The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-04-27
The Rat-Tail Cactus.


Tho Now York Leader, in giving skctch
of tho late Mike Walsh, relates of him,
when q member Of Congress, the following:
At tho foot OF, tho Capitol gardens Penn
sylvania avenue, (on the right hand side 40
you arc fronting that building) is an inclos-
cd space-na.ional property-containing
one or moro tenements and some coDserva-
tories and hot houses. Here for some years
past and until his death, ENJOYING UOcle
Sans patronage, sojourned Frcnchman,
learned in botany and mnny other sciences.
Some companions. while passing the prem
ises, were vaunting his requirements to
Mike who. from spirit of contradition.
called them In question. Ile doubted
whether those eminent botanists knew tho
difference between oats and wheat. and be.
lieved. he said, that a Bosery boy could
persuade them that corn was clover. FL
naliy, Mike undertook "botanically to de-
eeive tho Frenchman with whatever they
could pick up where they stood, in the lane
skirting bis premises. From wreck of
flower pots and rubbish, be selected ono
sound pot and dead rat lying next tho
heap. Placing the rat In the flower pot he
covered il up with mould. leaving out the
tail. which he tiIed perpehdicularly by tying
IL carefully 10 small green stick which
happened 10 DO "convonient" 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 ineognita
Japan had excited somo interest) had pre-.
sented him with very curious kind of cac-
tbs. This he wished the Professor to ex.
anime. No one, Mike said, had been able
to make 10 ont, and he might have Il for
ten years, and not find ten people who
would 30 he hardly felt justified in keep.
ing il ont Of public collection, and yet ho
did not like to part with keepsake from o
friend.
The Professor eagerly repaired to exam-
inc the vegetable curiosity. After close
inspection he determined what it was, or at
least christened il BY fine Greek name
two words. as Mike said, aversging sixteen
letters. The Professor exhausted himself
in persuading Mike that the interests Of
science required that he should sacrifice TO
them the sentiments Of friendship. by sur
rendering .his rare production OF the veg
etable Kingdom to the keeping OF the bota-
mist. The reluctant Mike eventually con.
sented, on the willing and solemn assurance
Of tho Professor, that it would be tended
With the utmost care land so IL was.
fidCeu VI UOt-Houee, u was cduttOubiy Out
carefully te-sprinkled With water at tenn.
persture Of seventy degrees BY the ther.
mometer It vas noticed and described in
the National nteHigeneer. The notice was
copied into other papers. The plant was
exhibited with pride TO several individuals |;
at length with the heat and moisture, tho
tip Of tho tail began TO excoriste. The
Professor was deliehted-it was budding.
7. was examined with great interest by one
of the chief patrons, "the great Daniel,
to whom the bOtanist promised one OF tho
frst slips for Marsbhold. "1t was too good
a joke TO keep" said Nike. especially in q
hot -house, so before long he smelt the raj" ."
The wrath and shame OF the Professor were
excessive, and so was the indignation of the
great Daniel, not at the author Of the joke,
but at tho unfortunate botaDist, whom he
stIgmati1ed as i'd frog. eating French
man, through whom he bad been taken in,
and who ought to have known better"