The Lincoln County herald., 1870-01-27
Ix.-sTEpHEN =. RICE,

1x.-sTEpHEN y. RICE.
think his name was Stephen, though
long as I knew him, he had no other
Christian appcllation than "Counsellor."
He was one Of the odd characters usually
found iu old comedies. Possessed of
good deal Of natural piety, he always
bobbed his head whenever the name Of the
Deity was mentioned; and as he had
the habit Of using the exclamation, "God
help usl" to point his sentences, his
head was kept as constantly in motion as
one Of those noddng Mandarins that, in
my younger days, used to ornament tho
mantle piece. The introduction to one
speech Of his in court, in Philadelphia,
will give the reader notion of his man.
ncr. eff it please the Court-God help
us [bob] my unhappy client-God help
us [bob who has the misfortune among
other misfortunes help us [bob] to
have mo for his counsel-God help us
bob has at least the consoation-G God
help us [bob] of being entirely innocent
of the cbarge-God help us TboJ1 as
we shdll proceed to show this Court and
jury God help us" [bob1 The effect of
this, delivered with rich Dublin accent
and the utmost fervor and earnestness,
may he imagined. As he warmed up,
however the pious prayer would become
less frequent, and only app ,ar now and
then, to round off the end of q para
graph.
Rice was profound Greek scholar.
One day. as l was passing through the
custom house building, met him in the
basement He was, at that time, an IN
spector-"in attendance Oh the surveyor"
which was kind of pen.ionship
such inspectors being chosen from among
those untitled for active duty He button
holed me, and began a dissertation upon
Homer. was in great hurry, but did
not like to wound his feelings, by an alb
rupt departure; so hitched and hcmmed
and said "ah p aud "yes p at every
pause Of his discourse. My CALCULATIONS
he took to be critical. When | said
''ah !" once, be exDlaimnd "l see, sec
God help us J. You take the mean.
ing to he different, on account of the
participle-God help us But don't you
perceive the anterior passage, where Ag.
amcmnon etc. 10 my "yes!' deliv.
cred in dubious tone, he answered: SIS
it thatyou mean? God help us! There's
reason in the doubt; aud I've often
thought myself, that the passage would
bear different construction God help
us! But if you'll reflect that Nestor
previously had made the observation"
etc.; and this dialogue of one" was kept
up for nearly an hour, when | escaped,
by diverting his attention to another
topic, or by some one relieving mel re.
ally forget which. A few days afterwards
| met friend in Broadway. After we
had exchanged the customary platitudes,
he said to me: III never knew till yes.
terday, that you wore 80 profound in
Greek"
me never knew much Greek, and
what little learned, l have almost en-
tirely forgotten"
"Are you in earnest ?"
"Certainly. Ieouldat quote an un-
mutileted Sentences"
"Why, I thought Counsellor Rice was
great Greekist ?"
"He is said to be by competent judges;
a perfect Porson, minus the liquor
swell, he told me aud . number Of
Others. yesterday, that he met you last
week in the custom house. and you gave
him one Of the most learned and critical
dissertations on the Iliad, that, he ever
heard. He said that you brought out
beauties Of the text, and cleared up
doubts as to disputed passages, in a way
that put to shame all the commentaries.
Whence it follows, that shrugs, mods,
and impatient calculations, are sometimes
better basis to reputation than solid
learning.