The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-02-11
The LampIighter's clOry.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

'.Ifyou talk of Murphy and Francis Moore,
gentleman said the lamplighter who was in
the chair, Il mean to say that neither Of EN-
ever had any more to do with the stars than
Tom Grigg had"
''And what had he to with EN- ?" asked
the lamplighter who oficiated as vice.
Nothing at ALL" replied the other: Gust
exactly nothing at ALL"
do you mean to say you don't believe in
| Murphy, then demanded the lamphg hter who
/ had opened the discussion.
| 'Imean to say that | believe in Tom Grigg .
replied the chairman. whether believe in
| 1iurphy,or not is a matter between me and
conscience; and whether Murphy believes
/ IN himself or not, is matter between him and
+ HIS conscience. Gentlemen | drink your
healths.
! The lamplighter who did the company this
! honor, was seated in the chimney corner Of a
certain tavern which has been, time out of
mind the Lampiighter's House Of Call. lie
sat in the midst OF a circle Of laInpIi9hters,
and WUs cacqae, or chief OF the tribe.
If any of our readers have had the good
fortune to behold lamplighter's funeral,
they will not be surprised to learn that lamp
lighters are strange and primitive people;
that they rgidIy adhere to old ceremonies
and customs which have been handed down
anon 6 them from father to son, since the
first public lamp was lighted out Of doors;
and they inter marry, and betroth their chill
dren i'll infancy that they enter INTO no plots
or couspiracies for who ever heard Of trai
torous IampIig hter)? that they commit no
crimes against the laws Of their country
there being no instance Of a murderous or
burgIarious lamplighter) that they are,
i'll short, notwithstanding their apparently
volatile and restless character, a highly
moral and reflective people; having among
themselves as many traditional observances
as the Jew, and being as body, if not as old
as the hills,a at least as old as the streets. 1t
is au article Of their creed that the first faint
glimmering Of true civilization shone in the
first street light maintained at the public
expense They trace their existence and
high position in the public esteem, in direct
line to the heather mythology; and hold
that the history Of Prometheus himself is but
a pleasant fable, whereof the true hero is
iamplIghter.
''GeDClemen, said the lanplghter in the
chair, Il drink your healths."
''And perhaps, sir said the vice, holding
up his glass,and rising a little way of his
seat and sitting down again. in token that he
recognized and returned the compliment,
perhaps you will add to that condensation
by telling us who Tom Grigg was, and how he
came to be connected in your mind with
Francis Moore, Physician.
Hear, hear, heart" cried the iamplighters
generally.
Tom Grigg, gentlemen" said the chair
man was one Of us aud it happened to him,
as it don't often happen to public charac-
ter in our line, that he had his what-you-may-
call-it cast
His head ?" said the vice
mo" replied the chairman, mot his
head"
.'His face, perhaps ?" said the vice.
No, not his face
His legs ~
mo, not his legs" Nor yet his arms, l7or
his hands, nor his chest-all Of which were
seVerally suggested.
Ills nativity, perhaps"
that's 1t, SAID the chairman, awakening
from his thoughtful attitude at the sugges-
ton. Ills nativity That's what Tom had
cast. gentlemen"
Sin plaster p asked the vice.
Il don't rightly know how it's; done, re-
turned the chairman, ''but | suppose it
was.
And there he stopped as if th5 u were all
he had to say; Whereupon there arose
lnurmur among the company, viii ch at length
resolveditseIfintoa request, conveyed through
the vice, that he would go on That being
exactly what the chairman warited, he mus
ed for while, performed that agreeable cere-
mony which is popularity termed wettinn ones
whistle and went on films