True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-11-03
MISCELLANY.
The Professor on a Tour

A0S AVASpoOA VA y AOuAs
A pleasant correspondent of the New
Orleans Picayune relates the following
amusing annecdote:
One of the most distinguished parties
that have made tour to the White Noun
tains this season, was one composed prin-
cipully of the suvans connected with Har-
ward University. Among them was the
famous A., always intent on scientific re-
search; and there were the professors of
Botany, and Geology, and Chemistry, with
Prof. F., the well known Grecian, and l
believe DR., H., the "Autocrat of the break
fast table," was Of the party, which was so
numerous as to require q special convey
ance for their transportation from Conway
to the Crawford House. This conveyance
was a large country wagon, drawn by a
fine team Of Green Mountain horses, and
driven by a sturdy son of the Granite
State. F. sat on the front seat with the
driver, and the rest Of the company slowed
themselves away in the body of the wagon
as they most conveniently could, and SO
the distinguished party logged cozily along
the road to the Notch.
The day was one of the finest of the sea-
son, and admirably adapted for such on
excursion, and every one, after his speci-
ality, seemed to take the keenest delight
in its incidents. Occasionally, the geolo-
gist would spy out some curious conforma-
tion or remarkable specimen of rock, and
would insist on the drivers stopping to
allow him to alight and investigate it,
This would often consume much time, while
the geologist would discant to his compan-
ions upon the nature and peculiarities Of
his discovery, and moro than once the i'm
patient Jehu was obliged to remind the
deeply absorbed party that the day was
wasting, and that they had long ride be-
fore them. But scarcely had they resumed
their seats in the wagon, before the botan-
ist was struck with the apparition of an
unfamiliar looking flower or plant by the
wayside, of which not to possess himself
were a grievous deprivation to himself
and it might be an irreparuble loss to sci.
ence.
So there was another stop, followed by
another general debarkation, another con-
sultation of the savans, another scientific
disquisition, and Of course another protrac.
ted delay, Of which last the honest driver
| (perplexed in the extreme to know whaI
all these sudden stoppages and these mys
terious consultations over pebbles ant
weeds could mean) was louder and more
intense in his complaints. The ofenel
they occurred, the longer they lasted, ant
the nearer the party approached the end o
their journey. In the height of his impa
tience, the depth of his despair and tn,
extremity of his perplexity, he turned t,
his companion on the box-for Prof. F.,
should remark, had taken no part in tn,
scientific researches of his brethren, bu
had contented himself meanwhile with tn
quiet perusal of some favofite Greek poet
or with silently admiring the maiesti
scenery by which h he was surrounded.
"What on airth's the matter with then
men, Squirrel" somewhat petulently de
manded the bothered Jehu. "What 'ar
they abeout, stoppin' the team and jumpir
eout every time they come to loose ston
or big dandelion or thistle in she road
Who are they, anyhow, Squire ?" he eS
claimed in On agony Of curiosity, and i'm
patience.
"Oh," quietly remarked our Greciar
they are naturalists."
A few days after this, the same tear
was engaged for this identical trip by
party of Bostonians. None Of them wer
particularly scientific in their tastes Q
habits, and did not in any great degre
share in the fondness Of geological or be
tanical research which characterized tn
the eminent gentlemen who had gone be
fore them.- and whom being acquaintance