Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-08-17


graces, was decidedly the king Of the
company; and it was amusing, while
his head followed the direction of his
fddle-bow withpertinacious fidelity, to
see the captain Manual-like precision
with which the soldier dressed to the
one side, and nonchalant air Of
Importance which the cit attempted to
preserve on the other.
As Tor the company, it was such a
complete medley OF all franks, ages, pro-
LESSONS, trades, and occupations, bro't
together from all parts Of the world,
ana now tor the first time brought to-
lgcther, that it was amazing to witness
the decorum with which they commin-
gled on this festive occasion. The man
ayers (among whom were some officers
OF the garrison) must certainly be az
tat at dressing lobster and mixing
regents punch, in order to have pro.
duced a harmonious compound from
such collection of contrarieties. The
fgayest figure that was ever called by.
Iquadrllle-playing Benoit never afford
ed me half the amusement that did these
Chicago cotillions. Here you might
see a veteran officer in full uniform ba-
lancing to bridesmaids daughter still
IN her short frock and trowsers, while
there the golden aiguillette Of hand
'fome surgeon tapped in unison with
the glass beads upon scrawney neck
OF fifty. In one quarter, the high pla-
ced buttons of a linsey-woolsey coat
would be dos a dos to the elegantly
turned shoulders of delicate looking
southern girl; and in another, pair Of
Clndcrella-like slippers would classeS
cross with a brace Of thick soled bro
gans, in making which, one OF the lost
teetof the Colossus ofRhodes may have
served for a last. Those raven locks,
dressed Ia Muaonne, overeyes ofiet,
and touching check where blood ola
deeper hue mingles with the less glow
ing current from European veins, tell
of lineage drawn from the original
owners of the soil; while these golden
trcsses, floating away from eyes ofhca-
ven's own color over neck Of alabas-
ter, recall the Gothic ancestry Of some
Of 'England's BORN How piquantly
do these trim and beaded leggi,as peep
from under that simple dress Of black,
as its tall nut-brown wearer moves, as
if unconsciously. through the mazes Of
the dance. How divertingly do these
inflated gigots, rising like windsails
from that little Dutch-built hull, jar a.
gainst those tall plnmes which impend
over them like acommodore's pennant
on the same vessel.
But what boots all these incongrui-
ties,rwhcn a spirit Of festive good hu-
NOR animates every one present? 1T
takesall kindsofpeople to makeaworld,
(as ! hear it judicioasly observed this
side of the mountains and why should
not all these kinds ofpeople be repre-
sented as well in a ball room as in lc-
fgislature? At all events, if wished
to give an intelligent foreigner favor
ableopinionof the manners and deport-
naent Of my countrymcn in the aggre-
gate, l should not wish better oppor-
tunity, after explaining to him the ma
terials Of which it was composed, and
the mode in which they were brought
together from every section of the u
Mon, than was afforded by this very
ball. This is a scene Of enchantment
to me, SIR observed an officer to me,
recently exchanged to this post, and
formerly stationed here. sThere were
but few traders around the fort when
last visited Chicago; and now can't
Econtrive where the devil all these well
dressed people have come from!' re-
.iHiesred him to an old resident Of three
4 months standing, to whom had just
! been introduced, but he could throw no
light upon the subject; and we left the
matter ofpeopling Chicago in the same
place where philosophers have put the
question Of the original peopling Of the
continent. made several new acquaifl-
ltances at this Newly years bal, and par
ticularly with the officers Of the garri-
son, from whose society promise my
self much pleasure during my stay.
FIRST VIEW OF THE MTssrssIppr.
A ride Of six miles, through q high
rolling prairie intersperscd with open
groves OF oak, brought US at last in view
of the bluffs Of the Upper Mississippi
rising in rocky Masses to the height Of
four or Eve hundred feet above the bed
OF thatb ufifulrivee xvlrnse if.on. bound