Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-09-07
For the Chronicle.
A "REMINISCENCES.
BY OBSERVER.

bh ObokhNEh.
Many years since, when the country was
comparatively, in a primitive state. The
people had but little to do, and but little in
csntive to do much in the way of business,
consequently they had great deal of leis-
ure time to improve the mind. Hence, de-
batting societies were common in every
neighborhood, and grave questions were
often ably discussed. 1t was in the month
Of August made my first visit in the
country about tep1niles from Clarksville.-
Mine host inforAed me that on the morrow,
a debate would come off in the neighbor-
hood, to which was respectfully invited
and which I accepted Arriving at the spot
designated, I found a rude log cabin, with a
dirt floor, situated in a corn field. Much Of
the corn was matured, as to height, being,
in many places, not more than eighteen inch
es, yellow, stunted and utterly worthless,
though the neighboring fields were in four
ishing condition. In the cabin, were assem-
bled number of ladies and gentlemen, seated
on rails. Being stranger, had the honor
of being requested to take the chair Tor
raiD and decide the question in debate accor-
ding to the argument. Accordingly, took
a rail in front Of the audience.
The question under consideration was
"whether the desire Of fame had been pro-
ductive Of the most good, or the most harm
to the world" The champions were two
young men Of the neighborhood, Perkins
AND Neander-. The former opened
the debate on the negative side. He took
his position behind a rail which was run
through the logs, diagonally across corner
of the cabin, and about breast high, serving
as rostrum. "Perk" was small sized man,
with plump edface, bis head covered with
bristes that stood Ia poreupine had clear,
stentorian voice, AMI evidently confident Of
complete triumph, he boldly launched forth
upon his favorite theme. For a long time,
he attracted the silent gaze and admiration
of the crowd, by rausacking history down
through the long vista of ages. Arraigning
the ambition Of Napoleon, Caesar and Alex
ander, and the direful consequences. The
audience, on the negative side, could not
contain their emotions of satisfaction when
lie concluded, and the other party was not
only quiet but felt that they were beaten by
the transcedant fourishes and oratorical peals
which were still lingering on their ears and
the speaker proudly yielded the floor [ground1
to his opponent.
Neander took bis position. He was tall,
slim, raw-boned man, with black hair, some
what down over the forehead, of serious
determined countenance, who was rarely, il
ever, seen to laugh, yet naturally full of dry
humor, without knowing it. He seemed to
be conscious Of the, apparent, difficulty before
him and evinced determination to over.
come it. with as much solemnity as the auth
or Of "Night Thoughts himself. He steadi.
ly and energetically pursued his course and by
close reasoning, interspersed with wit and sar.
casm, it became evident that the auditor.
were changing their minds, and that Perks
cloquence was as sounding brass and tinkline
cymbols. The speaker was terribly in earn
est, andas if not satisfied with the arguments
already adduced, to crush his antagonist i,
seemed as though he did not wish to leave
grease spot Of him behind. He resorted to
tangible ard occuar demonstration of hi
points. His nostrils were dilated, his eye
flashed, and with his whole soul thrown in
to the subject he exclaimed! Ladies ant
gentlemen, look at that field of corn staring
you in the face, My opponent is the owne
of it. He planted the seed, scratched the soil
and then left it to whitening neglect. Sc,
the weeds and grass far in the ascendant
Those dimnutive sckly dwarfs Of corr
peering their impoverished little head
through the weeds, late in August, feebl.
calling out as 1t were, "Perk, oh, Perk 7
help us, work us save us or we perish, an
you perish with us. Ladies and gentle
men it is self-evident that If my opponen
had possessed the least desire for fame, h
would not have raised such sorry crop G
corn and such a luxuriant crop of weeds an
grass, to the disgrace of the Red River sci
llement and the State Here the audienc
broke forth with one simultaneous burst {
applause, and drowned the voice of the speak
er. The rail had nothing to say, but
: make formal announcement, that the dc
bate was closed and that the affirmative wa
established.
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