Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-09-11

From the ST. Louis Democrat p
The sempiternal ass has lifted his ear
at the auction sale of the furniture o
the Mills House, at Charleston, S. C.
and brayed bid of $50 for the mattress
on which Nilsson had snored melodiously
for one night only, while others quite a
good, though less distinguished, only
realized $8 each.
To these exhibitions of folly the public
has become Injured. Men, being men
will always experience the relic mad
ness. Not that there is anything es
pecially harmful in the disease. Il
generally attacks those who can afford
it, and so is less reprehensible than
drinking or gambling One rarely hears
of man pawning his wife's wedding
ring and taking the bread out of his
children's mouths to satisfy an unhal
lowed thirst for the napkin with which
Nilsson removed traces of her third
plate of pork and beans from her tune
ful lips. 1t is more lunacy than a
madness in these inferior manifesto.
tions, and occasionally rises to real sub
Unity in its highest degrees, as when q
single tattered book, like the famous De-
cameron, sets two noble Lords by the
ears and produces a bid of more than
thirteen thousand dollars. There is mad
ness and madness, and it is difficult to
say with precision where the line is to be
drawn and relic-hunting declared ridicu-
lous and not legitimate. A single tooth
of the first Napoleon has caused lively
competition; so has the ak with which a
particularly atrocious murder was com
mitted, or the rope by which it was
avenged. These relics may be con-
sidered legitimate; of their authenticity
there is no doubt, and certain interest,
whether historical or morbid, attaches to
them. But when it comes to disputing
for the cherry-stones which fall from the
Grand Dukes dessertplate, or the mat
tress on which prima-donna was Of
fered as a victim to the South Carolina
ciaier iectuidrius, the limit of good taste
is exceeded, the relic is ridiculous, and
the relic-hunter an ass.
For let US reason together. What
proof is there that Nilsson did sleep on
that mattress at all2 None but the
assurance of the auctioneer, a proven.
Dially poor warranty in all matters where
he sale of a horse, picture, a suburban |
ot or relic is concerned. The fair
Christine may have sat at the window
III night, gazing at the moon and in
lifting woful ballads to the brow of
3ouzaud, the beau. Even If she did
occupy the bed, she may, in a fit Of
ealousy inspired by the reflection that
diss Cary had been applauded or had
ooked well, have thrown herself on the
outside of the ooVerlet, (as girls do in
lovels,) and passed the night in tears,
md with her hair up, Or, eoneeding
very thing, if she did occupy that bed
S beds are usually occupied, what
arthly interest did the mattress possess2
here doubtless are such things as
heets in South Carolina hotels, whose
xistence would materially reduce the
alue of the mattress as a relic. The
lattress which was touched by the
heets which came in contact with the
rapper which was worn by Nilsson is
ardly more valuable as a relic than the
,rk belonging to the knife with which
eg Nicholson wanted to kill King
gorge. Ii is earth from the garden, I
ut very far from the rose.
If people of the sort Of that moHopo- {
ger of mattresses abound in Charles
N, The proprietor Of the Mills House /
as a gold mine az hand. Ii virtue be ,
'Rnd in the mattress Oh which vas laid Z
le sheet which was touched by the I