Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-11-29

my kDOWieU9e OF VIC h"'hCH""N
was OF pro5igious use, IN teaching me-
the equilibrium OF my body, and the
due adjustment OF the centre OF gravity
to the five positions. Having now &C
CURED the art of walking without tot
tering AMI learned TO make a bow, !
boldly ventuFed 10 obey the baronets
invitation to family dinner, not doubt
ing but my requirements would enable
me to see the ladies with tolerable IN
trepidiiy. but alas how vain are all the
hopes oftheorY. when unsupported by
habltual practice. AS l approached
the house, a dinner bell alarmed my
fears, les! l had spoiled the dinner BY
want Of punc,uali'y; impressed with
this idea blushed The deepest crimson,
as my name was repeatedly announced
by the several livery servants, who
ushered me into the library, hardly
knowing what or whom j saw; at my
first entrance, | summoned ell my
fortliude, and made my new learned
bow to lady Friendly, but unfortunate
Iy in bringing back my left foot to the
third position, | trod upon the gouty
toe OF poor Sir Thomas, who had
followed close at my heels, to be the
nomenclator of the family The con
fusion this occasioned in me is hardly
10 be conceived since none but bashfui
men can Judge of my distress, and OF
that description the number l believe
is very small. The Baronet's polite
ness by degrees dlsslpated my concern,
and | was asionished to see how far
good breeding could enable him to
suppress his feelings, and to appear
with perfect ease, after SO painful an
accident
The cheerfu;ness Of her Ladyship,
and the familiar chat of the young Ia
dies insensbly led me 80 throw OIL my
reserve and sheepishness, til at length
| venlured to join in conversation, and
even to start fresh subjects The libra.
ry being richly furnished with books
in eiegan. bindings, | conceived Sir
Thomas to be man Of literature and
ventured to give my opinion concer
ming The several editions Of the Greek
classics in which the Barones's opinion
exactly coincided with my own. To
this subject l was led, by observing an
edition of Xenophon III sixteen volu-
mes, which (as had never before
heard of such thing greatly excited
my curiosity, and | rose up to examine
" hat il could be: Sir Thomas saw
what was about, and las | soppose)
to save me trouble, rose to
take down the hook, which made me
more eager to prevent him, and hasti
ly laying my hand on the first volume,
| pulled it forcibly; but lo instead OF
books. a board, which by leather and
had been made to look like
ski en- volumes, came lumbling down,
and unIuckily pitched upon Wedge
wood nksiand on the table under it. In
vain did Sir Thomas assure me, that
there was no harm; saw the ink
streaming from an inlaid table on the
carpet and scarce knowing what | did
attempted to stop its progress with my
handkerchief. In the height
# this confusion, we were informed
ha, dinner was served up, and / with
oy perceived that the tell, which q.
irst had SO alarmed my fears, was only
he halt b ur dinner bell
In walking through the hall and suite
If departments to the dining room, had
ime TO collect ny scattered senses,
md was desired to take my seat be.
wiki Lady Friendly and her daugh
er at the table. Since the fall of the |
" OGDEN Xenophon, my face had been
burning like fire brand &
was just beginning to recover myself
and to feel comfortably cool, when an
tor accident rekindled all my
neat and bushes Having set my
plate Of soup too near the edge of the |
able, in bowling to Miss Dianah, who
politely eomplimented the pattern Of
my waislcoat, | tumbled the whole
scaldiUg contents into my lap. In
spite ofan immediate supply of napkins
to wipe the surface of my clothes, my
black silk breeches were not stout en-
ough to save me II ON the painful effects
of his sudden fermentation, and OF some
minutes my legs and thighs seemed
stewiDg in a boiling cauldron: hut re
collecting how Sir Thomas had disguis-
ed his torture. when l trod upon his