Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-06-29
From The Ne.O Monthiy Magazine.
FAULTS ON BOTH SIDES,


;u,addler. we call him an sod woman, intending
any thing rather than compliment by the appel
.ation; vet, after all, old women are In very high
yepnte among US; they are our oracles. and their
eoomonest SAYINGS become proverbial, while
the erudte orations Of the lords of creation pass
into Oblivion. | am an admirer OF old women,
INT abominate their sayings. When once an
old woman has .ssaid her say" though she may
have said it vulgarly, and iippanty, and foolish,
~, the chances are that her saying will De handed
Sowa to her children's children.
have been the victim of saying, one, too,
that falas1 is in every body's mouth, and yet one
which. Heaven knows, is, In nine cases out OF
ten, utterly groundless and vexatlous. The say
ing ia this. There are always faults ON both
Sides do not eyaggerate when declare that
before was torn, this saying was my enemy =
was the first child Of very dashing couple
and suspect that. before my mother had seen
the wane of her honeymoon, had begun TO be her
torment She still went to parties, but generally
with a smelling bottle in her hand; and often,
when she looked less blooming than usual, people
uitied her, and said lit was her situation"
Still she VJuli 20 to balls; and once or twice,
when an agreeable partner offered, she could not
resist quadrille. Unfortunately waitzes were
introduced; nv mother took steps to be tashiona-
~,
-iyity, she returned home exceedingly indispos-
IA. and before morning was delivered Of seven
months child. Every BODY blamed nv mother,
-up wonder, noor soal But will il be believed
that any human being could have the barbarity to
blame me. a premature and lmbeclle sucking!
even SO! Ii was no sooner observed that was 4
s,ronrly-made and rather active little creature,
han The nurse assured every body that | must
little wrong n dafcins ana keepins lste keIlrrs.
yet, after all, there certainly were, "faults on
both Sides
am thoroughly convinced that was an ex-
ceedingly nice child; this conviction, must con-
fess, is not grounded upon any Evolutionary anec-
dotes; on the contrary. every old acquaintance of
the family has some story TO provo dat was ug-
ly, mischieyous, and Interchangeable. was al
ways breaking every thing that came in nv wav,
my own nose included My nurse and were
never of one mind, and every body in the house
complained OF high words in the nursery. Ny
nurse really was bad one, & though dare say
i dit squat spontaneously good deal. vet bad
management often mademe squal ten times worse.
At last there was no peace and quietness in the
house, and as my voice increased in power and
volume, became the more formidable Fortu-
nately for me, my shrieks one night attracted NV
mother Unexpectedly to the nursery in her ball
dress, and my enemy the nurse was detected in
some breach of decOrum which caused her to be
instantly dismissed; every body abused her; il
was impossible to say much IN her favour: vet.
alter all, it was whispered that she had an ILL.,
tempered brat to deal with. and that, however
bad the nurse might be, still there were '.faults
on both sides"
Giving boy bad name is a great deal worse
than giving dog one; was sen to public
school, and the master after hearing catalogue |
of nv mlsdemeanors, was admOnished 10 keep |
strict eye upon me. Thus he was prejudiced |
against me from the first. and even petaeogue |
NAV be blinded by prejudice. | saw was sus-
pected, aud grew reckless; it must be admitted |
tina, was terrible pickle; but great big bully of
a boy was my tvrant: and thus, never having
fair chance with the master, ati numerically fag-
yed by one of my schooliellows, became sulky
and OBSTINATE At last my tornentor was detected
in an act of wanton cruelty, and was extricated
from his clutches: but thOugh had the gratifca-
ion of seeing him well whipped, | heard every
me of the bows say, that though he certainly
vas bully. yet that was enough TO worry saint,
md that, after all, there were faults on both
ides.''
But my boyishness was gone and my hobedy- ,
Ioyishness was going The long -looked.f for Pc
iod of my finally leaving school was at hand,
nd eagerly anticipated that grand privilege of t
manhood, '.the having ones own way."- t
That was what looked forward to during nv S
asst half wear, and believe all boys do the same
0 be man. and walk about in great boots, land :
eckcloth. and do what pleased from morning S
III night! Il
These bright anticipations Of boyhood are not, s.
owever fated to be realized. The big boots a
nd the neckcloth, indeed came in due course; W
ut at what age can man be said to have his own n
ay? q
I, for my part, never had mine. At the time
left school, was an orphan, and went to re- Sc
de withan old uncle, who was nv guardian - al
e was an excellent person who always to the CT
st Of his judgment and abilities, did his duty; al
ID his duty being clearly now to keep bis ne y
lew in good order, l found myself ject to 50
france which, in my opinion. was vilr 81
My ancis's g0ysrRmsat was toe despotic; he of