The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-01-26

PEN PICTURES, BY "MAcK.n

FERNANDO WOOD.
The stranger entering the House. gallery sees to
the right OF the speaker, few seats of, gentle
man whose personal appearance at once attracts
inquiry as TO name and antecedents. He sits most
OF the time immovable a statue, unobservant OF
what is going on about him, entirely uniuterested
in the proceedings, and apparently bending all his
energies on the work of keeping his head thrown
back, his arms folded across his breast and his
eyes intently fixed on vacancy. II he does oc-
casionally relax it is only to brush the shining
velvet collar of his closely. buttoned coat with one
hand, or to comb the heaviest and whtest mus.
tache in the House with the other. This gentle
man is Fernando Wood, and he is but poor
Judge OF character who, knowing Fernando by
reputation, could not point him out after a brief
survey Of the members among whom he sits.
That countenaDce, so full of refined hypocrisy and
sublimated impudence, could belong to nobody
else if ii tried.
The little round head, covered with gray hair.
always SO carefully brushed the forehead evil.
lannon's low" arching couple of eyes which tell
the whole story of their owners life, and the big
white mustache which half converts the American
citizen into the distinguished foregner-al com.
bine 10 spell out Fernando Wood 10 the alphabet
of pbysiognOmy. He seldom speaks, but when
he does be is not at a loss for words or ideas to
express himself. His manner is always remsrka.
bly, cool and self possessed. This was especially
noticeable day before yesterday, when he was in.
terrupted and called TO order for applying the
word Infamous" TO the proceedings Of the
House. He was the lest excited OF any on the
floor, or so appeared from the gallery: and
When he was told that he could not proceed fur
Their with bis speech, he took his seat with an air
of marbleiZed Indifference which astonished all
who witnessed it. With the same degree of fri.
gidity and nonchalance he took the reprimand
of the speaker, and then retired again to his seat,
threw his head slightly back, brushed his velvet
coat collar with one hand, strOked his mustache
with the other and then placed both arms in guard
across ms breast as if to keep out all intruders
he tv rrith az oh e..
Dickens, who, We are told, is taking notes for
another Martin Chuzzlewit. A far better study
for the great novelist than Pecksnif or Rllph
Nickleby, or in fact any other product Of his
brain to which the reading world has yet been
treated. Before Dickens leaves the country, let
somebody see to 1t that Fernando gives HIM a
sitting.
JOHN MoRRIssEY.
In happy contradistincton TO the arch wicked.
ness OF Wood is that fearless and generous look
ing Democrat who sits behind him-the Hon. John
horrissey. The Hon. John has won golden opin
ions since his accessions to the House, from the
quetness and Unobtrusivenes7 Of hi5 department
and the urbanity of his deposition. lie "a said to
be one of the most genial of men in his inter.
cOurse with his fellow-members, il not at all
proud, and will associate even with Ashley on
terms of equality, though his private opinion OF
the Toledo member is not good. He said on a
recent occasion. in a confidential way, that he
didn't see how man. with Ashley's record of
early life could have the impotence 10 sit in Con.
gress; and there are few who will question
the wisdom OF that remark or doubt its perti.
Dence.s One of the best intellectual and moral
treats a man can enjoy in Washington is TO get
the Hon. Mr.. Morrssey to turn on the stop-cOck
Of unrestrained converse, and tell the secrets of
his Utmost heart. He will do it on very slight
provOcaiion, and keep you chained to his inter.
esting discourse for hours at a time. He delights
tn tell of his feats Of proves In the ring especi-
ally his memorable match with Heenan. heard
him tell that thrilling story once and shall never
forget how he shOuldered his fists and showed how
fights were won. "Golly, how | did tremble
when ] was coming to the scratch that time.
Heensn was too big for me, and sthat morning I'd
have given q good deal 10 get out OF the scraoe
STILL made up my mind that as had put all my
money-every id Cent had RI think he said
Sl700l into the thing | was going in, and then,
thought !, I'll be id il l don't whip him too.
When looked at Heenan, stripped for the fight
/ thought I'd be whipped sure-then again made
up my mind to make him work for it. | eyed him
all over as he sat in his corner. Good God, says
to myself, can't do nothing with that fellow;
but then, again, / thought | must. Well, we
came up TO the first round.
''Whew ! / remember how he did plug me.
tell you what it is, gentlemen, don't want to
brsg Of my own pluck, for it would be no use now
that | am out OF the ring, bat if | hadn't been
pretty good game I'd have cayed in on that first
round. After long russell fell, and | was
nightly glad of il. 1t was while we we're down
this time that j maze up my mind was going to
whip him. Heenan tried to choke me while we
threat this way, (suitng the action % the word)
When felt him do that, thinks | 10 myaef sonny
I've got you now. ] thought that man who'd do
that was a coward, and from that time to the end
of the fight ! felt sure Of whipping him, and
would have whipped him, just as did, if the Eight
had lasted just twice as long as it did. IL Keenan,
had pluck equal TO his strength, all hell couldn't
whip him, but lie hadn't, aud it's no work al all
20 whip him, If you can only stand up under him
for the first few minutes"
You wouldn't think. TO hear the Hon. John in
bis "reminiscences OF the ring, that he considered
bis present position in the light of promotion or
advancement. On the contrary, he thinks the
noblest work of God is a first-cass boxer, and
doubtless views it in the light of dshonor to the
ring that of its brightest ornaments aud stout
est champions should have degenerated into a
Congressman. Nothing but q desire to save his
beloved country from the hands of the radical
cOnsprators ever induced him to make the sacri-
fee.
In personal appearance the Honorable John is
if lot entirely prepossessing. certainly not entirely
the reverse. lie wears9 very dne crop OF black
or very dark brown hair which was quite long
until he found that Theodore Tilton and few
other radicals were copying after him in this mat
ter, when be Indignantly curtailed its fair proper
lions. He has a fine black beard, and pair of
friendly looking eyes. His nose is the only feature
about him which betrays his former occu pation.
Ia one of his battles in the ring this member was
for the most part demolished, and reconstructed
little pug stands upon the ruins Of the grand old
Roman with which his features were once adorned.
His dress is not remarkable, either for showines
or shabbness, and the only ornament about him is
what at a distance a dark night, might be mis-
taken for locomotive headlight, but near ap-
proach proves 10 be a big diamond pin. In a
word. modest, retiring gentle and humane, Mr..
Morrssey, il not an honor 10 Congress, is at least
an honor the prize ring, and when the pugilists
come TO make out list of their saints, high upon
the scroll will stand Saint John.
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