, 1841-11-27
From Graham's Magazine.
The Captains COurtship.

lHE cloth had Just been removed, at m,
second dinner with the club, when the presi
dent called on a Mr.. Rowley for a story
He tossed off a tumbler of Porto clea
the cobwebs, as he said, from his ,hroa,-ane
began.
"You all know | am a lawyer, and tina
men who wouIdbe witty have a way of quiz
zIng our profession by saying that we can
not tell a story without dragging in our craft
have no objection TO the notion of these
smart gentlemen, and shall not even trouble
myself to refute them but 60 on with nv
story.
"When was a student, just after the
close OF the late war, used to pay occasion.
al visits 10 Mount Holly, which was even
then a passable county town, and remarka-
BILE for its pretty girls, its gay winters, and
the quantity Of wine drank by its BAR
There WASN'T lawyer in the place who
couldn't carry his two bottles, and as for wit,
these barristers were famed for it from Cape
May to Hackensack. But it is not so much
with tire Mount Holly bar as with Captain
Slashbey, one of the clients of the wittiest
member there, that my story has to do.
81 first met the gallant captain on a hun
ting excursion into the pines. He was a
Portly little gentleman, with a rubicund face,
a constant flow of humor, and an opinion of
his W good looks rather singular, | must
say, at forty-fve. He had very short legs
and a very round person, and altogether re-
minded you of a fat pigeon walking upright.
He had been in the service during the war,
and at the reduction of the army, finding
himself pretty well in debt, and without a
sous IN his pockets, had settled at Squankum,
a place in the very heart Of the cedar swamps.
And very convenient it was for Siashbev.
Tor. like Galway, in Ireland, a sheriff's writ
hadn't been seen there in the memory of
man. 1t was once attempted to execute q
capias there, but the forgemen and squatters
rose IN a mass, and though the light horse
were ordered out, the arrest had to be given
up. Now the captain was a popular man in
Squankum, and therefore was as safe as in a
sanctuary. He thirsted now and then, it is
true, for the good things of civilized life afar
off,Iand would often make a dash into Mount
Holly. like a guerilla, taking care, however,
to retreat before his creditors had wind ofhis
approach. But at length he grew tired of
this life.--lll thank you for the bottle-and
determined to extricate himself from it by
marrying an heiress; for the captain was a
gallant man, you must know, and like Will
Honeycombe, had high notion Of his own
powers.
"There was a merry little vixen at the
county town-a gay witty black,eyed rogue
as ever llved-who was, in the captains
opinion, the very pattern Cor a wife. She
would have made all anchorite forswear his
creed, and Was besides an heiress to a very
pretty fortune. Undaunted by the crowds
OF suitors for her hand, Slashbey determined
to enter the lists, nothing doubling, on the
faith Of certain smiles with which she always
welcomed him, that he would carry off the
srize. He began his preparations like a Ma
ION. He bought a new pair of buff cas-
'es, edued a shining blue coat with metal
s, and ordered a wig from the most
Hble perruquier in Philadelphia, for
the captain was as bald as a can
Thus accoutred, he laid regular
$ charmer, dancing her and sleigh
,never he could venture out of
amps without being chased by a
e heiress smiled on the captain,
cursed the lucky rival, and Slash
bey%,,pent his time betwixt studying his glass
and singing none but the brave deserve the
at was just when he thought he was on
The point of success that a grand ball was
given at, and the captain, determining
carry his charmer by assault, forgot his
usual prudence and escorted the heiress in
lis gig. Never did the little fellow look
more gallant. I was at the ball, and faith!
Gould scarcely keep my eyes off him. His
wig was curled irresis,ibly, his new coat
hone with respondent ~lustre, his cassimeres