Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-03-31
NOSE SKINNER ON HIS TRAVELS.
The Peabody Funeral Boston Drum
meIS.
Continued
PORTLAND, FEB. 1870.

PORTLAND, FEB, 1870.
Mr.. Editor My Chain Lightning
lonic Is such success that conclud-
ed to start off on a professional tour,
not as travelling physician exactly,
(though | do not object to save a life
occasionally, when can make it pay J
but AS regular commercial traveller.
In short, | have joined the noble corps
oil Boston drummers, that ravenous
swarm OF summer locusts who 20 broad
cast over the land dcvouring every
green thing, and waylaying innocent
storekeepers with samples and impu-
| dence.
have long pined to be drummer,
but l was afraid hadn't intellect
enough, and lacked the necessary re-
iinement, and in this am not alone.
Daniel Webster was smart, bu, he
couldn't sell goods on the road worth
a copper. Napoleon Bonaparte un-
doubleday had Abilities but he wasted
EN- In the military business. WHAT he
might have attained if apprenticed ear
ly In life TO jobbing house in Boston,
must now be Il narrowing reflection to
| his relatives
left Boston in half mourning over
the death Of the "eminent philanthro-
pist, and the serious illness of the
clerk OF the weather, upon whose re-
covery depended the ice crop. On my
way here | stopped at Peabody to Wit
ness his last obsequious rights, To say
that l was much moved by that solemn
crowd would family convey the facts.
l was moved several feet. and as
stood leaning pensivelv against ro-
bust female | brushed a tear from nv
eye, and made rough calculation as
to the number Of corn-bals which were
being consumed by the assembled
monrners. | was also much impressed
! by the enormous quantity Of pungs
which drove in with great hilarity from
the outskirts of civilization. Each
Eung contained several families, with
invited guests on the back seat, while
the sweet tinkle of the cow-bell formed
most touching dirgc. Every thing
was dressed in mourning. including
the eyes Of some of the guests. and a
man kindly offered to drape both of
mine if continued to stand on his
feet. Another whvle-souled philan-
thropist offered to give me bust in
the snoot' for two cents, which. con
sidering the present rate of gold, is
certainly a ruinous sacrifice.
H.yin,r ayhar,taJ ~. . 4.
which l brought with me, hied ny self
away to the blooming cemetery called
Salem, and took the next train for
Portland. found that city utterly
crushed under the weight Of sorrow
caused by the recent ceremonies, and
the bill for black alpaca, which they
run up big III consideration of what
Mr.. Peabody had done for the London
poor, though one wretched man sal!
he wished the London poor we're here
to pay far it ; but he was immediately
arrested, and sentenced to read whole
account of the funeral obsequles. 1t is
needless to add that his intellect now
totters.
Portland is very pretty city, and
is mostly occupied BY drummers from
Boston. Occasionally few of these
rioters are arrested, but the next train
brings reinforcement, who leave their
samples at a hotel and 90 round seek
ing whom they may devour, after which
they drink each other blind. ard write
home how dull business is.
1t would take volumes to describe a
genuine drummer none Of your wishy-
washy kind, but regular howler, who
knows thing or two and is up 10
snuff. At the hotel where | stopped
there we're fifty guests, forty-nine of
whom were drummers. The other one
informed me privately ly that he used to
be. but seeing that it was slowly
bringing his mothers gray hairs in sor-
row to the grave, he altered his disso-
Lutte course, and he is now an honored
shoemaker in Lynn, where he has ris-
en- to the proud distinction of Assistant
Crispin.
l have taken lively interest in
Portland since the great fire, from the
t"Se Oa ocAAtiou.
followed. In the list of names mine
appears for the sum Of thirty cents.
gave it freely, because | thought at
that time Of going into the philanthro-
py business, but on being informed by
phrenologist that l never would make
an eminent philanthropist, l abandoned
the idea. He informed me, however,
that if no obstacles were thrown in
my way l would doubtless make an
eminent convict, and offered to set me
up in Wall Street.
went into the hotel last night with
the intention of retiring early, but l
paused as my eye took in the scene.
Around the stove were seated seven
teen - beautiful drummers Is YOU
could wish to feast your eye on. They.
represented every thing from . gutta-
percha hymn-book to rubber doll that
would o0uaak. Thnv vorn all srn,kin0