The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-30
From the Home Journal.
THE OLDEN TIME.

| THE OLDEN TIME.
The following sketches are supplement
tary to the Recolections Of Albany and
Hudson by Ignatius Jones, (the late
Gorham 4. WOrth,) with notes Of some
Passages at the Pension of the Marquis !;
written by Tom Jonson of that Ilk.
DOCTOR RooRDACK $ MEMORIAL.
My friend Jones, in his published Re-
collections of Albany, speaks occasionally
Of Mr.. Gregory, host Of the Tontine. Now,
the tavern Of Mr.. Gregory was no Tontine |;
but the former residence Of Judge Leon.
ard GanSevOort, transformed to hotel.
1t was always called the Tontinc, howev-
cr, and was the largest aud most frequent
cd tavern in town.
In the upper story Of this building. my
friend had secured room, rather small,
but well lighted, with fireplace that
never smoked; and in this cosy apart
ment he usually spent his evenings, wri-
ting or reading. lie had friend little
addicted to rhyming; aud as the gods
had made him poctical, the twain were
in the habit of composing verses and
reading them to each other; as yet neith.
cr had vcnturcd to print their incubra-
tiOnS.
1t happened, however, that another
friend of his had received some slight
from two Of the managers of the city as
Scmhlies. Jones espouScd his cause, and
resolved to avcnge him; and he sat him
self down one evening to compose satire,
in good heroic verse, upon the offenders
H., hal - G,,t..InI 80
when Mr.. Gregory made his appearance.
Mr.. Jones, said he, | have a very
great favor to beg Of you; the legislature,
you know, has just commenced its seS-
sion, and my house is unusually crowded.
| have not single place to put another
lodgcr, and an old customer has just ar
rived. have tried to persuade him to
60 over to Lcwis's, but he absolutely in.
sisted upon staying. Could you consent,
for one or two nights, to let him have
your bed! will have cot put up for
you on the other side Of the fireplace
This gentleman is great friend Of the
Governors, and should like to oblige
him.
To this earnest request, backed by such
considerations, my friend consented and
in short time mine host and his new
guest appeared, with servant bearing n
trunk.
Doctor Roorback, Mr.. Jones, said Mr..
Gregory.
My friend looked mp, and bchcld her
culcan specimen Of humanity, full six feet
in his stockings, and with legs like mill
posts.
Glad to see you, young gentleman,
said the doctor; at the same time, push.
ing the table from before the fire, and,
placing a chair in its room, he took seat.
My friends labors for the evening were
suspended; and, locking mp his papers in
his drawer, hc prepared to scrutinizc his
new acquaintance. Now, although Jones
was proud Of being noticed by his supe-
riors in age and station, and fond of their
conversation, always paying them proper
Differences, pomposity and arrogance he
could revcr abide, and the dictations Of
affected patronage were supremcly dis.
gusting. lie thought he saw in this first
movement Of the doctor that he was with
in the category of his peculiar aversions,
and the next act Of his new inmate con-
iirncd his conclusions.
la" said lie, casting his eyes upon
some hanging shelves upon which were
my friends iavOritc books. You are
literary, perceive. Let me examine
your collection; and he took the candle,
and approached the shelves, reading
Cunningham's Poems; 'Somervillc's
Chase llammond's Love Eegies. PshSw!
what trash Thomson'S Seasons That
may pass. Noltairc's Henriade Abom.
Unable! Rhymes Of any kind are bad
enough; but French jingle is utterly in
tolcrablc! In short, my young friend,
you have allowed your taste to become
horribly depravcd. You should read Plu-
tarch, Thucydides, and Gibbon, and
ground yourself on Political Economy, by
studying Adam Smith aud Stewart
Throw all these books into the fire; such
miserable reading will never make man
Of you! Why, sir, before was of your
age, was in correspondence with the
first men of the nation Pulling out his
watch Ten o'clock = he exclaimed. { |
am iatigucd with riding in tho stage.
will go to bed. Put out the candle; we
can see to undress by the fire-light'
But, said Jones, Il always sit up till
eleven
well, you can for one evening sit in
the dark. cannot endure light in the
room after am in bed So saying, he
put on the cXtinguishcr and undrcsscd
himself
Jones followed his example, and got
into bed Now, the doctor, like all fat
men, was great performer on tho pro-
boSciS, and snored with n iorty.hOrSe
power; and though Jones, in the theory
Of S0merillc, could admire the winding
the horn, such uasal buglinS was unbcar-
able, and he was tempted to leave the
house in search of another dormitory ;
then, rccollccting that his spurgatory would
soon end-twO nights-hc exclaimed -
Pour on, yc gods, will cndure!'
But new TechedC upon tho doctors
bugle, with some extraordinary variations,
put him ont of patience; and, reaching
out his hand, he dashed the shovel and
tongs against the fender, which made q
most horrible din and,, with tremen.
dous snort, the doctor awokc.
IIa! what noise was thaty y he cxclaim.
ed. Are you awake, siry' he asked.
Upon being answered IN the affirmative,
he said:
| am generally n couple of hours be
tween my first nap and the second, and
we can employ the time in profitable
confab. You are fortunate in meeting
with me. Few men have soen moro o.
the world than myself
And this was true. lie had figured in
Blount's conspiracy in Washington's time
and was we'll acquainted with the promi
nent men Of the>day.
After long hOmily upon the propriety
of young men paying proper regard tC
superior information, he detailed varie.
ty Of adventures of which some distin
guished men had been participators but
of which he was chief actor, and contin.
ued SO long that his auditor fell asleep,
and so soundly, that when tho doctor
again began his Somniferous melody, il
only sounded in his cars like the rumb.