Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-11-16
The Life of Aaron Burr.


We copy few anecdotes of ArrOr Burr, from
cent biography of that remarkshl" man, by J.
Parton. The last six chapters Of this biography
cont4in many anecdot of Burr. and numerous in
cidents, which throw light on his character and pc
cuIi-riti4s gentleman who spent som" time In
bis office gave the author the following OF
his daily habts:-
He rose at the dawn. A breakfast of an egg and
cup of coffee suffced for this most abstemious Of
men aft which he worked anon his popers for
some hours before bis c rk and assistants arrived.
He was a hard task-master he kcpt ell upon
the jump All day b. was d-pItching
and receiving messages, sending for books,
persons and papers; expecting eVerv command TO
be oheyed with interchangeable celebrity, inspir-
ing every one with lis own goal and getting sur
prsinR quantity Of work accomplished. He was
business incnrnate,' said my informant. About 10
in the evening he would give r, invite his COM
panions 20 the side-board and take single LASS Of
wine Then his spirits would Use, and be would
sit for hours telling stories of his past life, snd
drawing brief and graphic sketches Of celebrated
characters with whom he had acted. Often he
full of wit and gaiety at such times; the liVriest
fellow in the world : 'as merry as a boy;' never
M. ! ,ncholy, nevrr il-natured." About midnight
or later, he would lie down upon hard couch in
the corner of his Office, aud sleep like a child
I'll the morning. In his personal la bits he a
blpIOuSu-SOng spartan: eatlng Httlr, GfinKlng 1T
tie, sleeping little working hard. He WAS fond of
calculating upon how small a sum life could be sup
ported, ard used to think that he could live well
en- nugh upon seventy five cents week.
Towards the close OF Burr's life, when from pa
rsy-s h. was Frustrated on his bed, lady said to
him
Colonel, I wonder now if you we're the gay Lo-
tn rio they say you were2"
The old man turned eyes the lustre of which
was undmmed still, towards the friend who made
the remerk, and lifting his trembling finger, said
in his qui impressive whisper which still fingers
in her ears, and which brought tears to her
ewes, twenty years after, as she repeated the
Words:
They say they sag THEY sAYI All my child,
how long are YOU going to continue to those
dreadful words? Those two little words hav" done
more harm than all others. Never use them, my
dear. Never use themr
Passing in Broadway maiden lady of q rtau
age, whom h" had not for many years, she
COSTS Tim .With-'COlnnel, DO you not recoect mer
4 do not madam Il am Miss K sir said
she. What, he exclaimed, Miss K geV
Yes, cir replied the lady, little offended, Miss
K-yeP
Prrceivng the error he had committed, he gen.
tly took her by the hand, and said in his bland,
emphatic manner-'Well madam, then l venture
10 assert that it is not the fault of my sex I
Returning from professional visit to Orange
county in the seventeen year of his age, he was
compelled to ask shelter for hims If and man from
a severe storm at farm hous~. On entering the
house, he noticed casually plaster bust standing
a shelf in the corner. Turning again TO ascer-
tain which of the national avorires it was whom
the old lad yhad chosen to adorn her abOdr, b.
was s;onished to discover that it was a bust OF
himself
What said Burr to his hostess, have you got
that vile traitor heFe%
The woman paused in her work as he uttPre1 |
these words. Her manner changed in a moment. |
Putting down some plates which she had IL her |
hand, she walked slowly up to the fire where he |
was sitting, and standing before him. said with in
tense emphasis
''Sir have taken you in tonight, and have done |
the best l could for you; but if you say another
word against Aaron Burr Pll put you and your
man out where you came from quicker than you
came ill.,"
He apOlogized and, after time, succeeded in
regaining her good will. He did not tell her who |
be was, nor could he recOlect her.
Always bearing his troubles maDfully, he never |
liked to hear others complain:
On one occasion, when a friend had met with un |
athictiOn she said to him-'O, Colonel, how shall |
get through tbisF
ply
Still complaining she said-'This uOiH kill me, Col
onrl; know | cannot survive this
Well said he, die then, madam; must all
die; but bless me die camel
Yet this was the of whom the New York
Review wrote as follows, in 1888, the reviewer
being a celebrated D. DE-
with the reckessness produc by present
which had no comfort, aud future which promised
no hope, he surrendered himself without shame 10
the groVeing propensitirs which had formed his
first step the road to ruin, until at last, over
come by disease, in the decay of a worn out body,
and the imbecility of much abused mind, he lay
a shattered wreck OF humanity, just entering eter
ing eternity with not enough of man left about him
TO make a Christian out of Ruined In fortune and
rotten in reputation, thus passed fIom the busy
scene one who might have been glorious actor in
1t; and when be laid in his grave dec,n cy
graduated itstll that nuisance Was removed, and
COOL men glad that God had seen fit to deliv-
society from the communicating contact Of fes-
terng ma $ Of moral trefaction. - vide the NelS
York RerieW for January, 1888.