Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-03-30

sciousv, fell into the habit, and thu he acuuir-
ed so expressive 4 name.
As Lazy grew up, his fathers habits of indus
/ try and Temperance did not improve, SO ne IN
+ dertook his business and for miles round, on
both sIdes of the border, Lazy . Lear was well
known and he had az much, indeed more work
/ than he could attend to. About this time, his
/ father died from the effect of intemperance; and
| poor Sally, having caught the smallpox lived
/ only week after him. Lazy, being thus lett
alone, disposed of such little property as his
/ parents possessed and. fDr some time, continu-
/ ed his business travelling round the country !;
until Ut length, he found himself able to rent
( a small shop IN LewIStown, where he bought
old iron and sold second hand locks. KEYS bells
kettles, pots pans, dc, and, by his habits OF in
dustry and perseverance, Ia a few years found
himself In rather Il prosperous condition, as he
was now able to keep a small hardware store
But Lazy . Lears early ha1I6s had not tended
/ to improve his character: he thought il no crime
TO deceive, cheat, aud overreach, that it was
not 9zscoUersE, and he could preserve the sem
| blance of honesty. He had the shire ewdness 10
see that sincerity, probity, and good moral and
religious principles were esteemed even by those
who lacked those qualities themselves; he there
fore affected them, and, to hear Lazy OJIear
speak of religious and moral duties, You would
perhaps take him for what he was not-a good
man. 1t IS true he frequently went too far, and
would cause you TO think tIiIt though he 'stran-
ed at gnat, he could swallow a camel" He
was tawnlng and seryile wherever he found
rank, wealth, or power, and assuming, arrogant.
and ImPer.ncni, as uGstarts usually are, wnere
ne thought he dared be so with Impunlty-
/ Money was has idol. and, next t. that, there
nothing he 50 much coveted public Office
that would lead him to distinction, for Lazy,
like Cesar, was ambitious; but he mIstook low
cunning and art for intellect and talent which
he imagined he possessed IN a high degree. He
had been made one ofthe oveyseers Of the coun-
~ poor-Lo1se, which he thought was one step
gained in bringing him before the public
A short time before the commencement OF our
. tale, Captain Henry, Of the United States
army, arrived in Lawistown. and took up his
lodgings IN the best h7teI He was gentle nan
ly and courteous in manner, and had brought
letters OF Introduction from Sir James Crai.-.
Governor OF Canada, to Colonel Seton and one
or t"o more gentlemen near the town, VINO
seemed to approve Of all the proceedings of
Great Britain. A dinner had been CIV en-. at
Seton Hill, TO him. a which some toasts had
been proposed which Mr. Meredith, who was
enc OF the guests, indignantly refused to drink,
and expressed his surprise at the tpmeritv OF
those VINO proposed them. But CJl5nel Seton,
who was possessed of considerable taCt, an ! who
was ably seconded by the captain, succeeded in
making MS noble aud truchfuI-miuded friend
believe they had been offered IL Jest; but rs
those who were Of She opposite party, and who
felt, Is fgeemeu should, the insults heapei on
thsir country, began to look on Captain Henry
with suspicion, he did not again visit the Hill
In his peram bulatioas through the town.
which we~e frequent, he had met with Lazy
O Lear, and soon found he would be 4 tit tool
for his purpose; and, on the morning of he pie
ME, had sent TINT worthy to aDprIze the colonel
that he wished = private interview with him that
night. lie had left his hotel lh1s morning and
was taken. with his baggage, over to Queens
town. For fear OF attracting observation. Lazy
O'LcaT was to bring boat over for him in the
evening, and, after his conference with the col
oueI over, was to row him back again. We
have already spoken of that interview but We
have not told The reader that, when the gallant
captain returned to the governor, upon opening
his portmauteau to deliver his letters, he found
in their place two or tarce soiicd haudkerchiefs
On hem to rest his suspicious he did not know
Lazy O Lear rose to his mind but he had trav-
eied far after parting with him, and had met
with many other persons, and stopped at sever
nj places. 50, rs there was nothing ever heard of
those letters, the governor and he both thought
+ 1t advisable to let the matter rest.
Upon the declaration Of war with England
Lazy D'Lear had been among the most camor-
GUS Of The peace party but, when General Van
Renssclaer'S army had taken up their quarters at
Lewistown, he had changed his politics, but not
suddenly. lie was always seeking to argue
with the other party, and woujd appear if
their arumCuts We're so conyincinr that he could
not Withstand hem. and eventually draS coHsi1t.-
eI of the nee ,-sltv of : war. He NOW became =
great patriot, sold out his stock IN trade of [et
ties and pans to particular friend Of his, called
Ashmlu, or Red hshman-a sOOriqUcj the good
people of Lawistowu gave him, Is his hair was
red. His whiskers, which he Wore large, were
red his face was red his hands were red the
only shades of white visible in his person were
his eyelaShes but | should not say they were
visible, for he tried much possible to hide
them under pair OF spectacleS which, as he
. could not see tiro"gh, he was obliged to try and
l.ol, oaer, which caused him to walk with his
head much IN the van of his person. After the
disposal of his goods Lazy obtained the rank
Of a sergent IN the militia. :. Sergeant Law
0Lear. it vas certainly not 4 very h III rank !,
bue rs he observed to his friends, he was only
ambitious to do his country service, and he
thought ne might do a. much in his humble
grade as if he were general. But it was ratE-
er singular that though he had deserted from
Colonel Scftous party, he still appeared on good
terms with that gentleman but ne never was
seen going to Seton Hill in daytime. He had
been made the bearer Of dispatches several times
. to General Hull, when Van Rensselaer, received
them from headquarters, with orders to forward
them and, on each occasion, was detained by
Hun 10 90 on some secret mission. in which it
was more than insinuated to the officers that he
was employed by Hull 4 SOFT of spy the
British, and that there was no one 50 well caicu-
lalcd for it as himself having suca a correct
kuowl.lge of the country.