The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-04-04
In Search OF the Picturesque.

Whittier's poem of the "The Water
fall, " in the atlantic Monthly, requiring
so much search for the waterfall, re-
minds me of an anecdote related by
Judge -, of Maine. He was once on
a circuit at Portland, and having few
days to spare before the term Of court
closed, occupied the time in looking up
the objects of interest in the vicinity.
He had heard of romantic cascade in
the neighborhood, and was inquiring
its locality of the hotel clerk, when a
green-looking countryman, standing
by, volunteered the information in this
wise:
"Say, can tell the Judge all about
that ere cascade, for live close by it. :"
The Judge turned to him, and, ex-
pressing his thanks, desired to be in
formed how he might reach the place.
Easiest thing in the world, Judge"
replied the man; !" it amt a great way
out on the Saco turnpike. You 60 on
wa all l guess about four mile, till
you come to cross-road, and then you
turn off to the left; you keep along, say
half mile, till you come to q pastur'
lane, where there's a pair O. bars. If
YOU let 'em down, mind you put 'em
up, cause the owner is mighty pcrtick-
Ter about his cattle. You keep along,
say forty rods, till you come to another
pair o. bars-mind and put them up,
too-then you foller up that road till it
comes to a hill; you kind O circle round
that till you come to another sort o.
crooked path that crosses road; take
the right hand, turn and go down the
holler; foller up the hill till you come
to path that leads you round the
mounting; that brings you into the
main road that leads you right up to old
Illsiey's barn.
"How shall I ever know lllsley's
barn, if l ever arrive there?" asked the
Judge.
How'll you know Illsley's barnp
Why, it's right opposite his house.
.But how will know Illsley'
house?"
ellis houseP Of course you'll see
Illsley round there
"But how shall know it is nlsley?"
"Sure, Judge, you can't make mis-
take about Illsley; you'll know him b.
his yaller nankin trousers.
"Nankin trouscrs! Does he always
wear nankin trousers?'
"In course he does, Judge. Why,
you see, the way ont was this: There
was a man down here to Portland that
owed Illsley considerable, and couldn't I
pay. So Illsley levied on him, and at
tached six cases O. yaller nankin he had
in his store, and them he took for debt
and carr'd 'em home. Well, Miss Ills
ley, she was so plaguey mad that she
told the old man that he'd got to wear
out the stuff in trousers-thatwa was about
seven years ago-and nlsley he's ben
a-wearing nankin trousers ever sence;
one pair in summer, two pair in fall
and spring, and about a half dozen
pair in winter. Judge, you'd laugh till
you split if you only see old Illsley in
them trousers! Miss Illsley, she amt
much of tailoress, and she makes 'em
narrer at the bottom and puckered up
where they go round him, so that he
looks jest like demijohn, bottom-up.
Seems to me as ef I should bust every
time see himr'
.Well, well,'' exclaimed the Judge,
with some impatiencc, !" if ever | find
Illsley, what then? How about the cas-
cade?"
Cascade, Judger' replied his in
formant. You are the particularest
man ever see. / should think old
Illsley cur osity enough for one day.
anyway, and arter you've seen him
you'll forget all about the cascade!
Harper's Magazine.