Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-04-16
mlSCELLANV.
HOW tom CORwIN RID HIS sIsT.
ERoF AN OBNOXIOUS LOVER.
BY 4 WESTERN MAN.

Every one has heard of tho eloquent,
pathetic and humorous stump orator Of
Ohio. He was pronounced by Mr.. Clay
c. most competent authority TO be the
finest stump speaker he had ever heard (;
and in this opinion ] most heartily coin
eide, after having hoard Clay, Crittenden,
Jones of Tennessee, Polk, Benjamin, Soule
Randall Hunt, Tom Marshall, Gen. Lamar,
Bates, Douglas and host Of others.
Well, this great orator carried his love
offun into every department Of life. In
the private circle, where he knew every
person and unbosomcd himself fully, he
was the most delightful. / do not know
that he now, as age and in6rmity are creep
ing on, INDUCES his proeliyity to humor
so much as he used to do.--But some
twenty years ago be used to toll, with great
gustc, the following story
"In early lifc--so early that I cannot
remember the remoyal--my father "pulled
up stakes" and carrying with him the
household goods, went from Bourbon
county Kentucky, where was born, to
Ohio. Notwithstanding a rough and tum-
bic struggle with the world, he had hard
time to get on, owing to n numerous and
rapidly increasing family. Well, family
matters had not much improved when /
had reached my thirteenth or fourteenth
year" -
CAT this time there lived in the neigh
borhood young man named Pickering
lie had Inherited a wsll-stoeked farm, was
good looking, and made strong profession
of religion. This latter qualification
caused him to find peculiar favor in the
eyes ofmy father who always was blinded
by professions Of extra piety.- ~ ~
"This fellow had strong hankorine
after one of my sisters, who was very
pretty girl. To her he was peculiarly
distastcful. She seemed always excessively
annoyed athis presence. Yet he was ever
at her side. She dared not dismiss him
entirely, for fear of the paternal anger
Things went on this way for year or two
and as partook largely of my sister.
hatred of him, resolved to get rid Of him
some way, l cast about for a plan 70,
somc time, but nothing occurred which
gave me the slightest hope of success
-Atlast returning home late one summer
might from the mill, found the family a
their night devotions. Passing by Tho
window of the room in which they wer,
assembled, l saw that Pickering was there
aud pretty soon discovered that he wa.
nodding, and finally his head dropped
Now was my opportunity. stole silly in
TO the hall and reaching the hall doc
which was slightly ajar close by whicl
Pickering was, 'on Bonded knee" reach
cd in and quickly pulling his chair from
him, he rolled heavily, as a sound sleepe
would upon the floor. The noise alarmed
all. The old gentleman stopped in th'
midst of his almost interminablo prayer
and saw the position of Pickering. Al
the family laughed out right; even m,
mother smiled,
pickering cndeavored to pick himsol
up as rapidly as possible buthe had touch
ed the old man upon his tcndorest point
1t was evident, from his rubbing his eyes
that no had slept under the old gentle
mans smnistrations; and had not my iathe
reputation far and wide for the teryenc,
und strength Of his ministrations, and wa
not Pickering his protesting brothcr2 l
was too much.--Slowly yet most digni6cd
ly did the old man approach him. BE
gone, hypocritel' he cried in thonde
tones. "Never enter my house again
pickering was thunderstruck He fel
that he could make no apology whic
would not add to the insult, lie had n
suspicion of the exterior force which ha
aided him in his fall. He at once foun
his hat, took up his line of march, ant
completely crest fallen, passed by me as
stood grinning in the shadow of the pores
"Ata suitable time entered, got m
supper, was told by brother, in hurrie
whispers, what had happened, and then
stole OF to bed, affecting ignorance an
laughing most heartily, as ensconco
wyselfin the sheets, at tho complete sui
cess Of my piaa.