Richland beacon., 1881-07-23

'Pi"rti bu TIC WdDasn. 1HcIe arc
many anecdotes Of him that have been
handed down and ere worth preserving.
II the cid settlers are to be believed,
"Old Dig" and the late Judge Petit
had many lively iussle at the card
table, On one occasion the two sat
down early in the forenoon at their fa-
vorite game of old sledge,' s. game.
About 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when
Petit was about $40 winner, he an
nounced TO Digby that he must quit.
What are you going to quit for ?"
inquired Digby.
Il want to 20 and take care of nv
horse, replied Petit.
In those days every lawyer kept a
horse to ride the circuit.
II can go without my dinner" the
Judge continued, "but I'm not going
to abuse my horse just TO accommodate
you at this game"
Petit retired with Digby's $50 in his
pocket. The next morning, bright and
early, they were at it again. Digbv had
big streak of luck, and, before II
o'clock, had bagged sl20 of Pettit's
money. Raking from the table the last
$40 put up, he announced TO Petit that
he was going to quit.
"What are you going to quit for?''
inquired Petit.
"Why, must so and feed my horse,
john"
"Why, - you," replied Petit,
"you haven't got any horse"
"Well, John, if I haven't got any
horse" slapping his hand on his breeches
pocket, "I've got the money to buy
one!"
The game was closed. Digby, who
was a bachelor, had a small, one-story
frame house put up on Main street,
close to where the canal now is, as an
Office and sleeping apartment. After
it was finished, but the plastering not
sufficiently dry to be occupied, Digby
and Petit sat down to play their favorite
game of old sledge. Digbys money
was soon exhausted, and Petit declared
the game closed. Digby proposed one
more game, stalking his new house
against certain sum of money. The
game was played and Petit was the
winner. The next morning he made a
bargain with Q house-mover to remove
the house to . lot he owned on the south
side of Main street, q little east Of the
public square. The wooden wheels were
put under, and in the afternoon it was
started up Main street with long team
of oxen before it, and at dark had just
reached the public square. That night
Digby and Petit had another game,
and in the morning there was readjust-
ment of tho wheels, and the house was
started on its return toward the river. 1t
reached its proper place in the street,
and was left to be put back in its old po-
sition on the morrow. But the next
morning it was started up town again.
The next day it took the other direction,
and by this time the whole town came to
understand it. Finally it remained in
the public square over Sunday, and on
Monday continued its way up Main
street and was wheeled on Pettit's lot.
He soon moved his books into it and for
many years occupied it as law Office
Lafayette (Ind) Times.
WHEN MEN ARE At THEIR BEST
DR.. Beard states that. from an analy.
sis of the lives of 1000 representative
men in all the great branches Of the hu
man family, he made the discovery thai
the golden decade was between 40 and
80. the brazen between 20 and 80, the
iron between 80 and 60. The SUPERIOR
ty of youth and middle life over old age
in original work appears all the greater
when we consider the fact that all The
positions of honor and prestige-pro
fessorships and public stations-are il
the hands of the old Reputation, hk'
money and position, is mainly confined
to the old Men are not widely know,
until long after they have done the worl
that gave them their fame. Portraits o
great men are delusions; statues ar
false. They are taken when men hav'
become famous, which, on the average
is a. least twenty-five years after the.
did the work which gave them thei
fame. Original work requires enthusi
asm. II all the original work done b.
men under Is was annihilated, the,
would be reduced to barbarian. Mel
are at their best At that time when en-
thusiasm and experience are almos
evenly balanced. This period, on tn
average, is from SO to 40. After this tn
law is that experience increases, bu
enthusiasm decreases. Of course Their
! are exceptions. - Observation-Disclosures