Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-04-12
VOL. XIV.


A series Of reminisc ences of the late Mike
Walsh, Of celebrity, is appearing in the New
York Leader, from viii ,h we take the following
amusing incident, having local interest:
AT tne 1901 OF the Capitol gardens in Penn
sylvania avenue ION the right hand side when
you are fronting that building) is an inclosed
space--national property-containing one or
more tenements and some conservatives and
not-nouses. Here for some years and until his
oeatn, enjoying Uncle Sans patronage, So
journed Frenchman, learned in botany and
many other sciences. Some companions while
passing these premises, were vaupting his ac-
qulrements to Mike, who, from a spirit of con-
tradlction, called them in question. He doubted
whether these eminent botanists knew the diff
ference between oats and wheat, and believed,
he said, that Bowery boy could persuade them
that corn was clover. Finally, Mike under
with with whatever he could pick up where the Y
stood, in the lane skirting his premises From
a wreck of flower pots and rubbish he selected
one sound pot and dead rat lying next the
heap: Placing the rat in the flower pot he COW
cred 1T up with mould, leaving out the tail,
which he fixed perpendicularly by tying it
carefully to n small stick which happened to be
convenient amongst the garden rubbish lie
next called on the Professor, and told him that
friend, Lieut. -, (who having touched at
one OF the islands of the then terra iucocuita
Japan, had excited some interest,) had pre-
sented hun with curious kind of cactus. This
ne wished the Professor to examine No one,
Mike said, had been able to make it out and he
might have it for ten years and not find five
people who would; so he hardly felt justified in
keeping it out of public collection, and vet
ne did not like to part with keepsake from a
''friend''
The Professor eagerly repaired to examine
the vegetable curiosity. After a close inspec
tion he determined what it was, or at least
chrlstened it by a fine Greek name-two
words, as Mike said, averaging sixteen letters.
Inc Professor exhausted himself in persuading
Mike that the interests of science required that
ne should sacrifice to them the sentiments of
friendship, by surrendering this rare produc-
tiOn OF the vegetable kingdom to the keeping
OF the botanist. The reluctant Mike event,
ually consented, on the willing and solemn
assurances of the Professor that it would be
tended with the utmost care:-and so it was
Placed In hot-house, it was cautiously but
carefully besprinkled with water at tempera-
ture of seventy degrees by the thermometer.
1t was noticed and described in the National
lntelligencer. The notice was copied into the
otner papers. The plant was exhibited with
pride to several eminent individuals; at length
with the heat and moisture, the tip of the tail
began to excoriate. The Professor was de-
llghted-lt was budding 1t was examined
with great interest by one of his chief patrons,
- the great Daniel" to whom the botapist
promised one of the first slips for Marshield.
1T was too good joke to keep" said Mike,
especially in a hot-house, so before long thew
smelt rat" The wrath and shame Of the
Professor were excessive, and so was the indig-
nation of the great Dom-daniel, not at the
author of the joke, but at the unfortunate
Botanist, whom he stigmatized as id frog
eating Frenchman, through whom he had
been taken in, and who ought to have known
better"