The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-09-13
ANECDOTES OF tu ,RLEs LEVER.
HIS Jokes and His Brogu Whist

a writer IN SeribHerS .uDHthhy for
September says:
OF professional jokers, Lever was the
most obstinate aud otstreperous and
lucrative. Flashes of silence were as
rare with him as they were with Ma
caulay himself The jokes were always
uttered, too, with overwhelming assu-
rance that they could never become
stale or fat. There was a pun OF sgd
ney Smiths and not a very eminent
one, which he seemed to never tire OF
telling. Mrs. Grote, the wife OF the
distinguished historian, appeared once
AT Soirse with a queer sort of tur-
ban on her accomplished head. Look
al that" said Sidney. "that's the orr gin
OF the word grotesque."
Levers sweet brogue was decided
helper Of his fun, and so was bis abound
ing good fellowship. When he pleased
be could talk continuously and inter-
estingly. / once heard him discourse
with Sir Henry Bulwer on hygienics in
style that was worthy OF professor
though occasionally with sly allu-
sion to the weakness of the hypochondri-
acsl diplomat. The embasssdor il
"Gleucove' is a caricature photograph
OF Sir Henry in Levers best manner.
As the novels, was originally q med
icsl man, he knew enough o. the
pharmacopp's to make quite show OF
powders and pills, and possessed
familiarity enough with ailments 10 ex-
hiblt skill in diagnosis, so that ms hip
ped envy is cracked character in his
gallery. There were other individuals
resident in Florence whom he took off
his novels in unmistakable port-aitures,
One OF them especially an ancient
Major. more military than martial, was
very fierce in venge'ul talk against the
mirth making artist, but discreetiy con.
fined himself n verbal Indignation.
He might, indeed, have sal! TO his per-
secutor as little DR.. Hewson. OF Phiia-
delphis, said TO biz Lawyer Broome OF
that ilk: ''Sir your size protects yo1,
for Harry Lorrequer would have
been an ugl customer in a scurtie.
His potent physique sufficiently e1'
planned his power OF work. which must
have been enormous, considering the
time he devoted to amusement.
No afternoon but he was to be seen
at the Cascine, galloping around With
his wife ard daughters, and taking all
he sport OF the place,-snd no night
when he was not to be found, either al
his own house or some one : else,
with his hand full OF cards Great
was ne at whist. an great were his
gains therefrom; 90 much so that at
times there were ug Y whispers about
his play, which no one, however,
seriously believed. He COMMANDED
success because he deserved it, his skill
At the game being unique; and then.
nothing succeeds like success Fortune
don't, iu general, ike to waste her
fsvors on describes players. Why
Lever should have been so acrimonious
as he often was, in his . Dowiisms rar-
ticularly against Americans, Is hard to
explain.
Levers pen was the property OF
great publishing house In London. to
which ne vas under contract for E!JU)
a wear to furnish a certain amount Of
manuscript. Quantity, therefore, even
more than quality, was his object, so
everything pretty much, was grst that
came TO his mill. When he couldn't
snow white paper any longer, he snow
ed brown with equal GOODNESS Hal he
condensed himself, he might have done
much that wou1d live instead OF MANY
things that tomorrow will be dying.
That contract once saved his lite. He
had taken pa sage in the unfortunate
Arctic 10 pay US visit. but his employ
ers forbade the trip for the moment,
and thus prevented him going down into
the sea with the ship. One can
imagine his Erinical rage at the pro-
hibi,ion, aud his Hibernian ecstasy at
the escape. How often do we vituper-
ate the sources Of salvation. Our
PRAYER oushtmosty to be, do not grant
me what l ask
Levers residence was in the Pslazzo
Capponi on the Arno, until his appoint
ment to the Vice Consulate at spezz'a.
Afterwards he was promoted to the
Consulate at Trieste, where he lost bis
wife. 1t seems but yesterday that 1
saw her cantsring in buxom life between
her husband and her rosy daughter
through the alleys OF the Caclne
lau : hing gsyly at her own or his qulPs-