Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-03-04
3fliscellnneons.
PUTTING ON A CHEEK !;

y
ticular in this, do you!" said an Ameri.
can acquaintance of mine, bringing out
the cuff of an old coat, and holding it
up before me, dangling it between his
finger and thumb.
al can't say that | do," said /, but
presume it has some secret merit, which
remains to be explained"
"Ex.act.ly," replied my acquaintance,
pronouncing each syllable of the word
apart; "yet the coat, of which this is the
remaining cnf, was the occasion of my
being just now pretty well to do in the
world; guess I'm right, amt {" con-
tinucd he, appealing to his wife, very
pretty woman, who stood by him.
:" So YOU seem to think" replied she,
smiling, but | am not convinced, SO lar
rs am concerned in the business, that
the coat had anything to do with it"
"Well. then, shall just tell my story
and'lcave YOU to decide" said he, turning
to me. "You must know that there
was a time when I was rather hard up,
and how to 60 ahead was the business.
| had tried at mercantile speculation, and
sunk an immensely of dollars. | had
turned lawyer, hut that would not an.
swcr in any way. took to farming no
luck there. Went ont supercargo; ship
went on a reef, aud lost cargo. Re-
turned to New York, spcculated a long
while upon nothing; didut lose much,
that's certain but didn't realize. Atlast
give up my business and resolved to
amuse myself a little; so went South,
aud Joined Bolivar. fought with him
for three years. and a good officer he was,
but he had one fault as a general. which
was, that his army never got paid. |
waited my three years, and finding that
there was neither pay nor plunder, got
tired of it, and made my way home to
the States, and at last arrived at the
capitol, with only one extra shirt, and
not Il cent in my pocket happened to
meet with tailor, whose customer |
had once been, when | had money and
paid my bills and he observed that my
coat was rather shabby, and that | could
not appear in it. | knew that very well,
aud all that he wanted was an order for
another; but as had no chance Of pay
ing him, thought it advisable not to
take the hint 81 think" said that
with new velvet collar, and brass but
tons, it might do very wei! for an evening
party" see," says he, "that's an old
country custom, wearing an old coat at
Il ball; guess you're going to Mrs. rs.
tomorrow night. \ regular hareup, |
am told. President there, and every
body else. 1t is hardly worth it, con-
t;:'ncd he, touching the tlread-bare cuff.
"Ycs it is" replied | there'll be a rcgu-
lar jam, and new coat would be spoil
ed. Ill send it to yoI Tonight, aud you
must let me have it in the morning, so
good.bvr." Well, the coat came home
the next day, not early in the morning,
as | expected, but past meridian; and |
walked up and down my bed room, i'll
my trowsers, thinking what should do.
At three o'clock called on Mrs. H., and
left my card; went back again and wait.
ed two hours for the invitation-no invi-
tation. Called again at five and left an
other card, telling the niger that ! had
not received an invitation, and that there
must be some mistake whereupon an in
vitaton came about an hour after my re-
turn, Just as was putting my hat on to
call again and leave another card, in a
very fierce manner, reckon. Well, |
went early to the ball, and my coat
looked remarkably gay. You could see
that the velvet collar was new, and that
the buttons gliltered famously; but you
could not see the cloth was a little worse
for wear. In short, my brown coat look
cd very smart, and | was a considerable
smart fellow myself at the time. Well,
stood near the door, looking at the
company come in, hoping to know some.
body; but presume had grown out of
all pecollection, for nobody knew me.
But as the company were announced, |
heard their names; and if they did not
know who | was, at all events found
out who they were. "This won't do"
says |, as the rooms became quite full
81 may stick against this wall till day
light, but | shall never go ahead" So at
last, perceiving a young lady speaking
to the daughter of the secretary Of the
navy, after they parted, | went up to her.
Having heard her name, | pretended to
be an old acquaintance, and accused her
of having forgotten me. As was very
positive, and very bold, she presumed ii
was the case; and when gave her my
name, which refused to do till we had
been talking some minutes, as it hap
pencd to be very good one, she coz.
sidered that it was all right, and in an.
other quarter of an hour we became
very intimate l then asked her if she
knew Miss E, the daughter of the
secretary of the navy. She replied that
she did and, Offering her my arm, We
walked up to the lady together, and
was introduced. Now, thought |, an
going ahead little. After the introduc
ton, commenced a conversation with
Miss E, and a gentleman FORTH
| ,,,@oI, -,l;orod mo of my first grn,,ain