The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-11-24

terror, and clinging to him sobbing,
"Thank God, Pm back again at the
forge"
YANKEE INQUISITIVENESS.
by HOWARD PAUL.
HILL! poor Yankee Hill! He was
the very incarnation of drollery and
esprit. We loved to see his smiling,
good-natured phiz before the lights, for
it was sure to impregnate the very at
mosphere with q sense of merriment.
He possessed genius for the imperson-
alton of Down East character, which no
actor before nor since his time has ap-
preached. He was natural, captivating,
easy, and brilliant. With what genial
JUNCTION he related a pleasantly with
how much sparkling zest he bantered
the follies of mankind! The witticisms
flashed from his lips as flakes Of light
along the orient. A gay, glorious fell
low was he, in every sense of the ex-
preston.
His store of anecdotes seemed to be
inexhaustible and he was one of those
few gifted creatures who could talk all
day, and still have something left worth
listening to. One never wearied of hear
ing him. Age did not tarnish,
"--nor custom stale,
His infinite variety"
His whimsical stories yet range the
length and breadth of the United States,
as unowned oddities. They have been
passed from one to another, till the label
of identity has fallen from them in the
the vortex of narration. We recognize
them here and there, as one will find
polished pebbles on the sea-beach. What
a grotesque medley his portfolio would
present! Spirit Of Momus! we invoke
thee to assist, by thy potent influence,
the finding of this rare legacy!
We remember scrap of adventure
that Hill used to relate, illustrative of
the trait of inquisitiveness, so noticea-
bic among the primitive home-spun
Yankees. Itappears that the comedian
was travelling in stage-coach, and sat
next to a gawky, slab-sided Nermonter,
who opened the conversation with the
usual platitudes touching weather.
crops-and gineral matters of intr's."
"You're travelling, l guess, Mister ?"
said Vermont.
"If being in a stage-coach behind four
fleet roans is any evidence of it, should
think | was" coolly replied Hill.
" Ia-as-you're right. E-e-h"
A brief pause.
Travellin' for your health? ?"
"Not exactly, responded Hill.
ooh then, on 6iz-ness, l reckon, eh ?"
Yes-no; that is to say, not precise
ly;'" :, =
half pleasure'-rolling his large eyes
about like bewildered bagatelle balls.
Something in that way"
And not caring to be deluged with in
terrogatives, as he could see the breed
of his friend, the comedian took from
his pocket copy of Humphrey Clink-
err" and soon his mind was psychology
cally with that notable parsonage.
"Umph!" grunted Vermont, 81 beg
your pardon, Mister, but is it fur to-"
Hill affected not to hear him. He re-
peated the question.
"Don't KNOW" replied he, without
taking his eyes from the book.
"Well, should yeou think it wuz, con-
siderin' what we've Gomez"
"Can't say"
Another slight" silence.
Like this part of the country?"
Yes"-in gruff tone.
$50 do I"-edging still closer to Hill.
A moments intcrmission.
"Yeou live abeout here, pre-haps?"
"No."
"Nuther dew l."
"Umph!"
"That's strange coincidence"
Vermont here adjusted his cravat-a
lowered velvet Of strong gamboge
tint-the bow of which, terminating
into resemblance of tipsy letter Y,
had imperceptibly logged round and
got under his ear. Bringing the bow
back to its original position under his
chin, he remarked:
Excuse me, Mister, do you ever eX-
pect tew come this way agin?"
"Have no positive knowledge" la
conically replied Hill.
~ spose yeOu don't like coach rid
ing?"
"No."
"Not half so nice as steamboat or
cars, is't?"
"Quite agree with you"
Here he eased off for moment or
two, and then renewed the attack.
Nudging his victim, he said:
"Pm an American, am"
"Shouldn't have taken you for a
Frenchman or n Spaniard," drily re-
marked the comedian.
"No? Pm glad to hear you say so.
I've heen told afore now that | had II
real Russian mouth, and that my nose
was on the Greek style, but | recken
they amt if the truth wuz told"
What possible affinity there could eX-
list between his mouth and Russia, unless
it was its extent, would be hard to con-
lecture. If Greek noses are of that long
sort that hasten down to II red point,