The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-27

impression that the apartments "eaS .oi
the MARQUIS de Parrot, o distinguished ior'
eign Dobleman. How Marcus j.. Pasrot.'
the private citizen, undecelyed tn.e landlord,
and selected, more humble Apartments, 1t Is
not necessary to relate. ia
Dickinson College was sustained at the
time we referred to by the Methodist Con,
ferences of Pennsylv. ania, Virginia, and
Maryland. and the Annual Conference was
to be held at Staur.ton, Va, In March. 1870
DR.. Peck, as wa'. customary, mace DIS III,
engagements to attend the Conference, ano
also to witne ss the inauguration OF frssl'
dent Taylor, 10 Washington.
The stud euts were aware OF the iact, anu
one event og Moncure D. Conway, Marcus
j. Parro' {, and Il. A. Maginness, then tresu'
man fr ON New Albany (now the portIy nan-
ager 1T the Louisville Industrial E&nosi'
tion). sat down to play game Oh eucnEe.
Th3 Presidents visit to Staunton was com.
uiented upoo, and, in the miscn'eVous splI.'
| eli studenttaood, u practical joke was project
. cd. which, after mutual suggestions from
each of t'ae three, assumed complete shape.
| Conw az could initiate Or. Peck's hana>
! yritink. and pen and ink being procured, ne
wrot = letter 10 the superintendent of che
insa ne asylum at Stanton, Va, in whoa ne
stated that very respectable citizen Of Car
Isle. Penn. named Hugh Blair was subject
to t.xpporary alteration Of the mind, during
which he imagined himself to be DE. Jesse
It. peck. president Of Dickinson College.
Then followed description of the unfortu.
nate Hugh Blair, which description
was an elaborate picture of DR.. Peck
himself. AS Mr.. Hugh Blair had
been absent some days, bis friends
J we're becoming alarmed, and the SUPPOSE
! ton was that as DR.. Peck woua reaca saun'
ton to attend Conference on certain day,
, MIR, Hugh Blair had gone there, under his
:. delusion. and would be on the same train
: Would the SUPERINTENDENT be so kind as to
t watch the tr&D, and If the gentleman de-
e scribed came, to take him to the Asylum
s without exciting his fears, and retain bin
! there till his criends could call for him, wher
= / all eypen,es would be paid and they would
be ever grateful, dc.
The letter was sent, and the trio waited FOL
y the sequel
:, DR.. peck, in all his imposing dignity
4 reached Stanton on the day expected. Or
0 stepping. from the train he was accosted BY
polite gentleman with@
els this DR.. Peckf"
u YES, sir; | am DIR. Peck, president o
= Dickinson College," was the dignlfed re
= spouse.
y Glad TO see you, sir. Will you step into
nv carriage. DR.. Peck" said tue atfAble gen
- tlerlan.
e Dr.. Peck. suppesing it to be an attention
r which was being paid to the president Of
: dickinson college, complied, and was driven
To the asylum, his companion chatting
q pleasantly on the way. He had, not been In
side the institution long before h ediscovered
it's character, and naturally desired TO kno"
why he had been brought there.
The Superintendent assured him tsat nc
would not he harmed that he would sim
DIV be required to remain at the institution
until bis friends came for him.
DIR. Peck became indignant and demanded
to be released. He declared himself TO be
"Dr. Jesse T. Peck. president Of Dickinson
Collcge.n but as this exactly correspondent
with the description given Of the untortu-
nate Hugh Blair and his peculiar delusion,
the superintendent smiled b'andly and
begged the Doctor not TO excite himself.
Finally Or. Peck's protestations were SC
yioleattb the superintendent, TO pacity the
supposed monomaniac, accedea to his re.
quest to send for some of his Conference
friends to identify him. They came, in won
-. der and surprise, and the Doctor was recog
nized by his astonished friends and released
: with pro,use apologies from the superintene
! ent, who could only, in palliatioa for bis error
o prodace his letter assuming to be from tHr
! Peck regarding the unfortunate Hugh Blair.
. DR.. Geek felt very much hurt over Che
, crslel Joke; the pleasure of his visit to the
, Conference was spoiled, and on his returE tc
the college the entire Facnlty-amongw hici
>, were Professor Beard, now Of the Smithso.
Man Institute, Professor Allen, now of Gil
rard College, and DR.. Tiffany, now pastor OIL
the Methodist Memorial church Of Washing
o ton-is,stituted an investigation to discover
the authors of pragk which, in its audl
r city, riqallcd the students of Charles UMal
ley7s day; but all their efforts were in vain
The students kept their secret well, anC
now, for the first time, those who remem
Der the incident will learn the authors
names.
Ever the learned and honored hfoncurt
d. Conway may smile when he recalls it
Marcus }. Parrot certainly would it9le wa!
alive, but he, like Bishop Peck, we believe
has passed away. Mr.. CQpway's only sur
VIKING companion of that memorable college
prank is the suave and dignitied gentleman
whe manages the atfiirs Of the Louisville
Industrial Exposition.