The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-05-29
Two Dollars a Year.

Like Daniel w ebster, who once soake,
up pint of brandy in a loaf OF breat
and ate the bread, being retained in
case during the trial of which he hat
promised not to drink anything Tom
Marshall was brilliant in his cups. and
only at the heel of weeks "constitu
tional' did he ever get so oblivious oil
/ facts ms 10 make the following story OF
/ the Batterton house possibility. 1T
+ has been told in many ways, but Mr..
Talbot, of Boyle county, who was his
! friend, says that this is the true one:
Tom had gone to his room. after lee
/ turing a group of medical students on
the vice of drinking, but soon came out,
/ partly dressed, and called eXcitedly for
the landlord That large gentleman re-
] sponded, and Tom said: "Ain't | re.
/ spectacle 'nough to have private room.
What dye put that Teller in there with
me for?"
at Is a strictly private room, Mr..
Marshall, said mine host.
Faint so -feller's there" Tom per
sisted
The landlord went to see, and Tom,
holding his arm, soon had him i'm the
middle of the room, opposite a large and
handsome mirror "Ihere," said Tom,
told you so; see him yourself dor, { you2
Don't think | am drunk now, do you?
Two OF 'em by George! One of EN-
'nough like you to be your brother, and
'tother one the drunkest, slliest
looking fool | ever did seel' Marshall,
made up tS tease him, which was not i'm
probable, save that his tendency to shoot
made jokes about him very like torpedo
warfare, j. e., dangerous to the holder.
a good story is told of George ID.
Prentice, of the Louisville Courier Jour.
nal, of which Henry Watterson, the
Kentucky Congressman, "with one eye
and new baby" as his servant once de,
scribed him, Is now editor, and who
has recently made fame by saying on
the silver bill debate, Universal sui
frage can make soft soap legal tender
if il has mind to-.
When George ID. Prentice arrived in
Louisville, it was not as brilliant
young journalist, looking for a position
In which to shine, but as a drunken Loaf
er, utterly uncertain about a place in
which to sleep. In this condition he
met and made friends with fellow who
was as near a tramp as any that existed
in that day, and who was known as
''stroling tinker" or travelling member
of tin pots They made day Of it, to
the extent of the funds they both had,
and such credit as they could get, at the
risk of boots applied to their coat tails.
Night came on, and George ID. Prem
tice bewaile1 his lavish and open drink.
ing which left him without the means to
get bed. The tinker said, with the
lordly hospitality of a very tipsy man,
on shall 20 home with me-"
George assented to his "Comerlong.
erme,' and arm in arm they started for
their "home." The man seemed 10 know
where he was going, and soon reached an
obscure street, not far from the Ohio
river. He paused at a shed, let down
bar, and again mumbled out his word,
which could be divided in "oome 'er long
'er me-" Then he at once rolled the bar,
and fell into some straw, and, Prentice
there were some small squeals
and some loud and angry grunts, as OF
disturbed swine.
Prentice shook his friend, who was al
ready asleep, and said: "See here, is
this your homeY
''Y es, Stree" said the sleepy tinker.
cit sounds and smells like hog pen" !
said the half sobered Prentice.
"Vhat er that-they1l have to stand /
t" said the fellow, and went to sleep. I
Prentice was still too drunk to know /.
lGW 10 get out again, but he lay and
,hought. His thoughts were: "Here
am /, a man of good education, and Of
good parents and well brought up. /
nave been enjoying myself and living
nigh, and having a good time. Lets zee I
low high | have got, am out Of clothes,
)ut of money and out OF haracter-thats
hree outs and | have arisen to be the
companion Of a strolling tinker, That's
ny outing and elevation, Now what
nave | got into-let me seey Oh, I see,
IF rather smell-iuto n hog pen. If /
ever get out, I'll quit and serve God for
better wages"
He did quit, and became the first
journalist and wit of the Southwest. A
nan once said to Prentice, as an excuse
or his dishonesty in trade, 81 must live,
you know" The latter adopted Dean
5wift's famed reply, II don't see that at
III, sir" by saying, with greater and
harper emphasis, "What for? III let
you OFT" An elderly, but rather unsOund
of the press once spoke Of
him as "the green editor" Prentice re
,lied, "Retter green than rotten" To
mother who was in bad odor as to politi-
'al honesty, he sent box of disinfec
ants, marked, ''tor personal use.
All things considered, vulgar and du-
Hist as he was, George ID Prentice was
he truest friend that eveg shot an init
nate acquaintance, the kindest man
ba. ever kicked bore down stairs, and
he sweetest poet who ever wrote editarl-
Is that made even Western men blush.
He gave to Amelia Il. Welby, the
weet poetess Of the West, her opportu
lity for fame, and her compensation
when she reached 1t, aud God might for
Tvs His worshipper who first printed
Ter Rainbow"
low wide was the sweep of its beautiful
wings.
low brilliant its circles, how radiant it
rings.
f 1 looked on the aky twas suspended in
air.
fl hooked on the ocean, the rainbow was
there;
Thus forming girdle as brilliant and
whole
Is the thoughts of the rainbow encircling !
my soul
As matter of fact, Amelia Welby
lever did ''look on the ocean," for her
Inspiration was obtained wholly from
'iewing the Ohio river Thus in her
,oem on the stars of night she wrote so
BEAUTIFULLY: