The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1860-05-03
The Rat.Tail Cactus.


him, when a member Of Congress the
following:
cat the foot Of the Capitol gardens in
Pennsylvania avenue on the right hand
side as you are fronting that building) is
an inclosed space national property
containing one or more tenements and
some Conservatives and hot houses
Here for some years past and until his
death enjoying Uncle Sans patronage,
sojourned Frenchman, learned 10 bota-
ny and many other sciences. Some com
panious, while passing these premises,
were vaunting his requirements to Mike,
who, from spirit Of contradiction, called
them in question. He doubted whether
these eminent bolanists knew the differ
ence between oats and wheat, and believ-
ed, be said. that Bowery boy could per.
suade them that corn was clover. FL
nally, Mike undertook, "botanically," to
deceive the Frenchman with whatever
he could pick up where they stood, in the
lane skriting the premises. From a
wreck Of flower pots and rubbish, be se-
lected one sound pot, and dead rat lying
next to the heap. Placing the rat in the
flower pot he covered it up with mould,
leaving out the tail, which he fixed per-
pendicularly by tying it carefully 20
small green stick which happened to be
convenient among 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 iacognita Japan, had excited
some interest) had presented him with a
very curious kind af a cactus. This lie
wished the professor to examine. No
one, Nike said has been able TO make it
out, and he might have it for ten years
and not find five people who would; so be
hardly felt justified in keeping it out Of a
public collection. and yet he did not
like TO part with keep sake from a
"lrend."
The professor eagerly repaired to ex
anime the vegetable curiosity. After &
close inspection he determined what i
was, or at least christened il by fine
Greek name--two words, as Mike said
averaging sixteen letters. The professor
exhausted himself in pursua1ing Mike
that the interests Of science required that
he should sacrifice to them the sentiments
of friendship. by surrendering this rare
production Of the Vegetable kingdom to
the keeping Of the botanist. The reluc-
tant Mike eventually consented, on the
willing and solemn assurance of the pro-
fcssor that it would be tended with the
utmost care;--and so it was. Placed in
hot.house, it was cautiously but care
fully besprinked with water tempera-
ture Of seventy degrees by the thermom-
etor. 1t was noticed and described in the
National Iatelligencer. The notice was
copied into other papers. The plant was
exhibited with pride to several eminent in
dividuals; at length with the heat and
moisser. the tip Of the tail began to exco-
riate. The professor was delighted-it
was budding. 1t was examined with
great interest by one Of the chief patrons,
"the great Daniel" to whom the Botan-
ist promised one Of the first slips for
Marsh6eld. at was too good joke to
keep" said Mike, ESPECIALLY in hot.
house, SO before long they smelt rat"
The wrath and shame Of the professor
were excessive, and so was the indigna.
tion OF the great Daniel, not at the author
Of the joke, but at the unfortunate Bota-
mist. whom he stigmatize as I'D
frog eating Frenchman, through whom
he had been taken in, and who ought to
have known better"