Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-04-14

The New York Leader, in giving sketch OF
the late Mike Walsh, relates of him, when a
member of Congress, the following:
At the foot of the Capitol gardens in Penn
sylvania avenue (onthe right hand side as you
are fronting that buildiug) is an inclosed space
national Property-cOntaining one or more
tene ments and some Conservatives and hot
houses. Here for some years past and until
his death, enjoying Uncle Sans patronage,
sojourned Frenchman, learned in botany, and
many other sciences. Some companions, while
passing these premises, were Wanting his ac-
quirements TO Mike, who, from spirit of con-
tradiction, called them in question. He doubted
whether these eminent botanists knew the
difference between oats and wheat, and be-
lieved, he said, that BOwery Boy could per
suade them that corn was clover. Finally,
Nike 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, be selected one sound pot and dead
rat lying next the heap. Placing the rat in the
flower pot he covered it up with mold, leaving
out the tail, which h. fixed perpendicularly by
tying it carefully to small green stick which
happened to be convenient" amongst the gar
den rubbish. He next called on the Professor,
and told him that a friend, Lieut.. -, (whose
ship having touched at one of the islands of
the then Terra ineognita Japan, had excited
some interest) had presented him with a very
curious kind of cactus. This he wished the
Professor to examine. No one, Nike said, had
been able to make it out, and he might have it
for ten years and not find fve people who
would; so he hardly felt justified in keeping it
out Of a public collection, and yet he did not
like to part with a keepsake from "friend." !"
The Professor eagerly repaired to examine
the vegetable curiosity. After close inspec
ton, he determined what it was, or at least
christened it by fine Greek name-two words,
Mike said, averaging sixteen letters. The
Professor exhausted himself in persHading
Mike that the interests Of science required that
he should sacrifice 10 them the sentiments
of friendship, by surrendering this rare pro.
duetion of the vegetable kingdom to the bota>
MIST The reluctant Mike eventually consent
ed, on the willing and solemn assurances of the
Professor that it would be tended with the ut
most care; and SO it would Placed in hot.
house, it was cautiously but carefully besprin-
kled with water at temperature of seventy
degrees by the thermometer. 1t was noticed
and described in the National Intelligencer.-
The notice was copied into other papers. The
plant was exhibited with pride to several emi.
nent individuals At length with the heat and
moisture, the tip of the tail began to excOriate.
The Professor was delighted-it was examined
with great interest by one of the chief patrons,
''the great Daniel, to whom the botanist prom
ised one of the first slips for Marshfeld.
,sIt was too good joke to keep said Mike,
especially in hot house; so before long they
smelt rat. 1he wrath and shame of the
Professor were excessive, and so was the in.
dignation of the great Daniel, not at the author
of the j)ke, but at the unfortunate botanist,
whom he siigmatized- as a ed ID frog eating
Frenchman, through whom be had been taken
in, and who ought to have known better"