Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-11-26
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 96. 1919.

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IN consequence of The hard times in Eng
and, a BARBER has shut up his shop ana
accepted an offer made him to turn author
The following is his first eplstle.
- Bullock snaithy, 18th June.
Your letter which came sale to hand, my
good friend, worst they will mend
Proves TIE proyerb, When times are at
lis pity, rs you say, a man Of my reading
Should be doomed 10 the drudgery OF shaving
and bleeding: I.Moggy
And We, when FIRST named the matter to
She exclaimed, with surprize, "sure my dear,
YOU are groggy: wing;
Or if you're not tipsy, you're certainly "a
:. Think no more of such fsllies, but stick to
your shaving" letter,
But scarce had she finished the whole of your
When she vowed with smile, that she Ink d
the scheme better. pleas at,
The sal'ry you. nam'd she seem'd nightly
Ten shillings week, is not now to be sn'ez'd
at, and spinners,
Whilst thousands around US, both weavers
Though they toll night and day, often go
without dinners
And trades falling off so in MY line. see
II don't quit it shortly, twill shortly quit
me
So high are the taxes, and wages so low now,
That half my old customers let their boards
grow now;
Then as for tooth drawing need not tell yoS
Teeth don't wear out fast, when they've no.
thing to chew. lprofer,
) So my dear Mrs. Gossip approves OF your
E Without further parley close with your Of
fer: rhymes,
And quitting my putting and shaving, Tor
Sh Il now tr. my hand at touch at the times
Nor so great the transition as some may sup
pose, my fees,
shall still shave and cut, not my friends, but
: Still happy the tories TO take by the nose;
And as for their rivals, that party Of prigs,
Sometimes, for amusement, I'll tickle their
wings [ny strop !;
Then adieu to my old wig blocks, farewell to
Dicky Gossip turns author, and shuts up his
shop.
YUSNING.
A Mr.. Wise, matchmaker, in PenEsy!ra-
MIA, lately had his shop broken open in the
night, and no less than 800 watches stolen
tberefrom. Washington punster remarkng
on the event, says, these watches could not
have been well regulated, seeing they all cent
80 fast. This is but a sorry pun as Mr.
w. might have taken credit for their exact
regulation, seeing they all zsert togedsr. 1t
would, perhaps, have been better punning,
to have limited, that Mr.. WISE was not very
zrisc in permitIing So many ratches to remain
in hls shop over night, without 7cGtcher.
THE IMPORTANCE OF CORRECT PUNCTUATION.
A curious and very ingenious expedient
was lately resorted 10, at trial al Dublin, to
save prisoner charged with robbery. The
principal thing that appeared in evidence a
gainst him was confession alleged to have
been made by him a, the police Office and ia
ken down in writing by apolice Ctticer, The
document purportiug 20 contain this sell. cri-
minsting acknowledgement was Produced by
the officer. and the following passage was
read from it
''Magnon said he never robbed but twice
said il was Crawford"
This, it will be observed, had no mark Of
the writer's having any notice ofpunctustion 4,
but The meaning he attached TO it will be e.
vident from the following mode of printing il:
Magnan said he never robbed but
twice-Sdid Il Tas CrGvford
Mr.. Ottoman, the counsel for the prison.
er, begged to look at the paper. He peru
sed it, and rather astonisbed the peace officer,
by asserting, that, so far from It's proving the
mans guilt, j; clearly establishes his inro-
.cence This said the learned gentleman
Is the fair s. obvious reading of the sentence:
"Magnan said he never robbed
But tTice SAID :! Isos Crawford"
The man was of course acquitted.
STA ROBERT wALPoLE.
NJ " Ieyiso, my lord Gn,ver>s hrotber