an affliction, she said to him--.sO, Col.
| how shall get through ths?,,
"Live through it, my dear!'' was his empha-
| tic reply.
stll complaining, she said: "This pin kill
me, Colonel; know cannot survive this.o
"WelP' said he, ssdie, then madam: we must
all die; but bless me, die game.n
Yet this was the man of whom the N. Y.
Review wrote as following, in 1888, the re-
vieweEheing celebrated d. D.
"With recklessness produced by present
which had no comfort, and future which
promised no hope, he surrendeie ed himself with
ont shame to the glovelling propensities which
had formed his first step on the road to ruin,
until at last, overcome by disease, IN the decay
OF worn out body, and the iinbecility of
much abused mind, he lay shatteaed wreck
or humanity, just entering eternity, with moi
enough OF man left about him to make Christ
ian out OF. Ruined in fortune and rotten in
reputation, thus passed from the busy scene
one who might have beer a glorious actor in
II; and when he was laid in bis grave decency
congratulated itself that nuisance was re-
| moved, and good men were glad that God haC
seen fit to deliver society from the contamina
ting contract Of a fostering mass Of moral pu
trefaction. ~ Vide the N. Y. Review for JsT
1888.