The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-10-29

did not like shoulder straps. During the
walk he conversed but little. Mr.. A. knew,
however, that this was peculiarity of the
Owen family, and suspected nothing, but
proceeding to entertain the stranger, in this
instance, however, falsifying the proverb
that he had entertained an angel unawares.
Fully convinced that his companion was an
Owen, and was absorbing geological knowl.
edge at q rapid rate, Mr.. A. talked carbon
ferrous, silurian, strata fossils, ETC., enthusi.
astically, and was never so happy in his
life. But the silent stranger, after time,
lventured remark and put his foot in it,
but completely covered his track. Mr.. A.
pointed out to him the horizon rock of the
coal basin. The professor remarked, with
the coolness Of an iceberg, and In manner
which seemed to indicate that horizon rocks
were the simple rudiments in his geology:
"Oh! yes, that belongs to the Trenton group
of limestone" Mr.. A. was slightly astound :
ed at the ignorance displayed by the Pro.
fessor Of the Geological Department OF the
Smithsonian, and replied "Oh! no, the
Trenton is the upper group of the Silur:al
series, an outcropping of which is two miles
distant, and is 600 feet lower than the strata
We are looking at" The professor blanched
not. He was up to spuf. '.Why, certainly,
/ ought to have known that! But for long
time past have been troubled with palpita-
tion of the heart, the same as all our family,
as you know, and in Iowa they gave me
some dreadful opiates which makes me dull
ard stupid. have not recovered from
their use. They effect me sery strangely"
But the Professors forte was petroleum
and so he remarked to Mr.. A. during this
memorable walk. He had investigated
petroleum very thoroughly and was the
author Of q work on the subject. the copy
right of which he had sold to his friend Lip
pincott, of Philadelphia, for $1,000. Hav.
ing little use for the money he had given
the funds to tho U. S. Sanitary Commission
of which society he was an humble agent
Mr.. A. asked him his views as to the origin
of petroleum. He thought it was the result
of the distillation of vegetable matter, sort
Of fluid carbon as coal was solldiied carbon
Mr.. A. thought there was some foundation
for that theory, but believed himself, and
stoutly maintained his belief, that petroleum
might be of animal origin, and the product
of the coral polyps. The Professor had
nothing further to say, but was immediate
ly seized with palpitation Of the heart and
the effects of the dreadful opiates, and refer
red Mr.. A. to his book, a copy Of which lie
should seld to him as soon as his friend
Lippincott issued it.
The walk at an end, and the Professor hav-
ing acknowledged that he had very vivid
idea Of the coal formations, the twain
turned their way homewards, beguiling the
time with chat on differnt topics. As any
allusion to disputed geological theories was
sure to bring on palpitatioa of the heart, Mr..
A. carfully avoided them.
During Sunday the time was spent main
ly in conversation, In the course OF which
the Professor said that he had duplicates of
Lyelrs antiquities, Danas Dineral0gy and
Geology, and other works, which he would
send to Mr.. A. for mere trhing sum, say
$8. Mr.. A. at once advanced the sum, and
no questions asked. The Professor charmed
Mr.. A. with some accounts Of his geological
travelsin Europe. He had been in the field
with Hugh Miller, Lyell, Sir Roder:ck MUIR
Gibson, and others, and was hand in glove
with them aud their families, many interest
ing incidents Of which he related. He dis
played to the aston;shed vision Of Mr.. A.,
letters which he had received from the
Academy of Science at Paris, thanking him
for the researches which he had made in
petroleum. Mr.. A. fclicitated himself upon
the acquaintance he had made, and was not
concerned during the day upon several
occasions when the Professor went to sleep
just as Mr.. A. reached some .vexed quss-
tions necesstating an opinion, on his part.
OF course it was the effect of the opiate.
But the Professor not only ingratiated
himself with Mr. A. but with the entire
family, and especially secured the respect
and esteem Of ths little daughter, to whom
he promised two little musk guinea pigs. =
His uncle, Robert Dale Owen, when he
returnd from his Consulate at Naples
brought them home with him, and jass as
soon as he arrived at New Harmony where
his mother lived, he should send them on -
Accordingly, the little girl prepared box
and q nest, and set every thing in readiness
for the arrival Of the guinea pigs, which
never will arrive, and her little heart is well
nigh broken.
On Sunday evening the Professor bade
Mr.. A. cordial good bye, and left for the
southwestern part Of the State, with his
fossils, fern leaf. nautilus, and eight dollars
remarking to Mr.. A. that he must be in
Washington week from that time. and
would send on the books as he had agreed.
He departed, and the next day Mr.. A.
learned his real character from the Chicago
Tribune t
Mr.. A. represents him as about five feet
six inches in hight, with strait, light brown
hair, keen blue eyes, and singular protuber-
ancs on the jaw, resembling verv much the
Indian protuberance Of the cheek bones
He was dressed very plainly with the excep-
ton of the oveicoat, which he stole from