The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-11-10
q humorous skettl.
From The Galary.
POLITICAL EC0A0 MY


olA'l'Hl NNNhVhl 10 tHt bdai9 VI an
good government. The wisest men of
all ages haye brought to bear upon this
subject the
Here was interrupted and informed
that stranger wished to sec me down
at the door. went aud confronted
him, aud asked to know his business,
struggling all the time to keep tight
rein on my scething political economy
ideas, aud not let them break away lroa
me or get tangled in their harness. And
privately | wished the stranger was in
the bottom of the canal with cargo Of
wheat on top Of him. | was all in Il
fever, but he was cool lie said he was
sorry to disturb me, hut as he was pass
ing he noticed that needed ome light.
ming rods. said, Yes, yes-go on
what about it p lie said that there
was nothing about it, in particular
nothing except he would like to put
:hem up for me. am new to house
keeping have been used to hotels aud
boarding houres all my life. Like any.
body else OF similar experience, | try
to appear Go straGgerS) to be an old
housckeeper; consequently | said in an
off hand way that | had been Intending
for some time to have six or eight light.
ming rods put up, but. The strang r
started, aud looked inquiriugly at me,
but was serene. | thought that il |
CHANGED TO make my mistakes he would
no, catch me by my eountcnanoe. lie
sid he would rather have my custom
than any mans in town. | said all
right, and started off to wrcstle with my
great subject gain, when he called me
back and sil 1t would be necessary to
know exa.:.J how many points" |
wanted put mp, what part of the house
| wanted them on, aud what quality Of
rod | preferred. 1t was close quarters
for u man not used to the exigencies of
housekeeping, but | went through cred
itably, aud he probably never suspected
that vas novice | told him to put
up eight points" and put them all on
the roof, and use the best quality of
rod He said he could furnish the
plain article, at 20 cents foot; "cop
pered," 20 cents; "zinc plated, spiral
twist" at 30 cents, that would st op a
streak of lightning any time, no matter
where it was bound, aud ''render its
errand harmless aud its further progress
apOcryphal." said apocryphal was no
slOuch of II word, cmanating from the
source it did, but philology aside liked
the spiraltwist and would take that
brand Then he said he could max e
two hundred aud fifty feet answer, but
to do it right, and make the best Job in
town oft, and attract the admiration OF
the just and the uni just alike, and compel
all parties to say they never saw more
symmetrical and hypothetical display of
lightning rods since they were born, he
supposed he really couldn't get along
without four hundred, though he was
not vindictiye aud trusted he was willing
to try. | said 20 ahead and use four
hundred and make any kind of job he
pleased out OF it, but let me 90 back to
my work So got rid of him at last
and now, after half an hour spent 10
getting my train Of political enco omy
thoughts coupled together again, | am
ready to 90 on once more
richest treasures Of their genius, their
experience of life, and their learning.
The great lights of commercial iuris
prudence, International conlraternity,
and biological deviation, of all ages, hll
civilizations, and all nationalities, from
Zororster down to Horace Greeley,
have
Here | was interrupted again and
required to 90 down and confer further
with that lightning.rod man. hurried
of, boiling and surging with prodigious
thoughts wombed in words OF such ma.
Jesty that each one of them was 10 itself
straggling procession of syllables that
might be fifteen minutes passing a given
point, and once more | confronted him
he so calm and sweet, SO hot and
irenzled' lie was standing 10 the con
templated attitude of the Colossus of
Rhodes, wieh one foot on nv infant
tuberose aud the other among my pan.
sizes, his hand on his lips, his hat brim
tilted forward, one eye shut aud the
other gazing critically aud adn,iriurly
IN the direction of my principal chin
ney lie said now fhere was state of