Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1867-02-16

FEW CHOICE BITS FROM HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
We quote some pages from this interesting
volume, Illustrative of points in Mr.. Hardings
character; and periods in his eventful life. We
cannot forbear expressing the hope. that this
book, so unique and valuable, now printed on
y for circulation among the personal friends of
MIR. Harding, may soon be made accessible to
the public
A VISIT TO DANIEL BOONE.
'1n June, 1919, made trip of one
hundred miles for the purpose of paint
ing the portrait of old Col. Daniel Boone.
| had much trouble in finding him. He
was living, some miles from the main
road, in one of the cabins of an old block
house, which was built for the protection
of the settlers against the incursions of
the Indians l found that the nearer |
got to his dwelling. the less was known
of him. When within two miles of his
house, asked man to tell me where
Col. Boone lived. He said he did not
know any such man. why, yes, you do
said his wife. 1T is that white-headed
old man who lives on the bottom, near
the river A good Illustration of the
proverb, that a proI het is not without
honor save in his own country
81 found the object of my search enga-
ged in cooking his dinner lie was ly-
ing ON his bunk, near the fire, and had a
long strip of veiiison wound around his
ramrod, and was busy turning it before a
brisk blaze, and using salt and pepper to
season his meat. | at once told him the
object of my visit / found that he hard
ly knew what | meant. Iexplained the
matter to HIM and he agreed to sit. lie
was ninety years old, and rather infirm;
his memory of passing events was much
impaired, yet he would amuse me every
day by his anecdotes of his earlier lite.
/ asked him one day, just after his de-
scliption of one of his long hunts, if he
never got lost, having no compass No.
said he, / can't say as ever was lost, but
| was be,cildered once for three days He
was much astonished at seeing the like
ness. He had a very large progeny; one
granddaughter had eighteen children, all
at home near the old mans cabin; they
wereeven more astonished at the picture
than was the old man himself"
PAINTING DUKES PORTRAIT
august Is, 1e24.-Set off for Hamil-
ton. Staid at the inn. Tuesday morning
sent my letter with my address to the
palace; but it was soon returned, with
direction from the footman, that all let
tiers to his grace must come through the
post-offce.' This | afterwards learned
was to avoid refusing, more directly, .ad-
mittance to the gallery, ,as there were many
applications and the family were con
stantly annoyed. / took the letter, and
went to the palace with the resolve to
see his grace if possible. After waiting
half an hour, the duke came out from the
breakfast-table, and rery politely asked
me into the breakfast room, and invited
me to take breakfast; but declined the
honor, and made my business known to
him, which was to request the duke to sit
for picture fer the duke of Sussex. He
readily complied, and asked me to send
for my portmanteau, and make my resi-
deuce with him.
II soon commenced the portrait. The
day passed off very happily in looking at
the pictures of the old masters, of which
here are hundreds. Five o'clock came,
and began to dress for dinner. Felt
rather aguish from fear, and wished the
ordeal of dinner we'll over. Six O'Clock
came at last, and was ushered into the
dining-room. Ina short time began to
realize that my titled companions were
very like other people; and, in a short
TINT more, my nerves became steady,
though could not entirely refrain from
moving my knife and fork a little, or
playing with my bread, or in some other
awkward way betraying my want of
ease. There was a display of great mag
nifcience; servants all in livery, splendid
plate. The duches and her daughter re-
tired early, and about nine, the gentle
men followed them. The duches made
tea with her own fair hand, and was be-