The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-07-10

again; that is, without the horse.'
your Exccllency is younger looking
man than expected to see,' said the Rev.
erend MIR. Peterson; generous duties do not
wear upon your health, trust2 They must
be oppressive
.sAh!' yes,' said DR.. Davis, whose plump,
oily appearance testified that he took but
little of his own medicine, sbrain, sir, brain, ,
significantly tapping the spot where bis own
mental apparatus was located.
| Il reckon that Is smart deal of head
work to be done in that sitoation of his'n,'
said Mr.. Dobson, an honest farmer like
looking man, clad in sleeps gray, addressing
the company generally.
| 'Ycs, sir! sThat's factp and sFaix.
ye may say the same,' chimed in chorus
from the outsiders of the circle.
would you have any objection, SIR said
MrsHodges, dropping his voice to whis-
per, sto indicate which way in your expert
enced judgment, our election is going to
sWhy realIy,' replied I, sliving as do,
and taking SO little part in politics, -
& understand said he, nodding and in-
terruptirg; 4 understand. Quite right; in
your exalted position, one can't Be too
cautious of what he says. You are quite
right. l beg your pardon for making the
inquiry.
Here dead silence ensued for brief
time, the inside of the circle apparently be-
ing talked out, and the outsiders too much
awed by the dignity of the occasion to ven-
ture any remarks.
Il wish Lootenant Reed was here,' at
length observed Squire Staples; she'd been
delighted. Probably you didn't know him;
but he fought with you in Mexico. He's a
giant of fellow, six feet two, and q perfect
dare devil.'
1t struck me that, although I had never
been in Mexico, yet, if this belligerent lieu
tenant entertained the impression that he
had fought with me there, he might possibly
want to fight with me again in Smithburgh.
80 | mentally hoped he would not return
before l left.
'May beg just one moments private con-
versaion?' entered a shabby gentt el per-
sonage, drawing me aside by the coat but
ton; Il am an attorney and counsellor-a
law, but business is poor here. By the way
l ought to mention that have always work
ed hard for the party, and never dreamed Of
asking anything. Anybody will tell you so.
But what was going to ask you was,
whether, if came down your way, there
would be any chance Of my getting an Of
fee? wouldn't think of such thing if it
wasn't for my stratened circumstances
There really don't seem to be any thing for
me to do up here.'
All! thought 1, he is thinking of going to
New York to practice, and wants to know
about renting an Office there. Sol told him:
Certainly he would have no difficulty in get
ting one, though it was rather late in the
season.
sYcs, know that,' said he; Il ought to
have been on hand on the fourth of March.
But you really think | could do something
in that way? And about how much do you
think it would be worth?'
told him there was difference in the
rents, that they ranged from fifty dollars up
to five hundred or even eight hund Q |, or
nine hundred dollars.
'Yes, so supposed by what l had seen
about 'em in the blue book. One of them
eight hundred dollar ones would be just the
thing for me.
l could not help thinking it would be a
long time before he would do business
enough to warrant him in renting an eight
hundred dollar office. Before the coloquy
proceeded further, it was broken off by the
landlords bringing the information that it
only wanted fifteen minutes of the time for
the down train, and that 'they were waiting
to escort me to the cars.'
Having by this time come to the conclu-
sion that Smthburgh was one vast asy lum
and all its population lunatics, submitted
resignedly to the programme that seemed
marked out for me. walked out, the crowd
within respectively following, and the crowd
without cheering vociferously as made my
appearance.
Capt. U'Flynn's Smithburgh Guards were
drawn up in a line before the door, in their
gorgeous uniform of yellow coats with green
facings and blue pantaloons with a red stripe
down the side, and were standing in obedi-
ence to order, present arms!' They wheeled
into marching order, the drum and fife
struck up Hail Columbia General Smith
took Inc by the arm: the other two commit
tee-mcn divided between them the honor of
carrying my carpct-bag; the citizens paired
off by twos behind us, and away we marched
to the railroad station, crowd lining the
side walks, the ladies thronging the windows
and waving white handkerchlefs, the crowd
cheering, the dogs barking; the little boys
with sticks and paper caps, marching along
side and Gen Smith all the way, pouring
into my ears the deep gratitude of the town
for my visit, the equally deep regret that
they had not time to get up more befttns
'celebration,' and urgent entreaties that |
would repeat this visit when Congress ad-
journed.'
Arrived at the cars just in season, parted
from my hospitable friends on the platform
with more shakings, and whispered en-
treaty of Don't forget the Office from my
shabby genteel friend; and as the train NOV
ed off, nine stentorian cheers from the as
sembled gathering actually drowned the To-
comotive whistle.
had become so used to aduation and ad-
| miration by my mornings experience, that |
half expected to be greeted with similar
demonstrations aboard the train, and half
wondered whether the city bells would strike
up peal of welcome in honor of my return,
and whether l should find the Common
Council and General Sanford, with the first
Baigade of N. Y. S. NJ, waiting at the depot
to escort me to the City Hall.
Nothing Of the sort transpired, however.
Nobody took any particular notice of me,
either on the train or when got off of it.
l had quite sunk into my original insignif-
cance.
l walked homo to my lodgings without
exciting any attention in the streets. Reach
ing there, | pulled off my new boots, which
had proved rather tight, and sat down in
easy slippers to rest and cogitate upon my
singular adventures.
Some writing on tho inside Of the lining
of one of the boots attracted my notice. l
took it up and read, in large round hand,
Franklin PIERCE
The mystery was explained In hastily
purchasing ready made boots, had bought
pair made for the President. When I set
them out over night to be blacked at the
eSmithburgh HOTEL tho waiter had read
the name and communicated the important
secret to the landlord, from whom it had
spread like wild6re through the town. Ihad
been passing with the Smithburghers for
President Pierce
I have not ventured to show myself in
Smithburgh since. have never heard of
General Pierce's going there either, so sup
pose they are not undeceived to this day.
O. A Texas newspaper editor at San
Antonio has a very bad verdict to rem
der against his acuuaintances in the little