Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-06-28
AFFAIR OF HONOR.

AFFAIR OF HONOR.
A man had his nose pulled the other day; he was
offered an apology: he alleged he was too poor to
receive that species Of satisfaction When poor
man is injured in the nose, he looks tor physl-
cal satisfaction that shall be equivalent to the ply
steal pain; sting in the ear, nose, or other pro-
minent and available organ, is exchanseable with
not of porter or a crown piece; but how differ
ent are the feelings of gentleman or thoroughly
civilized person, when his nose has been wrung
or his person otherwise violated! the pain Is not
in the part affected. the agony IS not telt where
the fingers or the toes applied, it instantly re-
moves to the sensorium of honor, the imagination;
though the feature may be tingling and the eyes
absolutely Overlooking with the evidence OF bo-
div suffering, still the mischief is referred to
quite another part Of the constitution. Hence
the difficulty of settling these matters. With
the poor man his appendages have all kind OF ad
raL,reD, duty-a tariff of insult and offence; but
the gentleman is perfect Draco; he must not
only have more but i, must be Of different kind:
the wound has been inflicted OH the flesh, but he
feels it in the SOUL and must expiate i, in blood.
1t is impossible not to SEE that this is the very
perfection If reason and god sense; nevertheless
we like the easy way in which poor people settle
these things.
Mansion House. Ebenezer Cocker, Bill.
lingssate porter, was called upon to show cause
why he should not be punished according to law
for having amused himself b. pulling the nose OF
John Dixon, without the owners leave.
..John Dixon deposed tI, he knowed nothing
on the defendant. and the defendant knowed no.
think on HIM, no furder than being tosticated he
squeezed his nose with stitch vengeance that he
was obligated TO cali an hotiicer.
"sWhy,' said hi, Lordship, addressing Cocker,
.you promised me faithfully, the last time you
were here, you would not get drunk again.
...Me drunk said Coker,' w | amt been
able to varu whites. leave alone drink; and as
for being drunk yesterday, Wy all | had was a
pot O. porter at my first turn, with some gin, and
afterwards little more gin with a pint OF coffee
for breakfast A. for the assault as is charged on
me, that here good man desarved vot he get. |
vent into public house to sell my srimps, witch
are precious dear now, and while my back was
turned seed him put his hand into my basket in
a unbecoming sort o. way. Sis |, don't call
this hacting like gentleman to 90 for to prig a
poor mans srimps, and he told me to give him
nOaa u my sarse, for he warnt going to be
scandalised in no stitch way. Howsomever, as
xnowed he'd been guilty of the crime, We got
into hargument, ven might just have touched
him on the nose.
".Well said the Lord Mayor 10 the complain
ant Il suppose you will be satisfied with an apo
logy?'
accomplishment scratching his head - can't
afford to take pulogy, ash am only poor man,
unless he stands bit o summit to eat aud drop
o. summit to drink, and little summit for my
SELF
The defendant having consented to give the
complainant sixpence. the Lord Mayor allowed
them to settle the other "summuts" by dismis-
sing the complainant"
If this affair had happened between persons Of
higher rank in lite, how different would have
been the story! Friends mus, have been called
in-cabs and hackney coaches would nave been
out in requistion -bat helors would have safe
up at each Others d-ng', aud an attorney or
two would have had job Then in case of an
apology, what sticking for VOID, or degree of
comparison! how much paper wasted in rough
drafts! what struggle between saving of bacon
and saving of honor! and, lastly, how biz the af-
fair would have looked next day in the columns
Of the Courier, and how the pros and cons would
have been canvassed at the clubs. what sneers
would have slurred over the flincher, and how
many eulogies would have been spent upon the
most obstinate or the most blood thirsty of the
party! On the other hand, imagine it an affair
which there appeared to be no means Of "set-
Ting without a meeting;" then comes Battersea,
and fumbiing among the wet grass, blue coun.
tenances, and II ost forlorn night. cappish style
of chivalry-ground measured three times over
to conceal bunglIng, and at last, a pop or two,
and no mischief.
For the first time in the day the gentlemen are
themselves again, shake hands, mount their vehi-
cles, and return to breakfast as buoyant as their
rolls, with the idea ofhaving behaved with honor
in an s'afair of extreme difficulty and delicacy."
Then comes the Courier again, with another turn
to the business, and the Sunday papers, with half
the alphabet initials, and ultimately correspon.
dence between the seconds, correcting some err.
ror in the reports; for instance, the gentlemen