The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-02-19

nave Deen meQ1CaClDR. ZONE, BOD,
tell us what has occupied your
thoughts"
"I was rejecting upon the folly of
mankind, which values turkeys il
proportion to their bigness, whereas
small turkey is infinitely nicer than
larger one. / was also speculating
upon whether q cassowary could
digest mince-pie. I think not"
"Come, come, Bob, though you
are an old bachelor, an epicure, and
lawyer, you must have an interest
ing reminiscence for us. What ro-
mantle stories you must become ac-
quainted with in the course of busi-
nes, for example"
"Well, am not exactly in the
habit of betraying the confidence of
my clients; but if you would like to
hear an outline of the.case of Dodds
and Glover, will make an exception
in your favor. 1t is rather dry. You
see, Dodds is trustee for q burial
ground. and the vicar''-
ooh, oh! No, nor
cit is Of no use, fear; Bob has no
romance in him."
Romance! I have done with that
the last twenty years.
"Then You were romantic oncew
cried Lyddy. (Sharp girl that "Tell
u.s."
eyes, at your age, Lyddy, 1 was
an inhabitant of an ideal world, for I
knew nothing of the real one. My
parents lived in q most secluded man
ner; and rs they had peculiar notions
on the subject of education, they
never sent ME to school. My father
had an idea that it ought to be the
great JOY of his life to watch my
mind open, just as if it were an
oyster. By-the-by, you are right to
serve them in the top shells, Morton.
l expect that you have not all read
Sponsors Fairy Queen, at least not
quite through; and as for 'Amadis of
Gaul, I will bet even that none of
you have ever opened its pages.
Those two books were my favorites:
| knew great parts of them by heart.
L wrote a little poetry myself, and
some of it was thought very pretty;
my Field Mouse and 'Stanzas to
an Autumnal Fly for examply.
Would you like to hear my 'Autumnal
fly? No? That is fortunate, for
fear that it is obsolete. I was sent
at last to private tutor, who was to
prize that mind of mine open q little
wider. and shove what was needful
for martriculation at the university
into the gap. Here, at last, 1 might
have had chance of u glimpse at the
True, one would have thought; but,
unfortunately, my tutor was a poor
and hardworking curate, in thinly-
populated district; good man, who,
when he was not coaching me or
walking over the moors to outlying
parishioners, was entirely pre-occu-
pied with coal-tickets, tracts, sore
legs, rheumatism, twins and such
like. And 1 had no fellow-pupil.
So, if possible, got rather worse
instead of better, and commenced an
epic in six books. Likewise, if you
must have it, 1 fell in love-"
"Hnrrah! Pass the bottle before
he begins. Empty, and take back
handler, Bob. Now, then"
1t really was rather a romantic
affair. 1 was walking out alone one
day, in search of an appetite and an
inspiration, when I came to house
and garden surrounded by high
wall, at the foot of a hill. The ap-
petite [ had little difficulty about in
those happy days; but the inspiration
hung fire, and the epic poem could
not for the life of it get over the
third stanza of the first canto, where
it had stuck for weeks. TO soar
above the world bit. might help me,
SO 1 turned to the hill, and tried the
Excelsior plan. When I had mount
ed couple of hundred feet of slip
perry grass, was out of breath,
throbbing at the temples, and damp;