The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-01-31

farmer from a remote county objected.
BE did not know, he said, just what sort
Of machines the gentleman wanted to
keep us warm but these out-of-the-way
patent contriyanees were always expen- |
sive, and he supposed it would need |
man to attend to each and keep it In |
order; for his part. q stove, or what he |
liked much betteF-a big wood ire, was |
good enough for him.
But, if science was not adequately
represented among Us, sound Judgment
in many practical matters and an earnest
sense of duty were. The venality which
now stains SO many of our legislative
bodies was unknown. Economy, occa-
sionally degenerating into parsimony,
was practiced, and am very sure that
no member went home richer than he
came, except what he may have saved
out of 50 day after paying expenses.
And they were lively, genial body in
their way. Nothing took better with
them than a merry story or a practical
Joke. OF the latter, enc instance came
very near having serious result.
IT was toward the close of the session,
when we were waiting to receive bills
from the senate, with little else to do
meanwhile. Several young ladies of my
acquaintance came into the speakers
lobby, where I then happened to be.
One of them told me that, few even
ings before, Mr.. Cutter, a young mem
Der, had made to them a solemn promise
that he would introduce a, bill taxing
old bachelors, and that they had come
to see that he kept his word; would [
please tell him 90 1 did her bidding of
course.
Now, G. w. Cutter was our poet, and
one of no mean order; author of the
celebrated Song of Steam," beginning {:
Harness me down with your iron bands,
Be sure of your curb and rein;
For scorn the power OF your puny hands,
as the tempest scorDs chain.
How laughed as bay concealed from sight,
For many q countless hour.
At the childish boast Of human might
And the pride Of human power
a poem which Blackwood, not overprone
to commend American literature, pro-
nounced to be "the best lyric of the
century," It's author afterwards mar
ried the well-knoWn actress, Mrs. Drake,
many years his senior.
When 1 delivered to him the message
from the young ladies, he was at first in
clined to shirk the matter; but, when
encouraged to go through with it, he
drew up bill at once providing that on
! every bachelor over the age of thirty
there be imposed an annual tax of SO,
the amount to go to the school fund. l
| suggested an amendment which he in
corporated in his bill, thus; Pro-
vided, that if such bachelor shall make
it appear to the satisfaction of the court
doing county business that he has twice
offered marriage and been twice refused
he shall be exempted from said tax"
Then posted the speaker as to what
we had on hand, and he recognized Gut
ter as soon as he rose The rules were
suspended ana the bill was read twice
Thereupon we had jovial debate, inter
spersed with all manner of gibes agains
bachelors. One speaker opposed thu
bill.
We have adopted the ad-valoren
SYSTEM" he argued :" we tax according
to intrinsic values. Therefore, we i'm
pose no tax on the contents of the rag
bag, or the chips in the wood yard; why
then, on an article so utterly useless t
society as an old bachelor !"
Finally, the rules again suspended, W
, actually passed the bill rather taken b
surprise, when the vote was announced
at what We bad done, and little col
ceTn6d as TO how our constituents mgr
, take it. But we were in no mood
reconsider the vote. So we urged tt
clerk to report to the senate at one
Then. having adjourned the house, v
, followed, accompanied by the your
ladies, tS see the result.
The spirit of frolic is infectious. TT
: senate took up our bill; it was read
first and second time, and put on i
, passage. Then two or three of the mo-
grave and reverend eeigniors" made
: serious stand against it; and, finding Il
s tide for the time too strong against theI
r avsiled themselves of the lateness of Il
J.. hour to procure an adjournment of Il
e senate. Next day it was laid on Il
! table by small majority.
/. / afterward asked our governor if
t would have signed it.
Why not?" he replied. see /
] improperly in the bill and, as to
q expectancy, you gentlemen of the hou
i and senate would have been responsib
: fur hat Robert Dale Olcep, IN Scr.
r ner.