Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-31

Emerson Eiheridge Under the
Hands OF Prot. Fowler.


LIN. Ia S0ursef-Journal.
NASHVILLE, Janulry N.-"Did
you yer meet Prof Fowler" | asked
this morning Of Hon. Emerson
Etheridge, who has been in the city
for several days,
"fhe phrenologist?" asked the dis
tinguished Tennesseean. mo. l
have never seen him.
Button up'your gray coat and keep
on Jour oSeTshoes aud come VITA me.
| am anxious 10 further test the claims
~phrenology makes to science. Please
let me engineer the preliminaries."
This is what your correspondent
said and thought. Perhaps he thought
the greater part OF it. AT all events,
Mr., Etheridge being really obliging
ana kind hearted, in a short while !
Knocked at the door OF No. l, Max
we'll House, with Mr.. Etheridge in
tow. rhe Professor had been left"
by the Louisville bound train, and we
found him reclining at length on the
bed, hut we're welcomed by his anna
bic wife.
Professor, permit me to introduce
a friend, Mr.. Williams. He resides
neal Nashville, and has been a farmer
all his lie. | have often suggested
that he ought to have been a doctor or
a lawyer, and would be glad to learn
whether your science agrees with that
theory"
Professor Fowler rose slowly from
his couch, as one who has a grievance
(nobody likes to b. lett), aud after
moving a chair near the window,
asked Mr.. Williams to be seated.
Scarcely bad he laid mis- hand on the
head before him than the Professor
said: Il should say you are one Of
those farmers who would like to own
the whole State Of Tennessee. Your
ambition is wonderful; you want all
the land adjoining yOurs-isn't hat
SOP
The victim had nothing to say. He
preferred the Qu~estioner should
answer his own inquiry.
You ought 10 have been a poll
t%ician," he went on, musingly, IF it
isn't too late, and you are yet strong
and vigorous, | would advise you to
cultivate your tastes for public life
Your patriotism shows remarkable
development, and your moral courage
is rarely equsled by any head | have
ever examined. You. sir, are an
orator -y you speak from intuition /;
and, in speaking, would become so
strangely enthussd that men would
call it inspiration. Yours is a won
derful head. Your sense of Justice
your love of justice Tor its " sake,
even a novice in phrenology could
detect at the touch. Believing you
were right. you wonld go ahead 10 de.
fanee of all obstacles; you would suf-
Ter msrtrydom in the cause your
active sensibilitles would espOUse.
What remarkable - what manly
couragel A thousand battalions could
not deter you from expressing your
opinions, aud, fortunately, your sense
OF justice is almost perfect. Your
love of home and country marks you
a patriot; | could trust your honor
and your judgment as almost ilfalli.
bic. You come of a long-lived par
entage, and the limit Of your longevity
, reaches at least eighty. Ave"
In short, Prot. Fowler read the
; character OF Mr.. Etheri lge with SIN
gular exsctitude. He knew nothing
more whatever of the history OF
character of the subject than he
would have known if King Alfonso
. had come upon him suddenly disguised
: as a fisherman.
: After he got through, l said, apollo.
\ ge%tically, that | had deceived him
! and, whether right or wrong, he must
: promise not to be offended, whereupor
Q ! correctly introduced Hon. Emerson
Ethoride, the farmer.
h Prof. Fowler exhibited unaffected
! symptoms of surprise, and seemed
I highly pleased that be had so closely
5 read the hidden springs Of character
through the chronological organs.
. As TO longevity. Mr.. Etheridge ad
\ mitted that one of his grandparents
( on either side, had lived to be respect
! lively 50 and So years Of sge, as revealed
: by the Professor. He admitted tina
: he bad been through many a public
. and protracted fight against the roueI
corners Of popular opinion. Indeed
J he stood almost alone in his section o
the State in 1861, combating thu
! heresy Of secession. He has faceC
. enraged multitudes, armed with shot
: guns and pistols. After the war, dur
4 ing the Brownlow regime, he stout,
4 maintained the right to the e~lectiv,
j lranchise for all the ex Confederat,
= soldiers.
He adds, however, that this oouragI
/. all lies along the liae Of the mora
/ faculty. He declare that he has ltd,
physical courage, thit courage which
would seek the bubble reputation ever
|, at the lannon's mouth. With tina
, higher quality, however, whiehinspire
the hero to stand firmly for what b
Il conceives to be right, aver at the risI
4 OF life, all who know Emerson Ether
idge, friend aud Toe, admit he j
P%agnifcegtly endoYed. And this a
far exceeds mere physical courage e
the virtues OF manhood exceed th
b brutal instincts OF q bull dog.
" And tails is Emerson Etheridge?
\ asked Prof. Fowler. 81 have know
Of him for nearly forty years."
d, He seemed highly gratifed at th
opportunity afforded him to make sue
e a remarkable test.
Mt Mr. Etheridge lives in s~eclusion a
bis home neSF Dresden, Tenn. H
went 20 school just nine days to Nj
George Roulhac, father of Mrs. Wn
Mari, Of this city. The patterns
r. Etheridge much favored keeping En-
ersap az the pillow He thought wit
Simon Suggs that if Che boy has moth
er Wit, book larnip' won't help hiI
much; and il he hasn't got niethe
viii, all tho book larnin' in the worl
~ will only make the bigger fool Of him.
But the youthful genius longed fc
be a higher education. He literally d.
n voured all the books he could lay b
be hands on; these we're Baxter Call,
to Watts On the Mind" "Gulliver
he Traynls." etc. He even studied ana
en- omy, when there YES nothing eli
w within his limited horizon. hxaaus
ne ing everything else in reach he use
w TO turn back the top Of GA old ha
M ! - - L.