Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-05-02
THE RAT-TA1L CACTUS.

The New York Leader, in giving
sketch of the late Mike Walsh. relates of
him, when a member of Congress, the fol- !
lowing:
At the foot of the Capitol gardens in
Pennsylvania Avenue ION the right hand
side as you are fronting that building) is
an inclosed space-natiOnal prOperty-eOn-
tanning one or more tenemsnts and some
conservatories and lighthouses. Here for
some years past and until his death, enjoy
ing Uncle Sans patronage. sojOurred a
Frenchman, learned in botany, and many
other sciences Some companions, while
passing these premises, were vaunting his
requirements to Mike, who. from spirit of
contradiction, called them in question He
doubted whether these eminent botanists
knew the difference between oats and wheat,
and believed, ho said, that BOwery Boy
could persuade them that corn was clover.
Finally, Mike undertook, "bOtanieally," " to
deceive the Frenchman with whatever he
could pick up where they 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 to the
heap. Placing the rat in the flower pot he
covered it up with mold, leaving out the
tail, which he fixed permanently by tying
it carefully to a small green stick which
happened to be convenient" amongst the
garden rubbish 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 iHcOgRitG
Japan, had excited some interesD had
presented him With a very curious kind Of
cactus. This he wished tie 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 keep
ing it out of public collection, and yet he
did not like to part with keepsake from
'.friend."
The Professor eagerly repaired to exam
ins the vegetable curiosity. After close
inspection, he determined what it was, OF
at least christened it by fine Greek name
two words, Mike said, averaging sixteer
letters. The Professor exhausted himsel
in persuading Mike that the interests o
science required that he should sacrifice t
thoua tl4S-sOntirnents of friendship. by sur
rendering this rare production of the yeget
able kingdom to the bOtanist- The reluc
tant Nike eventually consented, on tn,
willing and solemn assurances of the Pro
eessor that it would lie tended with the ut
most care; and so it would. Placed in /;
hot-house, it was carefully besprinkled will
water at temperature Of seventy degrees
by the thermometer. 1t was noticed anC
described in the National Intelligencer.-
The notice was copied into other papers
The plant was exhibited with pride to sew
eral eminent individuals. At length witt
the heat and moisture, the tip of the tai
began 10 excOriate. The Professor wes de
lighted-it was examined with great inte
rest by one of the chief patrons, "the great
Daniel" to whom the bOtanist promised
one of the first slips for Marshfeld.
1t was too good joke to keep" sai(
!, Mike, especially in house, so before lOne
they srnelt rat" The wrath and shame
of the Professor were excessive, and so wa'
the indignation of the great Daniel not Al
the author of tho joke, but at the unfortu
nate botanist, whom he stigmatized as ;
odd frog-eating Frenchman, through whom
he had been taken in, and who ought Il
have known better