Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1878 — In Search of the Picturesque. [ARTICLE]

In Search of the Picturesque.

Whittier’s poem of the “The Waterfall,” in the Atlantic Monthly, requiring so much search for the waterfall, reminds me of an anecdote related by Judge ,of Maine. He was once on a circuit at Portland, and having a few days to spare before the term of court closed, occupied the time in looking up the objects of interest in the vicinity. He had heard of a romantic cascade in the neighborhood, and was inquiring its locality of the hotel clerk, when a freen-looking countryman, standing y, volunteered the information in this wise: “ Say, I can tell the Judge all about that ’ere cascade, for I live close by it.” The Judge turned to him, and, expressing his thanks, desired to be informed how lie might reach the place. “ Easiest thing in the world, Judge,” replied the man; “ it ain’t a great way out on the Saco turnpike. You go on -Ava’all I guess about four mile, till you come to a cross-road, and then you turn off to the left: you keep along, sav a half, mile, till you come to a pastur’ lane, where there’s a pair o’ bars. If vou let ’em down, mind you put ’em up, ’cause the owner is mighty portickler about his cattle. You keep along, say forty rods, till you come to another pair o’ bars—mind and put them up, too —then you foller up that road till it comes to a hill; you kind o’ circle round that till yon come to another sort o’ crooked path that crosses a road; take the right hand, turn and go down the holler; foller up the hill till you come to a path that leads you round the mounting; that brings you into the main road that leads you right up to old Illsley’s barn.”

“How shall I ever know Ulsley’s barn, if I ever arrive there?” asked the Judge. “How’ll you know Illsley’s barn? Why, it’s right opposite his house.” “But how will I know Illsley’s house?” 4 “His house? Of course you’ll see Ulsley round there.” * “ But how shall I know it is Ulsley ?” “ Sure, Judge, you can’t make a mistake about Ulsley; you’ll know him by his yaller nankin trousers.” “ Nankin trousers! Does he always wear nankin trousers?” “In course he does, Judge. Why, you see, the way on’t was this: There was a man down here to Portland that owed Ulsley considerable, and couldn’t pay. So Ulsley levied on him, and attached six cases b’ yaller nankin he had in his store, and them he took for debt and carr’d ’em home. Well, Miss Ulsley, sho was so plaguev mad that aha, told the old man that lie’d got to wear out the stuff in trousers —that was about seven years ago—and Ulsley he’s ben a-wearing nankin trousers ever sence; orte pair in summer, two pair in fall and spring, and about a half a dozen pair in winter. Judge, you’d laugh till you split if you only see old Ulsley in them trousers! Miss Ulsley, she ain’t much of a tailoress, and she makes ’em narrer at the bottom and-puckered up where they go round him, so that he looks jest like a demijohn, bott6m-up. Seems to me as es I should t>ust every time I see him!” “Well, well,” exclaimed the Judge, with some impatience, “if ever I find Ilisley, what then? JJo.w about the cascade?” _ 1 - , “Cascade, Judge?” replied his informant. “ You are the partiejilarost man I ever* see. I should think old Ulsley curiosity enough for one day, anyway, and arter you’ve seen him you’ll forget all about the oascade!”— Harper's Magazine. —President Lincoln’s widow is said to be living quietly in a little French village, declining to return to this country lest she should again be immured in aii asylum. The place to knoqk spots out of ‘ ~ v -