The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-04-18
The Eeat-'Eaii Cactus.

The New York Leader, in giving a sketch
of the late Mike Walsh, relates of him,
when member Of Congress, the following
At the foot Of the Capitol gnrdens in
Pennsylvania Avenue (on the right hand
side as you are fronting thst building) is sn
inclosed space national property-contain-
ing one or more tenements and conservato-
res and hot-houses. Here for some years
past and until his death, enjoying Uncle
Sans patronage, sojourned Frenchmau,
learned in botany and many other sciences.
Some companions, while passing these pre-.
mise>, were vaunting his requirements to
Mike, who. from a spirit of contradiction.
called them in question. He doubted wheth
er these eminent botani-ts knew the differ
ence between cats and wheat, and believed,
he said, that Bowery boy could persuade
them that corn was clover. Finally, Nike
undertook "botanically." to deceive the
Frenchman with whatever he could pick up
where they stood, in the lane skrting his
premises. From n wreck OF flower pots and
rubbish. he selected one sound pot and
dead rot lying next the heap. Placing the
rat in the flower pot he covered it up with
mould, leaving out the tail, which he Ind
fixed up perpendicuIary by tying it careful.
ly to small green stick which happened to
be "conveniant' amongst the garden ru b.
birh. He next called on the Professor, and
told him that friend. Lieut.. -, (whose
ship having touched at one of the islands of
the then terra incognitq Japan, had excited
some interesD had presented him with Gu
rous kind Of cactus. This he wished the
Pro lessor to examine. No one, Mike said
had been able to make it out, and be Nigh,
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
yet he did not like to part with a keepsake
from "friend."
The Professor eagerly repaired to exa
mine the vegetable curiosity. After clost
inspection he determined what it was, or u
least chriStened it by fine Greek name
two words, as Mike said, averaging sixteel
letters. The Professor exhausted himseI
in persuading Nike that the interests of sci
ence required that he should sacrifice Il
them the sentiments OF friendship, by sur
rendering this rare production OF the veget
able kingdom to the keeping OF the botanst
81
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 corefuIl,
besprinkled with watar OF q temperature 0
seventy degrees by the thermometer.
was noticed and described in the Nati0na
InteRigeacer. The notice was copied int
other papers. The plant was exhibited will
pride to several eminent individuals. A
length with the heat and moisture the tip o
the tail began to eXcoriate. The Professo
was delighted--it was budding. 1t was ex
amined with great interest by one of tn
chief potrons, "the great Daniel" to whor
I the Botanist promised one OF the first slip
for Marshfeld, ut was too good a joke t.
keep" said Mike, " respectfully in hot house
so before long they smeIt q rat Tn
e wrath md shame of The Professor were rx
q cessive, and SO was tho Indignation of th
great Dsni9l. not at the author OF the joke
e but at the unfortunate Botanist, whom h
e stigmatzed us a "d-d frog.eating French
n man, through whom he had been taken il
;" and who ought to have known better.