{"newspaper_name": "Mobile register and journal.", "edition": "01", "page": "p2", "byline": ""}
{"character_count": 3188, "word_count": 552, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9749000072479248], "ccnet_perplexity": [1161.5999755859375], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
THE GIFT OF THE GAR The following anus.

 ing article has been going the rounds of the London papers, and II presents Imaginable anecdole at the expense of two well known geologists, Dr. Buck.

 land and Mr. George Stephenson:

 "Once upon time, al gathering of fine spirits

 at Drayton Manor, Dr Buckland, Sir William Fol.

 lett, and Mr. George Stephenson were among the guests assembled. The immortal railway engineer is irkable for peculiar disputabe points in various sciences. For instance, he knows by the effect of electricity on rail whether the road pays or not; and, as he has gone deep most men into

 the bowels of the hand he rejects theories alike oi Warner and Hutton-the advocate of water and the advocate of hre-and announces his own views with much original yigor that they at once sarile and amuse. Sir Robert having the leading professor of geology at the same table wIih the expounder of notions on straihcaiion, contryed to bring them

 to intellectual collision. MT. Stephenson disputed the facts of formations alleged, and Dr. Buck land defended them; and he cOmbaed the arguments of his opponent with such happy fuency and ready re- ference, that he crushed his adversary with much apparent power as one of the eng neers own lucomo lives would an obrudng rabbit, when the engine was going at the rate of forty miles hour. Mir Ste phenson felt that he worsed, not defeated; but. being pleasantly and politely chaled, the efforts ne made to recover his position only served to aggravate the pains of his wounds. Although u was only friendly controversy, he considerably irritated and he slept but very lItte that night

 "He was early up next morning and sought to cool hls temper in the spacious garden at Drayton Manor

 He had n1t taken many turns on the silica when Sir William Folleit made his appearance His first saIu- tation was, "George, you made pretty fool of your kind myself, Sir William.'' replied Mr. Stephenson. .bul l am convinced that am right after all !" ''Io be sure you were," said Sir Wi liam, ''bu you can not talk. l never heard such bungler. You were full ol iacls-wonderlul facts and Buckland had only sophisry oppose you. He beat you stand still, because you had no rhetorc.' "I am, Sir William, no lawyer" "But am. Come, sit down in this al- cove; and now, before we are called to breakfast, repeat to me your whole theory" Mr. Stephenson did as Sir William desired. He went through the process of fire and water, the operations of eleclricly the tune of salts, the position of strata. "Ihat will do" sad Sir William. "Now at dinner 10 day hold your tongue; leave Buck land to me-" After dinner, Dr.. Buckland, excited by his triumph of the proceeding evening, soon introduced minralogy. Sir William, in his quiet, gentle way drew him into controversy, closed upon him, out-ialked him, and prostraled the professor as effectualIy the professor had thrown the engineer the evening before. Sir Robert enjoyed the encounter; one was displeased; and as they rose to retire, Sir W iiam whispered, George. what do you think nowP'-"Think! re- piled Mir. Stephenson. .'I think that there s nothing in earth or on it like the gift of the gab."