Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-05-23
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scraps Of history.
"UNcLB ARE. The Republicans shouldn't
think TO monopolise an the Political tiist with
their Uncle Abe; he is not the first Of that
name by long shot The Democrats once
had an uncle Ahram; here in Cleveland, whom
they delighted to honor, and if he was a
Democrat he was none the less popular for
all that as shall presently show. There are
many yet living, who viii recollect the siga
that once gFaced Superior street, " Uncle
Abram 'eorks hsrs.' Our Uncle Abe was a
true son Of YplcRn, aud many's the day he
gave us the Anvil Chorus, both late and
early; until ut length, old age creeping on,
his fellow citizens transferred him from the
anvil to the post of City Sexton, where, for
many years, he became an institution, through
all phases of party, and lived to be immortal
lied in the columns Of that inimical sheet
the Green ThistiS, by the lamented Curtis in
his beautiful lyric, commencing
e. gather them in-I gather them in -
which stanzA along with his parody Of
Loafer, Spare that Dog, begotton on the
passage Of the first dog law enacted by our
City Fathers were cribbaged by the London
Times, and sent forth TO the world as original
British gems
flour Uncle Abe neither mauled Democrats
or split nails he mauled iron, and would, on
a certain occasion, but for an Unforeseen acci-
dent, have split the enemies of his country.
Il was while British cruiser lay OF Cleye-
land, during the last war with England,
threatening bOmbardment Of this, the For
est City, then a small Grgytolon, Of two or
three hundred inhabitants all told, that the
bright shades in the character Of our Uncle
Abe shone forth Securing the only Ord-
nance then in the country, an old four pound
er, used on Fourth Of July and other great oc-
casiOns, at Tinkers Greek and Cleveland, al
ternately, Uncle Abe determined on giving
the British cruiser a house warming. So,
monopolising all the powder in the diggings,
he started for the big gun on the bank of the
Lake, with tin pail Of powder in either
hand. Ere he reached the gun, however,
some careless fellow, in wasting powder
through an old musket, accidentally ignited
our here's powder, with tow wad, and away
went Uncle Abe, tin pals and all, into terres-
trial space, how high twas never known, but
| being tough as the face OF the British Cham
pion, and incombustible as his own leather
apron, in which he was always accOutred, he
| descended ike a rocket all the more brill iaut
/ for the explosion. The ascent is said to have
been somewhat ludicrous, and caused not q
! little merriment to the witnesses of the scene,
when it was ascertained Uncle Abram was
not materially injured. A waggish fellow,
whose mind, we must suppose, was heavenly
| inclined, and who saw the ascent called out
to the victim Of misplaced confidence in gun
powder, as he descended, " Uncle Abram, why
didn't you stay up? you'll never get so near
Heaven again p Uncle Abe, not to be in
timidated or have the laugh against him,
naively replied, 81 came back after my
tools; but as he surveyed the wreck Of tin
ware, and thought of the scarcity of powder
| be waved wroth, and with terrible big
| word, shook his fist at the cruiser and ther
at the craven bystanders, declaring il was
! lucky for the British vessel the powder loa'
out, otherwise he would have bored hole
| through her waist big as a meeting housed n
B. Meeting houses were small in those days.
OXoGESIA.