The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-04-09

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forward nor to put himself back his fa-
vorite method in an emergency was to
shove out sideways He never distrusted
himself nor anybody else, and never had
any misgivings as to his ability or inabil-
ity to do anything. His talents for indif>
ference and repose were about equal. His
self-Possession was also remarkable He
not only possessed himself, but was fre>
quently ambitious to possess other people.
An example of it occurred when he was
about twelve years of age. He was sent
to convey two young ladies in a buggy
distance of several miles to their fathers
house. On the way, in passing through
broad, deep slough, the horses became
stalled, and could not proceed an inch
further. The ladies begged Hans Pat
rick to wade out of the slough and go for
assistance. Sitting quietly between the
two he replied: ''Not if l know myself.
I've got as good thing as l want, and l
mean to fight it out on this line if it takes
all summer" And there he sat, until the
father of the young ladies came and res
cucd the party. He still retains in his
possession the sole of one of the old mans
boots, which he captured on that interest
ing occasion.
The first phrenolOgist that ever came TO
our part of the country examined Hans
Patrick's head through microscope
There were many persons present, all
eager TO hear what the man would say,
and the boy, for fear that he would crush
the two dozen bird-eggs concealed in his
trowsers' pockets, remained perfectly
quiet while the examination was going on.
The phrenologists muttered to himself, as
he proceeded "This is no common head
it is huge head, a tremendous head
saphead.' 1 asked him if he thought
Hans Patrick would ever come TO any
thing. He replied: ''From the dcveI-
opment of particular organ here (diges-
tivel l think he viii come to his meals
three times day as long as lie lives, or
as long as he has the meals to come to-
This gratified me very much, for there is
no surer sign of future greatness than a
good aTp2;ite. In the afternoon, the
phrenologist and l were walking near a
pond where Hans Patrick had been skat>
Tag. He had fallen upon the ice, and the
Professor discovered the indentation made
by his head. "Marvellous head" he
sad to me, SIT is hard as copper
H,nce the term Copperhead, sometimes
applied to men whose heads are too hard
to be affected by the slippery surface of
fanatical opinion. All the phrenologists
who came to our place for ten years pre-
dicted that Hans Patrick would become
President. They predicted the same
thing of all the other boys in the neighbor-
hood. None of these prophecies have
come true as yet, but you may look for
perfect whirlwind of Presidents from
Nubbin Ridge one of these days.
In respect to looks, Hans Patrick was
a most beautiful child. He was the love-
liest little creature / ever saw. His COM
plexion was white as alabaster and bis
eyes glowed with prismatic glory that
astonished the natives. We used to let
him out by contract to families, when
they had child TO christen. They would
take him to be christened and leave their
own at home, thus exhibiting to their
friends what beautiful babe they had
Ladies used 10 come miles and miles to
kiss him. Frequently there were so many
of them on a pilgrimage of this kind at
a time that half of them had to sleep in
the barn and do their own cooking /
do not think he grew up TO be as hands
some man as the rest of the children.
Ladies would not go far to kiss him now !;
they would probably go farther to avoid it.
My nephew's passion for hard labor
was never sufficiently strong to damage
his health. Most of the work we had to
do was chopping wood, and he was all
wayssvery awkward at it. have known
him to break half dozen axes in a sin
gle day. 1t cost so much to buy axes
that used TO let him go fishing in pre-
ference tc chopping wood. One day,
however, we were short of hands, before
short hand men came in fashion. l told
him he must 60 into the woods and chop.
He said he was willing to assist me until
he could get money enough to run away
with, and then he intended 10 leave.
told him l did not want him to chop
against his will, and asked him what
trade he would choose-whether he would
be rope-maker, soap~boiler or prin-
ter. Subsequently he chose the latter
He made capital printer, but while an
apprentice, he was always averse to dis
tTibuting ''pi" When he chanced TO
knock down line of type, he would slip
it iii his pocket, and at night, on his way
home, he would throw it in somebody
well. He broke up two or three printing
offices before he learned his trade.
Many persons regard the name of Hans
Patrick LIE Conner as very curious and
significant one. 1t is not the name he
was christened by, but was tackled on to
! him by accident One day he was at a
log rolling. when the men consisted OF
Germans, Irish and French They were
divided up in clans, and each clan had q
great deal of cider to drink, of which bev.
erage my nephew was always very fond
He first went among the Germans and
seeing fine lad in their midst one o.
them asked his name. He replied ''Hans ;
They then gave him all he cider he want
ed, thinking he was a German. Wher
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