Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 20, August 13, 1870Various
General
Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 20, August 13, 1870
Various
American wit and humor -- Periodicals
After feasting his eyes on this magnificent prospect, Mr. P. came
down-stairs to feast on something which owed its enchantment to a
cooking-range, and not to a range of distance. He met the Professor at
the bottom of the stairs, and hastened to pacify him by inquiries about
some little bushes that he had just gathered.
"That is laurel," said the learned man, grumly.
"Indeed!" said Mr. P. "We make lard of that in New York."
"Lard?" cried the Professor. "I never heard of such a thing."
"Oh, yes, certainly!" said Mr. P.
"Have you never heard of the great LORILLARD manufacturing
establishment?"
"Never;" said AGASSIZ, "and I'll go and see it the very day I reach the
city."
The next day Mr. P. made the ascent of High Peak. Everybody does that;
and so, with a small party, Mr. P. started out--gaily enough. On
reaching the place where the heavy climbing begins, they met the New
York Fat Men's Club coming down, and the peculiar appearance of the
members deterred most of Mr. P.'s party from attempting the great feat.
It was proposed that Mr. P. alone should make the ascent. He
assented--and being thus, in a manner, ordered up--went it alone.
It was not an easy thing--that climbing of High Peak--as any one will be
apt to conclude after attentively studying this picture of the ascent.
But an indomitable will can conquer all obstacles that are not too much
for it, and at last Mr. P. balanced himself on the extreme point of the
Peak. The view was so glorious that he instantly hastened down to inform
his companions that they too must not miss it upon any account. Several
of them, JOHN BINGHAM, of Ohio; SIMON CAMERON, and HENRY WILSON, of
Massachusetts, objected very strongly to the proposed climb, as they
were never in the habit of occupying very high ground. But Mr. P.
insisted that they would there obtain what they needed more than
anything else in the world, and he begged their pardon if he referred to
extended views. So at last they all went up, and when they reached the
topmost point Mr. P. placed himself so as to cut off his companions'
retreat, and then he delivered to them a discourse that they will not
soon forget.
When from his remarks, and the practical illustration which lay beneath
them, they had been made aware that it was a great country of varied
interests, and not a few little sections, for which they should
legislate, Mr. P. let them down.
The following morning, after testing an admirable specimen of
horn-blending--offered him by Mr. BEACH, and not Prof. AGASSIZ, Mr. P.
set out alone for the Kauterskill Falls. His trip was wonderful. He went
in a wagon. The scene was sublime. At one place he came across a bevy of
New York artists sketching the scenery, and their sensations when he
suddenly cut off their north light must have been peculiar. But they
regained their accustomed pallor as the old horse struggled manfully,
and the danger passed away.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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