The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-11-11
THE PETL LEG.
(FnoM CHARLES O'MALLEY.")

ttROM "CHARLES OMALLEY.
Twas very fond of Polly Hackett, and
she was Of me. We used to take our lit
tic evening walks together through the
coffee plantations; very romantic little
strolls they were; she in white muslin,
with blue sash and blue shoes; in a
flannel jacket and trowsers, straw hat
and cravat; Virginia cigar as long as a
walking stick in my mouth, putting and
courting between times: then we'd take
turn to the refining house, look in at the
big boilers, quiz the niggers, and come
backto Twangberry Moss osupper, where
old Hacket, the father, sportcd glorious
table at eleven o'clock. Great feeding it
was. You were always sure of a pre-
served monkey, baked land crat, or
some such del!cacy. And such Madeira!
it makes me dry to thinkof ii!
"Talk of West India slavery indeed!
It's the only land of liberty. There is no.
thing to compare with the perfect free and
easy, devil may care kind Of take your
self away way that every one has there.
If it would be any peculiar comfort for
you to sit in the saddle of mutton, and
put your legs in a soup tureen at dinner,
there would +, found very few to object
to it. There is no nonsense of any kind
about etiquette. You eat, drink, and are
merry, or if you prefer, are sad; just as
you please. You may wear uniform; er
you may not; it's your own affair; and,
consequently, it may be imagined how
inscnsiblc such privileges gain upon one,
and how very reluctant i've become ever
to resign or abardon them.
81 was the man to appreciate it ALL
The whole course of proceeding seemed
to have been invented for my peculiar con-
venicnce, and not man. in the island en-
joyed moro luxurious existence than my
self, not knowing all the while how dear,
Iy was destined to pay for my little COM
forts. Among my plenary after dinner
lndulgences had contracted an inveter-
ale habit of sitting cross-leggcd, as show
cd you. Now, this was become perfect
necessity Of cxistance to me. | could
have dispensed with cheese, with my
glass of port, my picked mango, my
olive, my anchovy toast, my nutshell OF
curacao, but not my favorite lounge. You
may smile; but I've read of a man who
could never dance except in the room
with an old hair brush. Now Pm certain
my stomach would not digest If my legs
were perpendicular. idon't mean to de-
!tnd The thing. The attitude waj nj
graceful; it was not imposing; bit !. 81
; cd me some, and | liked it.
From what have already mentioned,
you may suppose that West India habits
exercised but little control over my favor
ite practice, which l lndulged in every
evening of my life. We'll, one day Old
Hackett gave US great blowout---a din
ncr Of two and twenty souls; six days no.
tice; turtle from st. Lucie, guinea fowl
clarct of the year forty, and Madeira at
discretion, and all that. Very well done
the whole thing: nothing wrong, nothing
wanting As for me, l was in great fea-
ther. I took Polly in to dinner, greatly
to the discontinue of old Belson our Ma
jor, who was making up i'll that quarter;
for you must know, she was anonly daugh-
ter, and had very nice thing of it in mo-
lasses and niggers. The papa preferred
the major, but Polly looked sweetly upon
me. We'll down we went, and really
most excellent feed we had. Now, must
mention here, that Polly had iayorite
Blenheim spaniel, the old fellow detested:
it was ays!ripping up and saarlng at
him, for it was except to heEselt,Ea beast
of rather viciols inclinations. With a
true Jamaica tate, it was her pleasure to
bring the animal always into the dinner
room, where If ppa discovered him, there
was sure to be row. Servants sent in
one direction to hunt him Cit: others en-
deavouring to hid' him, and 81 OH: in fact
tremendous hbbub always followed
his introduction aul accompanied his exit,
upon which OCCASIONS invariably excr-
cised my gallantry W protecting the beast,
although / hated hin like the devil all the
time.
ITO return to our dinner. Alter two
mortal hours of hare eating, the pace b..
gan to sIacken, and, Is evening closed i,
a sense of peaceful rposc seemed to de,