Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1839-06-27
MTSCELLANEOU US.
Tom Tottle---A Man about Town.

N Tom Totte is one Of that peculiar class o
\ the community who dress iashionabIy in see
\ dy suit, look the "swell'' when they are dinner
X less, are frugal when they have nothing to
I spend, or because they cannot help themselves.
IomlS in word "a young man about town,
and true representative Of his "order."-
Some folks change their suits to suit the sea-
sons, bat Tom 'scorns the act.n He has worn
the same suit in all seasons. summer and win
ter,--and no other within the recollection of
the Oldest inhabitants. And yet Tom is never
decidedly questionable. There is q style in
the arrangement of his hair, classical ele-
gance IN the set OF his castor, nameless grace
an his manner OF making bow 10 a lady, on
the opposite side OF Chartres street, whom he
has never seen before, a negligent ease in his
manner OF twlrIlng his cane--Tom always
sports cain--and q something in his mien,
dress and every act, which shows that if Tom
as not great man he would wish to be one
A1en oil business attach great importance to
punctualty. They say it is the basis on which
TO raise the superstructure Of fortune. Now
Nicholas Biddle is not more punctual TO meet
his engagements than Tom; and yet so far from
becoming millionaire, he has not got the 'frsti
red cent" Yes, if there be one virtue, more
than another, which liberal nature has prod
igay lavished on Mr.. Tottle, it is that Of pune
iuaIty and scrupulous exactness in keeping
all his engagements. If he is invited to dine
out, the gong Of the Exchange does not more
correctly proclaim the hour of three thanI
TOMS rap at the door Of his friend. If he is
asked out 10 the Lake he is never too late for
the locomotive. If he gets ticket for the the.
atre, he may be seen in the sde.box before the
curtain rises, or even before the musicians take
their seats in the orchestra. He is strictly a
man OF his word. Tom is never on election
committees, is not member Of the teetotal.
has not joined any military volunteer compa-
ny, nor is he member OF the fire department;
yet he is a useful member Of socety--a uni
yersa benefactor Of his speces--a living dose
of medicine, whose services are administered
TO all, and whose humor and viyacty ore al
ways known TO effect cure.
lfa party Of ladies and gentlemen propose
going 10 Pascagoula, the former lay it down as
sina qua non, that the dear Mr.. Totte must
be Of the party--he is so funny; and the latter
unanimously conclude that Tottle is pleasant
fellow, and that if the ladies had never men
toned his name they were determined to ask
HIM. fat an after-dinner sitting any gentle
man be difiident in his vocal minstrelsy, he is
sure TO find ready substitute in the ever obi
ging Tottle. Indeed he has often been known
10 volunteer his services for a whole party ;norI
does his utility and his desire to be amiable end
here. He always pours the water into the
teapot for the lady who does the honor orthe
table, labels the parasols Of the ladies and the
hats Of the gentlemen, hands Jumps OF sugar to
crying children, cracks nuts for toothloss spin.
sters and dances an old fashioned cotilion With
the hostess mother. And what renders him
"The admiration Of all circles
And the idol Of his own"
is his plastic and accommodating disposition-I
the ease with which he adapts himself to cir.
cumstances. lion an aquatic excursion, he in
variably sings
"The sea! the sea! the open sea''
Ifwith amateur soldiers, or a volunteer militia
ry company, his fayorte is,
"Let fame sound the trumpet,
And cry, to the wars"
If ladies beyond certain age form majority
Of the society of which he happens to be unit,
he usual theme is,
30! the days are gone when beauty bright
My hearts chain wove"
IND so on to the end of the chapter, changing
himself with camelion quickness, but ever, like
true democrat, bowling to the will Of the ma
,rity Of numbers. 9
A folio volume would not suffice to enumer- S
te the many amiable traits which form the G
hole Of Tom Tottle's character; but as the b
lrest ore is not without alloy, and as the most o.
,spendent luminary has its dark spots, so is tC
u Tom altogether free from the fraities Of 81