The Nevada Democrat. [volume] (Nevada, Calif.) 1854-1863, 1860-08-29


TEE RAr-TAm CAcrUs-The New York Led
ger, In giving sketch Of the late Mike Walsh,
relates Of him, when o member Of Congress,
the following:
"At the foot of the Capitol gardens, in Penn
sylvania avenue, Ton the right hand side as
yon are fronting that building) Is On enclosed
space--Dational property-containing one or
more tenements, and some Conservatives and
lighthouses. Here for some years past, and I'M
Gil bis death, enjoying Uncle Sans patronage,
sojourned Frenchman, learned 10 botany and
many other sciences. Some companions, while
passing these premises, were Wanting his &C.
quirements to Mike, who, from a spirit Of con-
tradiction, 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 undertook,
"botanically," TO deceive the Frenchman with
whatever he could pick up where they stood in
the lane skirting bis premises.
From wreck of flower pots and rubbish, he
selected one sound pot, and dead rat lying
near the heap. Placing the rat In the flower
pot, he covered 1t with mold, leaving out the
tail, which he fixed perpendcularly by tying It
carefully TO 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
teTTU tuCOQutbG IL
had excited some interest) had presented him
o very curious kind Of cactus. This he wished
the professor to examine. No one, Mike said,
had been able to make Il out. and he might have
IL for ten years and not find five people who
would; 90 he hardly felt justified In keeping IL
out Of public collection, and yet he did not
like to part with keepsake from "friend."
The professor eagerly repaired to examine
The vegetable curiosity. After close inspec-
tIon, he determined what 1t was, or at least
christened Il by ine Greek name-two words
Mike said, averaging sixteen letters. The pro.
fessor exhausted himself In persuading Mike that
he should sacrifice to them the sentiments Of
friendship, by presenting this rare production
Of the vegetable kingdom to the botanist The
reluctant Mike eventually consented, on the
willing and solemn assurances Of the professor
that Il would be tended with the utmost care,
and 30 II was. Placed In 0 dollhouse, II was
cautiously and carefully besprinkled with wa
ter at temperature Of seventy degrees by the
thermometer.
II was noticed and described In the National
Intelligencer. The notice was copied into 9TH
or 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 delight
edit was budding. II was examined with
great interest by one Of the chief patrons, "the
great Daniel" whom the botanist promised one
Of the first slips for Marshfeld.
ut was too good q joke to keep" said Mike,
Especially In o dollhouse; so before long they
smelt the rat" The wrath and shame OF the
professor was excessive, and 30 was the indg.
nation Of 'the great Daniel" not at the joke,
but at the unfortunate botanist, whom he stig-
matised as "frog-eating Frenchman, through
whom hc had been taken IN, and ought to have
known better.