Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-08-07
SeIettr0 sllistrllanu.
CAREER OF A BOHEMIAN.
The History OF n singular Character
a Life story.

the bohemian, q most valuable and service
able friend; not that in my style OF affairs
he could be Of much practical utility to
me, that is. directly helpful II the ordinary
practices and affairs Of life. In these he
was the veriest child But he had large
measure Of hoPefulness, some suggestion
for every emergency dauntleSs mode OF
taking any bull by the horns; an amount Of
never say die" such as l never met with IN
any other character.
IN the midst Of life he was in debt, and
that continually, but do think the con-
ditiOn was pleasuTable both to him and his
creditors. have known him to go three
miles to have talk with one of them, with
no prospect Of a farthing for months, and
return with an addition to his indebted
mes, forced upon him by the creditor, who
could not part from him without additional
pledges Of his faith In him. And why
should the obliged creditor not cumber
him with gifts He, the debtor, had not
paid the little money, but had doubtless
impaired 10 him bone and energy and III
spiratiOn enough to lift him over the aw-
I'll chssn Of the note he was TO meet next
week, taught him the way 10 beg, borrow
and finsncier, TO the desired extent to pay
It
: FIRST met the Bohemian on the Long
sion Of the race between Eclipse and
Henry. He vas then in the full flush and
yigoT Of his zeal for spending money, a
quality in which he had always shown
remarkable ability. He drove fine horse,
and betted largely upon Eclipse, whom he
STYLED the Northern horse, and even then
began to manifest that strong Tepugnance
70 southern persons, things and institu-
tons which altoTwaTd ran into his politics
Of course he won largely
next met him in twenty different insti-
tutlons in Bohemia, all Of highly social
izing character, but under circumstances
SO rapid and shifting that it is difficult to
say which came first It is enough to say
that, meeting him IN one OF these, 1 sug-
gested to him the impression made upon
me by his figure upon the race course, and
commented with admiration upon the loud
ness of his betting
His appearance was diStiagUe and aristo-
cratic He was thin. and below the mid
die stature His face was somewhat long,
with black hair and eyebrows, and gray
eyes His nose, somewhat large, had q
Iatness or one side, as if from some acct
dent. There was a stamp Of High-Dutch
character upon him, though many would
have mistaken him for Frenchman. His
manners were free and easy He was apt
TO speak with considerable gesticulation.
N an eager and earnest tone. rising at
times 10 shrillness as he became excited.
with the occasional seasoning of an OATH
II the occasion imperiously required it. In
dress, under all circumstances, he was
scrupulously neat, although at times in his
later days this point was secured consist
emily with close and careful economy.
He was of an old and highly respectable
I'M Ga lr1
burg, IN this state. A considerable pstri-
mony ct first enabled him to indulge in ex-
pensive tastes and habits, principal one
being the horse mania, which has wrecked
many persons beside the Marquis of Hast
Ines. The excitement pleased him, and
heavy losses did not annoy him, until one
day he found himself penniless.
found him cheerful as O cricket. and
With no abatement Of his aristocratic man.
ners or enthusiasm, seated at a clerks desk
IN law Office in New York, managing the
whole business as if he had never seen q
horse in his life. Here he continued year
or two.
asked the distinguished counselor how
he liked his clerk.
He is wonderful, said he; but it is
strange can't get him to take any money
or agree upon any stipend. Occasionally
dental outlay, but always in the name of a
loan"
OF course these loans were never repaid.
and amounted IN the aggregate TO not one
tenth Of his proper wages In the mean
time he was living IN the most expensive
way IN the corner of some hotel or the up
per chamber Of some obscure lodging house.
At this time he began to court the ac-
quaintance Of the gentlemen of the news
paper press He took a wide interest in
public concerns, particularly in the ag-
gressive elements of the anti-slavery move
ment, IN theatricals, public amusements,
railroads, and other Improvements. An
uncommonly penetrative curiosity and au-
dacious boldness of inquisition enabled
him to gather many valuable items, which
gave him the confidence Of the editors,
which he never abused, and a certain
amount Of access to their columns.
never knew Of any engagement on his
part with newspaper, nor the doing Of
any act Tor stated sum. He only looked
for influence and privilege.
This talisman of access to many OF the
papers enabled him to travel all over the
Union on free papers, and secured him the
kind recognition and influence which he
valued. at length he came to rely almost
exclusively upon it.
There was time when he diverged for 8
while TO serve an old friend, Gov. Marcy
While this good man and eminent states
man was power, both in New York and
Washington, my friend served him as 6
clerk, and secured from him the declara
ton that he ''was the best clerk he eyel
had" When the Secretary Of State wen
out Of office, the senior secretary continued
70 hold on until he was fairly turned out
his sole motive being just to indulge fan
ey, to amUse his friends and tantalize hi
successor
After this sscapade he was on the aier
Tor literary employment, and it would bC
vain TO attempt to catalogue the infinite va
riety OF his works, which "time" anc
custom" have since ''staled," like those o
SO many other first class Bohemians. 1t il
enough to say that there were few effairs
public or private, which escaped his notice
and his friends could look for his appear
snce with positive certainty on any sensa
tlonal occasion
He figured largely II some of the earl
hdbeds corpus cases, where he endeavore1
20 demonstrate that slaves could no
breathe" in New York any more than the
could IN England, but the United State
Commissioner was not then in Mansfield
In one instance, in particular, where a
process servers had failed to serve the Wi
upon a southern planter, who threatene
pistols, the Bohemian made the servic
upon him, not accompanied by officers, bu
alone and unattended. He had the ide
that there was not much courage at tn
back Of the southern ''brag," which wa
then so general, and his experience cor
frmed it.
When the Cunningham Burdell affair wa