Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-01-21
scrubb,s nIanoeuyre.

: Mr.. Scrubbs was short, thlck-set
1 Ephthisicky old chap, who had been sen
! to the Legislature for FIVE years. Blu
j tScrubbs was some pumpkins, and i
r there was anything going on in the
House that required tact and cunning
| to command success, he was sure to be
engaged by the interested parties, by
some means or other. Scrubbs had a
) pair of twinkling eyes that seemed to
take turn in the visionary service they
rendered, it being very, rare circum-
stance to find more than one of, them
T0pen at a time.
Scrubs could talk like a book, and
sometimes when it was highly desirable
to gain time by delaying the talking of
the. question, as to a bill before the
House, he would make a tremendous
long one too-bringing in Bunker Hill
and Mrs. Kidder's Cordial, York town
and Lees Pills, Lexington and Shang-
hai breed of fowls. In short, he could
puzzle the House and the speaker to
such an extent that they scarcely knew
what the question was before them, and
certainly knew nothing Of what Scrubbs
was driving at in his heterogeneous
speech and conglomorate of talk. .
Once, Scrubs found himself in mi |
nority, and very much interested in the
passage of a certain bill he had count
ed noses, and found that four of his re-
liable voters we're away, and could not
return to their seats till the next day.
What was to be done? He had talked
for an hour and half, and from sheer
exhaustion was forced to yield the floor
to the other side. He had heard his
opponents argument, saw the effect up
on the House, and finally observed that
the question was about to be put by the
Speaker. His cunning was never at
fault, and just as the Speakers hammer
ratified on his desk, preparatory to his
going through the form, and when he
had already commenced to speak, Mr..
Scrubs jumped up and said: - '5'
"Mr. Speaker u - - 5rs
But the functionary would not hear
him: indeed, it was out of order for
Scrubs to rise at that moment.
Mr.. Speaker!" reiterated Scrubts,
peeping first from one eye then from the
other.
''Sit down, Mr.. Scrubs y at last said
the Speaker.
'.But, sir, I must speak. The fact is
that
Order order." roared the House.
"But, sir continued the inveterate
Scrubbs.
1.-The gentleman will take his seat,
reiterated the Speaker.
"Mr Speaker there is danger"
'Order order !''
Scrubs saw that it was Of no use to
attempt to speak, and SO, raising his
arm, Fc pointed to one corner of the $
ceiling, as much as to say, You had
better hear me-.
The members were puzzled; the
Speaker paused in amazement.
Seizing the opportunity, Scrubs
said:
"NIr. Speaker, 1 don't wish to speak
to the bill, but, sir, there is imminent
danger hanging over US. r II
"What is it? cried fifty voters, at
once, following with their eyes the still
arm of Scrubs. {
',T am told, sir, that the roof has par !
tally given away, and you will see, sir,
the big crack yonder.'.
There was visible commotion among
the members, and some of them moved t
towards the door. c
Il propose, sir, that we adjourn, and 7
that committee be appointed to in {
1uire into the state of the ceiling above, t
for 1 am told that it is not safe to re- s
main here a minute longer j
Some ten or twelve of the opposite L
side here withdrew.
The next day, the committee report V
I'd that the ceiling and roof were per- +
fectly safe. Scrubs friends had arrived |
from the country, the question was put, l
and he carried the day.
Such was one of Scrubb's legislative c
to postpone the question.