The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-09-18
Miscellany.



Albert d. Richardson, an old and we'll
known newspaper man, has recorded in vol
ume his "reminiscences of several journeys in
the far West, including recent journey across
the continent; and its title is Beyond the
Mississippi; from the Great River to the Great
Ocean," We take an extract or two:
.as Jim LANE" raA
Repeatedly the United States marshal from
Lecompton, with an armed posse at his heels.
galloped into Lawrence with a warrant for
Lanes arrest But the Lawrence people were
miraclessoi heroic retcence. The first person
asked would perhaps reply that he s'never
heard OF any such man. Another would
report him "gone down South" A third saw
him an hour ago, but thought he was now
over upon the Resers ation. Then a young
man with a revolver at his side would step
up and demand gravely:
"HalloO, marshal, looking for Jim Lanep'
Eyes; where is hep"
just left town. / saw him start for Iowa
ten minutes ago with tweive-pounder under
his ARM" rs
Amid the derisive laughter which followed,
the angry officer and his posse would ride
homeward. Before they were fairly out of
sight Lane would come strolling leisurely up
massachusetts street, wearing the old black
>N~S"1.A ONSASOat, WniCu CilttlOpeu DlIl WIFI
Ter and summer, asking if anybody had
neafd gentleman from Lecompton inauir-
ing Iol him!
THE UNITED STATES LANGUAGE
At Messilla the public records and legal
proceedings were in Spanish. A Kentuckian
was brought before the alcalde or magistrate
for assault and battery. The native Judge
with Shaggy beard, uncombed bair and dirty
lace, appeared on the bench in soiled calico
shirt and buckskin sandals. He knew no
English. Sternly motioning the Kentuckian
to rise, he ordered the sheriff to ask the pris-
oner whether he spoke Spanish.
mary Spanish"
"Then," said the alcalde, she must hire an
interpreter"
The delinquent, shifting his tobacco quid
to the other cheek, replied:
"Ask him whether this court is sitting in
Mexico or the United States?"
Gin the United States!n responded. the
angry official.
"Then tell him that Understand the Unit
ed States language, and il he don't I'll see
him id before | hire an Interpreter for
him."
PRE-EMpTION. f
We selected and staked our quarter-sec-
tions, and after returning to Quindaro, sent
out boards and had cabin erected upon
each. But few weeks later, when we went
back to look at our dwellings, some enter
prising scoundrel had carried away every one
OF them! He did not leave single board,
rafter, or splinter. Notwithstanding the for
ty dollars which his cupidity cost me, l have
profound respect for that shrewd Spectator
who not only obtained so much valuable lum-
Der for nothing, but found it already deliv, red
thirty miles in the interior, when the expen-
ses OF hauling were enormous. 1t must have
enabled him to build palatial mansion; but
my experience was a ludcrous satire upon
the ancient legal fiction that every mans
house is his castle.
From such school must have graduated
the tn Kansas infantry, which acquired
rare reputation for plundering during the
great rebellion. A number Of Kansas regi-
ments marching through Missouri, revcnged
themselves upon their old enemies; but this
had unapproachable genius for plumber, which
the camp stories used to illustrate with genu-
inc American exaggeration. One of them
ran thus: In an Arkansas campaign a gen.
eral officer found the entire til grouped
around saw mill and weeping like Niobes. (
why, boys" he asked, !" what is the mat
ter?" 'H,ts ~ -. I 1Tiy1.l a - z
Matter enoughp' sobbed one enterprising
volunteer, Thus far we have never left any
thing behind us; but we can't possibly steal
this saw-millp' Haas4