Richmond Palladium

A TALE OF TRAVEL.--Lord Morpeth

"A friend," says the Arkansas Gazette, "has related to us the following story, which he received from the mouth of one of the parties:"

In 1831, a young, broad-shouldered, big-fisted Kentuckian--a regular-bred stock raiser and drover--went on to Buffalo, New York, to purchase of Lewis Allen, who had just returned from England, some of his imported stock. After he had closed his purchases, finding he had a day to spare, he determined to spend it in a visit to the Falls of Niagara. So, after breakfast, he stepped into the passenger cars, and found the department which he selected occupied by a modest looking and plainly dressed gentleman. In a few moments he commenced a conversation upon the subject most interesting to him, to wit: imported stock, and the bargains he had made, and informed his fellow-traveller, in the most decisive manner, what was the best breeds, etc. The stranger, after hearing him out, without dissenting to what he said, spoke upon the subject of English stock generally, the different kind of breeds, the properties of each, the best cross for milk, butter, etc., and displayed, in a modest and most unassuming manner, such minute and general information on the subject that it astonished the other, and he asked him if he was not a stock raiser.-- He said no, and the Kentuckian asked, as usual, "What might be your name, sir?" "Morpeth," was the reply. "Morpeth," said he, "Morpeth! Now I have been all over Kentucky, and travelled to Arkansas, but I never heard of the name before. Where did you come from Mr. Morpeth?" "From York." "York," said he, "New York! A great place--beats Lexington and Louisville, I admit, but did you come from the city or country, Mr. Morpeth?" "From the country." "Well, it is a very great State; always saving and excepting old Kentucky, it is the finest country I ever saw."

In a short while they conversed on the subject of farming, and the stranger, without the least parade, seemed to be perfectly familiar with the subject, and after hearing at length the superior style of agriculture in Kentucky, and the astonishing productions there, the herds of fine stock, grain, etc., he recited the improvements which had recently been made in agriculture by means of chemical experiments, the different kinds of soil, the distinguishing properties of each, rotation of crops, effect of climate upon productions, etc. etc.; at length the Kentuckian cried out, "Why, Mr. Morpeth, you must have followed farming for a living?" "No," he said he had not, "but it was a subject to him of great interest."-- The rest of the journey was filled up with a description of what the Kentuckian had seen on the Mississippi and in Arkansas, to which the stranger listened with apparent interest. At length they reached the Falls, and, amidst constant exclamations of astonishment on the part of the Kentuckian, they passed on to the Canadian side. Upon reaching there, they saw a number of negroes, dressed in regimentals, with muskets in their hands. "Why, what does this mean?"-- "These are regular soldiers," said the stranger.-- "Soldiers! negroes for soldiers! Well did you ever hear the like! Well, when I go back to old Kentucky, and tell them that the British have negroes for soldiers, they never will believe me in the world. Why, sir, if an Arkansas overseer was to come here with his big whip and give it one crack, I tell you, sir, that a regiment of these black rascals would drop their muskets and beg for quarter. Now, old fellow, you might have heard that we like to have got into war with the British about some boundary or other. I tell you that the first horn that was blown would raise a regiment in old Kentuck that would sweep this land from shore to shore. Nothing could resist them; for I tell you nothing can beat old Kentucky for war or raising fat stock." After awhile the bell of the tavern rung for dinner, and they both hastened in, the Kentuckian before. When he reached the room he found the table half filled with negroes, and stopped. The stranger, without appearing to observe it, took hold of a chair, and pointed to an empty one by his side. "What!" was the astonished interjection of the Kentuckian, "you are not going to eat your dinner with negroes, are you? I can't do it, sir, I could never show my face at home again if I were to do so." "I'll, said the stranger, I am rather hungry, I acknowledge; but, as we are fellow-travelers, I will not bring your honor. We will go down to the lower island, pass the suspension bridge, and dine on the American side." "Now, that is just into my hand, my old fellow; we will do so." When they reached the suspension bridge, the Kentuckian was overwhelmed in astonishment, and said that they never would believe him at home when he told of it. The stranger was perfectly familiar with such things, and told him who was the original inventor of such bridges, the great improvements that had been made since this one had been put up, the defects in its style, how they could be remedied, improved, etc.-- Here, the Kentuckian burst out into a hearty laugh, and said, "Well, stranger, I have found you out at last; you are a bridge builder by trade," slapping him on the shoulder in great glee. "No, sir," said he, "you are mistaken; but I have been a great deal with persons who were fond of such things, and acquired somewhat of a taste for them." "Well," said the Kentuckian, "I hear the last bell ringing; let us go and get our dinner.-- We will have plenty of good cheer, and I will pay for it myself: for I would rather have lost one of those calves I have purchased of old Buffalo Allen than not to have been here to-day: for I have had lots of fun!" They sat down to dinner, and the Kentuckian filled up the chasms between the courses with praises of Kentucky and abuse of the Canadians and British. He had always hated them, and he always would hate them; he'd just like to have another brush with them to lick them again, and a great deal more in the same strain, to which the stranger listened patiently, and sometimes with a kind of quiet interest. He went on to say that he had heard that the English were in the habit of travelling through the country, and then writing books ridiculing and abusing us. He just wished that he could catch some of them in old Kentucky. He had heard, as he came along, that there was now a great English lord travelling through the country to write a book, and he had heard his name. It was Lord--Lord--Lord Morpeth, I believe.-- "That is my name, sir," said the stranger. "You don't say so! Tavern-keeper, what do I have to pay?"