Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-12-08
HOOSIER JOKES.

owen ToId Of Indiana Law.mah ers
and law ers In the EARLY Days.
The late Robert Dale Owen was
elected to the Indiana legislature
from Posey county in 1884, and in
an article from his pen in the De-
cember Scribner he tells the follow
ing of his first term:
Like most Of my colleagues who
lived in remote parts of the State,
Travelled on horseback to attend
the legislature; part of the way
along bride paths, sometimes swim
ming creeks, or, if we were fortu-
nate enough to find a canoe, dapos-
iting therein saddles and saddle
bags, aud trailing our horses
swimming behind. A trunk, for
those who INDUCED in such luxu-
ry, was sent on by a carrier.
The legislature was composed
chiefly Of farmers-plain, honest
gentlemen-with few sharp-wit-
ted lawyers and other professionals
often taking prominent parts. Now
and then | could not forbear a smile
at the ignorance, especially in com.
mon facts in science, that sometimes
peeped out. The hall in which we
met being often irregularly heated
by two large cast-iron stoves, my
friend; Chris Graham, member from
Warwick county, moved that the
doorkeeper be authorized to buy
two thermometers, SO that an even
temperature might be maintained.
Thereupon an old farmer from a
remote county objected. He did
not know, he said, just what sort Of
machines the gentleman wanted to
keep us warm; but these out-of-
the-way patent contrivances were
always expensive, and he supposed
it would need a man to attend to
each aud keep it in order; for his
part, stove or - what he liked
much better-a big wood-fre, was
good enough for him.
But if science was not adequately
represented among us, sound ludg-
ment in many practical matters and
an earnest sense Of duty were. The
venality which now stains SO many
Of our Legislative bodies was I'M
known. Economy, occasionally
degenerating into parsimOny, was
prRcticed, and am very sure that
no member went home richer than
he came except what he may have
saved out of 80 day otter paying
expenses. And they were a lively,
genial body in their way Nothing
took better with them than a merry
story or practical joke, Of the
latter, one instance came very near
having a serious result.
1t was toward the close Of the
session, when we were waiting to
receive bills from the senate, with
little else to do meanwhile. Sew
eral young ladies of my acquaint-
ance came into the speakers lobby,
where | then happened to be, One
Of them told me that few evenings
before Mr.. Cutter, a young mem
Der, had made to them solemn
promise that he would introduce a
bill taxing old baohelprs, and that
they had come to see that be kept
his word; would / please tell him
so? / did her bidding of course.
Now, q. W. Cutter was opr poet,
and one of no mean oldeY author
Of the celebrated "Song of Steam,"
beginning:
HArpess me down with your iron bands,
Be sure Of your curb and rein;
For | scorn the pSEpr of your puny hands
AS the tempest scorns cbsin.
bow laughed rs | lay concealed from
sight,
For many o couetless hour,
At tie childish boast of human might
And the pride Of human powerl
a poem which Blackwood, not over
prone to commend American liter
ature, pronounced to be @the best
lyric of the century, Its author
afterward married the well known
actress Mrs. Drake, many years bis
aonior.
Whel ] delivered to him the
message frem The young ladies he
was at first inclined 10 shirk the
matter, but when encouraged 10 20
through with it he drew up a bill