The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-02-24
From TIE .Nelo York Constellation.
THE LEG SAFETY CHAIN.

By the late death of father, a country
lad came into possession of an estate of
$500. Two courses presented themselves
to his mind-the one to devote himself to
the pursuits of agriculture, and the other to
lead fashionable course of life. To be
chained down to earth, all his days, he could
not endure the thought; he, therefore, re-
solved upon the life of a gentleman of fash
ion. Upon taking a peep into the world,
he found himself comparatively coarse in
both dress and manners. Instead of the fine
Saxony he saw upon the backs of the gen
try of the metropolis, he discovered his to
be the homespun of the country-instead of
the elegant fit of the tailor, his was the
clumsy work of a country seamstress-in-
stead ofthe glistening, thimble shaped beav-
er of the dandy, he discovered upon his
head the low crown, broad brim wool hat
instead Of the superine kersey petticoat
pantaloons, falling in graceful folds upon
his boots, his were the coarse butternut col
ored. snug setting trowsers, reaching only
to the calf of his leg-and instead of the
nicely moulded square-toed boots, so much
IN vogue, his feet were entrenched in the
rough, round-toed COW hides of the country
cobler. As he had determined upon the
course of fashionable, he must assume his
habiliments, and abide the consequences.
He winds his way to the shops of the city ;
and in a few hours, the robust son of the
mountains is transformed into the shape and
figure of a dandy. He returns to his quar-
tiers. He now receives civilites from the
major domo, to which he was not accustom-
ed in his country garb if fatters his vani-
ty and pufs him with pride. He presents
himself to the grand mirror of the parlor,
turns this way and that, and in the language
of triumph thus expresses himself: "Egad,
now | look like folks, now am a gentle
man !"
Had he not been moved by further curi-
osity, perhaps he had returned to his home.
and upon reflection relinquished the pur-
suits of a gentleman-but upon taking an
other turn down Broadway, he quickly dis
covered his array to be incomplete: he had
no ring upon his finger, no cane in his hand,
no watch in his fob, no safety chain about
his neck, no breast pin in his bosom, no
snuff box, no gloves, no stock and no paper
collar.
These were radical changes: and as they
were the main constituents of a Buck of the
world. they must be supplied-no time is
lost he enters the jewellers, the rings
thicken and glisten upon his fingers, the
diamond sparkles in his bosom, the safety
chain protrudes its modest front upon the
vest, and the grand establishment bangles
at his fob. He enters the millinery and
cane establishment and soon energies with
head supported by stock and collar, and
pushes his way back to the Exchange with
many flourish of his ivory cane. The CT
Whites Of the host are edoubled--suits of
rooms are tendered--bottles of champagne
and burgundy sparkle upon the sideboard /:
gentlemen Of fashion are introduced; all
things go merrily; evening approaches its
amusements are charming they were the
atrieal. This evening, Notwithstanding the
safety, the patent lever was missing, the
fourth his cane, the fifth his ring, and on
the sixth his pocket book, which contained
all his money. This was a sad affair; and
reduced him to the necessity of pawning his
clothes for his lodging. Labor or crime
was his only alternative. Too proud to la
Dor, he resolved upon robbery, and on be-
ing detected, he was thrust into prison.
where an old friend Of his father discover
ed him with safety cham upon his ankle,
suspended from staple IN the tCaH.
The following ID an epitaph, written in a
church-yard At Holkeach, England: