The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-10-26

The Family Genius.


with hod on his shoulder, without
knowing that he was not destined to car
ry it, or at least loudly purrng as he
bends beneath his burden, over a certain
phrase or motto. that inSinuated ALL tru
" great men begin at the bottom oflite, 5
ladder; "A feeling which time and eNpe-
rence sabl1es many being destined to
REMAIN at the bottom of the Ia lder or
foilei am mpitlon gfayItatts into that de
sire TO at least become notorious, which
tie Ancients tell us inspired Erostratts
u ~ fire to the temple of Diana, and
which, a glance st the drama Of life, viii
show Us many q poor wretch hurting
headlong into crime. Or, with that de
sire for fame which iufiames mankind,
what group, foEnstng a link III the great
human family chain, so foriols il not -
possess at least one genius: one bright
particular star. Although each nesageG
ordained to bask in its brightness, feels
most assUredlv, that he or she could
I have occupied the seat OF honor with a
better grace, were it not for the tide Of
circumstances and the laundering OF
fate.
/ SO with the Rock family, when ont Of
( the depths of many obscure generations.
! their Josephus spranE forth, crowned
with many buds of promise, which the
united family heads watched with admi-
ration, and nOurlshed with care, altAo'
what peculiar sphere their prodigy would
be most apt to flourish IN was a most
painfully bewiIdering speculation the
hope to behold him rcvel ia the heights
OF oratOry being abandoned IN early
youth, JOsephus mauitesting symptoms
Of deficient memory, ana Il painful un-
certainty how to dispose OF the hands
and feet also when forced before the pub
lie by ambitious schoolmasters. Poetry
had ever for Josephus a peculiar charm,
but the first effort in the mysteries Of
rhyme proving a failure. strenuous men
tai eXertions to blend love and dove into
harmonious jingle, according to rule,
being abortive, in a sonnet gallantly ad-
dressed to the maiden he adored. resoIv-
ed to lower the choice of his profession
somewhat, and brace his genius for a
more decided struggle to immoI talize
his name. in the more common walks of
Authorism. And applauding relatives
smiled upon him with approving eyes, as
he resolutely turned his eyes from the
mysteries of his fathers harrow and
wheat field to spend the time in future
in the cultivation of his fertile imagina-
ton, which he had heretofore devoted to
the cultivation of mother earth
A discerning mind had Josephus: dis
cerning. after reasonable view over the
field of literature, one leading feature i'll
the productions of men of note. to be
faculty of picturing the most trifing sub
jects brilliantly, had he not read with in
terest an article by H. W Beecher, on
that most common place and unromantic
of all things, an Apple Pie E; and when,
after much pondering anl careful re
search in seating himself with profound
brow before his neatly trimmed foolscap,
} Josephus felt that he could. with propri-
ETY., tap the authors of many great works
upon the shoulders. and whisper many
items into their literary ears. the treaSur
ing up OF which would vastly increase
the value of their future productions.
Josepltus dipped his pen into the ink
bottle, and paused to consider what grain
of sand he would gather from the strand
OF life to magnify, until the public mind
would he dazzled with its glory. bat 10
no little sahiect worthv OF coloring seem-
cJ 70 respond to the call OF the waiting
pen, although the ink abruptly dsie,I
thereon, and, enkindled VITA a desire o
proceed. he dipped it again, and vet
again, until finally, holding il thoughtful
ly up between the sun and his learned
eye Josephus became painfully conscious
that The contents OF his fruitful brain
were in a grievous -mudJIe that tue -au-
drills OF the vine therein had become 80
tightly cntwined about the branches Of
the Apricot that no luscious fruit coutd
be disentaDgled and arranged upon the
snowy sheets spread for its recep-
ton.
Josephus pondered; he must have
some guide; somethia- 10 follow or lean
upon. What departed author OF reaown
had restrained the falling Of his cloak.
that it might rest upon The shoulders Of
this enterprisiug youth : Alas not one
So many stood in readiness for those
dropping garments. that the departed Al
lowed them TO rest uPo1 their thread
bare backs in peace, even though they
covered them as the arlnor Of Saul did
the limbs of David, even whilst vet in
the flesh, and in the hight of tneir gI0lv.
were not their choice norsels snatch1d
almost wet from their envied pens. and
re dressed for the public until their orig
inal flavor was almost DESTROYED and
weakened; had be not met with many
selections of writers OF the past and pres
ent. combined into sort of literary
hash, followed BY others with 4 some
thing from Holmes, which they had su-
gar coated, probably with 4 view 70 ma
king the works of their fellow -laborers
digest well: What could Josephus do?
II wished to be original, and yea. verify.
he was in a quandary; his weary eve
wandered from the porplexing foolscap
to the luxuriant fields of golden wheat.
in which pursuit he met consolation
from the maiden, whose charms lad
caused the beginning and the ending of
his practical etfusions; in which happy
state, he calmly watched the indignation
OF his disappointed relations simmer. IN
til in the course of time it went entirely
of the boil, when presented with ju-
reRtIe Josephus, whose intellectual look
lag bald head, and the knowing manner
IN which it sucked its chubby thumb,
could not fail TO inspire the most incred-
ulous Rock with visions of his brilliant
Gin. Gdz