Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1868-06-25
THE SMITH FAMILY.

THE SMITH FAMILY.
Henry Smith, the Racer Strop man
will be remembered by many of our clu
zens, as loquacious 4ad amusing stree
vender Of razor strops and anything re-
latiye to him now will doubtless interes
them.
1t appears thai after amassing mode
rate fortune, he went into various specu
lations, which detracted from rather thar
augmented his accumulations. and the re-
suit was that be soon found himself rcdu
ced to the necessity Of returning TO hi
first love-" the 'strop' business. lie i,
already on the tramp, and having turned
up in New York city is thus welcomed
by the inconsideratc fe-gathcrer of til,
Evening Mail
Yesterday passing through Nassau
street in the vicinity Of Wall, we obscrv-
a crowd of open mouths and smiling IA
ccs surrounding tall, time worn, but
gentlemanly looking man. who was, Will
a supcrlatiye use of the English language
demonstrating that what he was offering
for sale was the best, cheapest, and most
en- lurable article ever otitie t. an lntel!:-
gent and discriminating people in any
age, cline or community, and with for
chile and amuzing elequence supplement-
ing the above with the fact that n"twl;h-
standing he had supplied the whole cen
tinent and a part of Europe for a quarter
Of century, he had still few more left
of the same sort. for only , quarter.
We Joined with the crowd, and were
impelled to relieve the salesman of real
ly excellent razor-strop at So cheap I
price, for We recognised III his ancient
and venerable physiognomy one of Ne"
York's old and esteemed representative
originals Henry Smith, the eccentric
and well known Razor Strop man.
He glorics in the name Of Smith, as we
see by our rerJuttm note Of a part of his
address Gentleman my name is Smith,
and am proud to say that | am not
of IT, It may be that no person
in this crowd. owns that very uncommon
name. If, however, there be one such,
let him hold up his head, pull his d,cky,
turn cut his toes, take courage, and thank
his stars that that there ar. a few more
left of the same sort.
Smith. gentleman, is an iinStrious name,
And stands very high in the annals Of fame
Lei White, Brown. or Jones, i0clsr''e - th'!
Believe me that Smith will outnnmber them
still.
Gentleman, I am proud of being an
original Smith-not a Smiths nor q Smythe,
but regular, natural, original Sm-i-t-h,
Smith Putting a y into the middle OF
IN at the end, won't do, gentIr'nan.-
Who ever heard of 4 great man by the
name of S-m-y-t-h or S-m-i-t-h-e, Smithe
why the pillars of fame are covered with
that honorcd and revered name. Who
are the most racy, witty, and popular au-
thors of this century .? Albert and John
Smith Who the most original, pithy,
and humorous preacher ? Rev. Sidney
Smith. To so further back, who was the
boldcst and braYest soldier in Sumpter s
army in the Revolution Smith Who
palavercd with Powhattan, Pocahontas
and became the ancestor of the first faml-
lies of Virginia Smith again.
And who, ask, and l ask the question
seriously and sobcrly-who, | say is that
man and what is his name, who has fought
the most battles, made the most speeches
preached the most sermons. held the most
Offices, sung the most songs, written the
most poems, courtcd the most woman,
kissed the most girls, run away with the
most wives, and married the most widows?
History says, you say, | say, and every
body says, John Smith. Laughter and
applause To 60 back still further, tn"
Scripture speaks of one Alexander, the
Copper Smith. Further back still, we
read of Tubal CAIN, who was an artifccr
in brass and iron. lie must undoubtedly
have been Black Smith. And | have
no doubt gentleman, that the great pro
cenitor of our race would have been called
Smith, if his name hadn't been Adam. -
laughter And now, gentleman, let me
ask who is that benevolent and self-Sacrli-
eing individual who, regardfu' ofthe wants
of humanity, strives to cheer the hearts Of
men to dry up the tears of women, and
hush the cries of children, by declaring
eternal and exterminating war against all p,
each, and every dull razor knife, shears,
and scissors, in this great and glorious
country?
NIodesty, respected fellow citizens, that
natural and retiring modcsty which is 50
peculiar to that honorcd family of which
l have spoken. forbids me to mention his
name Let il suffice to say that if any
gentleman in this most respectable and
intelligent crowd desires to procure an ar
ticlc that is warranted to sharpen his wife
his toy's knife. his own razor,
his wits. q his appetite, l stand ready as
the sole representative Of all the Smiths,
whether blacdsmiths, wAitesmiths. gold
smiths. silyegsI4iths, coppcrsnliths, or
J chn Smiths, to sell him a keen, closo,
cute. cunu:a., capable, curious aud capt
tai rayor stop. Of which. | am proud TO
say. i have sill a few mere left Of the
same SOFT, and the psice : twenty-five
cents.
IN Englishman hal heard 9ftI., Van
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