Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1839-04-20
GWlgrRlgaegn,.
From the New York Mirror.
PAUL PLANT;
or THE MAN WHO COULDN'T SAY "So.n
by THE AUTHOR OF YANKEE NOTIONS.


Two negatives, they say, make an nf-
tirmative. Therefore, | think it safe to
suppose that Paul Plants father and
mother must have been as negative pair
as ever came together, for Paul was the
most affirmative man that has yes been
heard of. He always said eyes" TO every
thing that was said, proposed, suggested,
nsinuated or limited to HIM He was a
true administration man" under all 60.
vcrnments, never being in the opposition.
He was one of those over-polite, over-good-
natured, Oh be.easy, acquiescent mortals,
who seem 10 be sent into the world for no
other purpose than to show how much a
man may suffer for want of a little con-
trary-mindedness. eyes" "Certainly.n
"By all MEANS" "No doubt of it,
With all my heart" every happy to
oblige you" Entirely at your service"
Is Oh, yes" "Oh, yes" ooh, yes"
Such we're Paul's constant replies. As to
Saying no." it was as impossible to get
It out, as Macbeth's "Amenn When he
had most need Of denying, it "stuck in
his throat" | don't know that he ever
sat in the legislature, but / am sure that
if he ever did, when the "yeas had it,"
they had Paul also. He would not have
cried" Me poswaldm" in the Polish diet,
il the words could have demolished the
partition treaty. Though he was not in
the opposition, yet / think it hardly correct
to call him Jackson man, for he never
rctoed anything in his life, unless, in the
style of the honest country representative,
"Mr. Speaker, / shall give my vote in
taror of this bill" In short, Paul was
the very pink of assentions-an incarna-
tion OF mem. con.
Now this is very good character for a
man TO bear-on some accounts, for it gets
one the reputation of good-naturcd fellow;
and as the world commonly pretends to
have high opinion Of good-naiured
fellow, and according to the proverb,
"opinion is the queen Of the verdi" the
reader may think Paul must have had a
happy time of it. No such thing. PauPs
good nature brought him into more embar-
rassments and vexations than if he had
been the crossest cur that ever snarled. ]
speak not Of lending umbrellas-'ts the
lot Of mortality. To lend money is about
the same, though money lent sometimes
comes back. But who would believe that
a good-natured man, merely by reason Of
his good nature, and for no other fault un.
der the sun, could be led through such
rigmarole dance Of adventure by the per-
versity of fortune, that he fought a duel.
and almost married a widow!
The widow Wl(ul WINS lady Of a GER
tain age: she had made the best Of time,
and time returned the compliment. She
had shed many tears for the loss of her
good man--so she protested, and cannot
help thinking she spoke the truth, for she
tried very hard to get another. However,
this did not prove SO easy matter, for al
though the widow was not without charms,
the men were shy. What could be the
reason? She gave splendid parties, and
had sparks and danglers without number,
but it was never match. What could
be the reason? the reader will ask again.
1t is moi exactly my business 70 tell, as the
story will be plain enough without it, and
| if the reader cannot guess, it would not
much help him to let out the whole
mystery.
"This is truly delightful" said Paul,
one evening, TO the widow, as he leaned
bis arm over the back Of her chair, worked
his face up to the blandest of all his acqui-
escent smiles, and essayed some fattering
compliments concerning the widows fine
entertainment. "This is truly delightful,
so much hilarity and cheerfuluess- SO
many happy faces. ] love to look on
Them"
Paul inadvertently raised his eyes as he
uttered these words, and at the close Of the
speech was looking straight into the
Widows face. He meant not the least
harm in the world; but the widow pre-
tended to blush. She pursed upher pretty
mouth.
Oh, Mr.. Plant you are great fiat
terer; but we know you are honest. You
never say one thing and mean another.
You are always sincere.
Certainly, by all means, my dear
madam"
"But really, Mr. PLANT, my dear sir,
when gentleman tells lady that he loves
to look on her, you know, that really is
significant"
uOh yes, certainly; you are quite right,
madam"
"WelI, you are very frank, Mr.. Plant,
and shall certainly give you credit for
sincerity. Another man might shy ten
times as much and ] should never think Of