Wisconsin Historical Collections, Volume VII (1876)

              general ellis7 recollections 257 with a room bed and board which he enjoyed in quiet and com fort to the day of his death had he been a little less sensitive and received at the hands of his fellows kindness and fairness he would doubtless have proved not only a useful man — for he was that as it was but an ornament to society and enjoyed life equal to his peers as it was there were many worse men than n gr bean ebenezer childs like bean — they were great cronies — loved the flowing bowl but unlike bean he did not would not give way to misanthropy he was determined to look on the bright side of things and to enjoy life and while deserving the frowns of society far more than bean he nevertheless would allow no man to dispise him or treat him with neglect with not a tithe of bean's ac quired or natural ability he yet by pure assurance impudence and push managed to make a figure in life while for want of them bean with real merit at bottom but undisclosed sank into ob scurity childs pushed himself into undeserved positions of trust honor and profit was first sheriff of brown county coroner then agent for heavy contractors entrusted with large financial trans actions was elected to the territorial legislature in short ran a career of considerable popularity and could he have shaken off the h.ydra that was devouring him might have been one of our most honored pioneers his last efforts were at la crosse where he amassed some property there was a mischievous pastime which he never could forego — that was to have his joke no matter what the consequence might be to himself to friend or foe he would never be cheated out of it a case in point in 1841-42 he had been elected sergeant-at-arms of the legislative council and as part of his duties had the police of the rooms attendance on fires etc the rev richard f cadle was was chaplain of the council that session and was accustomed to hold service and preach in the council room on sunday mornings on one of these as the people were assembling rev mr cadle in his seat major rountree a member of the council and a great respecter of religion — one of the gravest of the grave — came in and was standing in front of the open fire-place — his hands spread out for warmth mischief was depicted on childs face the major had on his swallow-tailed coat the corner of his large bandana peering out of the skirt pocket childs under pretense of sweeping the hearth stepped up behind major rountree and