CONTENTS
| Page | |
| Life of Stephen H. Branch. | 2 |
| Peter Cooper’s Avarice and Infernal Antecedents. | 8 |
| The Early Penury of the Three Napoleons of the AmericanPress—bennett, Greeley, and Raymond. | 11 |
| A Sweet Letter. | 12 |
Volume I.—No. 7.]——SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1858.——[Price 2 Cents.
STEPHEN H. BRANCH’S
ALLIGATOR.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by
STEPHEN H. BRANCH,
In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United
States for the Southern District of New York.
Life of Stephen H. Branch.
While pursuing my studies at Andover, Iam corresponding with a girl who resides inmy native city. There were girls in Providencefar more beautiful than her, (and whoseparents were more affluent than hers,) fromwhom I could doubtless have selected a companionfor life, but her father had been a boywith my father, and she loved me as a sisterher brother, or as a fond mother loves herprecious offspring. These truths had their influencewith me. Moreover, this girl had pursuedme for years, and (to illustrate her devotion)if I went to a ball, she was there. If Itook my position in a cotilion, she would soonbe opposite, and staring me broadly in the face,and, as we crossed over, she would cast themost tender glances, and press my hand withdeep affection. If I proposed to dance withher, her eyes would kindle with the wildestenthusiasm. If I went to church, she wouldbe in the next pew, and enter mine, if it werenot full. If I turned a corner, I often wouldmeet her. If I looked behind, while promenadingWestminster, (the Broadway of Providence,)she would often be prancing towardsme like an Arabian courser. She would addressletters to herself through the PostOffice, and call for them when I was at theletter delivery. If I went to a party, shewould contrive to get an invitation, and a dayseldom passed, when I did not see her.Juliet never loved Romeo more fervently thanshe loved me. And because I knew she lovedme as no virgin ever loved, I resolved to haveher. All her kindred favored our union, andbefore I went to Andover, her father came, onsummer evenings, to the Post Office, andconversed with me in the most friendly tones.So, in the Autumn of 1836, I bade adieu toAndover, forever, and repaired to Providence,and married her at her father’s. Thewedding was large and magnificent. My fatherobtained me a clerkship in the Rhode IslandCloth Hall, but manufactures were long depressed,and its directors resolved to close itsaffairs, which deprived me of a situation.The commercial desolation of 1837 was inembryo, and merchants were curtailing, andextensive failures transpired, and clerks andmechanics were discharged throughout thecountry, and my father could obtain no lucrativeemployment for me, and dared not