The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-05-07
JACK EASY AND POLLY GAY


Jack Easy, gay, goOd-nstnred, careleas, com.
plaisant fellow, Of considerable dependencies but
no fortune, danced with the charming Polly Cav,
one morning, at Putney Bowling -Green. They
had not met before; they were mutually pleased
with one another, and as appreciation makes
long strides towards love, they were both ia
very soft and sigtiug condition By The nexl
evening
The company my friend Jack was ia, would
have declared him gentleman, had not the an
sifecled ease Of bis department sufficiently
eyinced it; and the lady's air and manner. she
case with which she received The common clyil.
ties, and her reserve, that checked anvthinr
which seemed but TO lean towards familiarity
snffleently bespoke her worth the following. aod
not to be had without some trouble.
Difliculties, to man Of spirit, are tie life
and soul Of an armour. Jack would have des
pissed an angel, that shoald have sunk into his
arms as soon as he opened them to receive har;
but he no sooner heard Of father, aunt, and Il
vals Of swords, locks, and blunderbusaas; and All
the train Of caution and revenge, than he Set Il
up as the great point Of the present period o Bis
life, 10 surmount them.
He wrote 10 her, but the father opened ne
letter, he serenaded her, but the aunt's face ap-
pcared at the window; he toasted her pint deep
in Burgundy, and well-dressed fellow asked
him II he had any pretensions TO that lady.
These, and ten thousand such obstacles oaly
gave him new ardor in the pursuits abH
could not be received, he put paTagKenl
I ligible only TO her, into the newspapers, iltbb
| play and opera were forbidden, If RayleSgh sad
/ Vou1hall were deserted, the church was open
! l.. L.. 4, #aa
solemn business, he intended In Il.
The lover found means TO keep up CORES
pondence with his mistress, even in her enehant-
ed castle; gold opened the doors to his mfssen.
/ gers, and even himself was sometimes admitted
! to a conversation from window. This success
was too obvious TO be concealed from the Argus
| eyes Of her father, who reduced the matter 70 3
( short alternative with the lady.
He told her Madam, you must either gut
/ this gentleman, or me"
She answered d-"Then, sir, your humble SER
want; and at midnight dropped from the ac-
customed window into the arms Of her lover.
who Immediately called up fleet parson, to
speak the prologue for his approaching tragedy.
1t was a month after they were married, be-
fore il entered into Jacks head to enquire about
the lady's fortune, nor would so uBmannerlY a
thought have presumed to visit that seat If re'
velry then, but that the last guinea he was pos
sessed of, was sent to be changed. lie found
that the lady situation was Just such as bis OWN
that her relations had much ability, batvery lit
Tie inclination 10 do. anything for her, aud 10
Two days received an answer TO a letter which
he had written 10 his own father, informing him
that be should never look upon him again, and
another from hers, assuring him that il would
be singular pleasure to him, to see so insinua-
ting a rascal and so disobedient baggage, starVe
together,
There is very course proyerb in our Ian
guage, that seems a sort Of parsphrase on the
potter expression OF the Romans, Sine Cerers
a Bacch0 triget Feaas.' But to do our new
msrrid people justice, poverty increased instead
Of abaiting their passion for one another, That
they submitted to every thing, is not the proper
character Of their conduct; there was no disa-
grseable, no mean office, either could do for the
other, that was not snstChed at with the utmost
eagerness, as a proof Of love and gratitude, and
that did not inspire the others heart with an
increased fondness, while il filled the eyes with
tears.
Ny vay friend and bis blooming wife had
passed three years IL tbis uneonlfufsaell iaa-
lion, when HE father dba and left him IA pos.
session OF pretty fortune. | had kept uP my
acquaintance with them, in all their distress,
aud promised myself infinite satisfaction in the
continuance Of it, now they were in happy cir
eumstauces. But alas distresses | find are
Immediately necessary to some peoples hapPi-
ness Jack, who could before live on almost
nothing, now finds it difficult TO keep within
the bounds Of six time his income, and the agree
able Polly, who was all aiiability, all good ma
( tnre in her f. rmer circumstances s grown in
sufferably pcCVish, insOlent, aud exceptlonable
in her present situation. The appearance Of 9
woman better dressed than herself in public
place, gives her an insupportshle anguisbi it i
pain to her, 10 see a woman Of quality take plact
Of her in public, and but hint that seems t
lean towards the remembrance Of her having
been once in less sffuent circumstances sets bel
10 flame, that nothing but the tears that burs
out, eau allay, Her friends grow tired Of her
acquaintance are ashamed 10 be seen with her
and the unluoky husband finds ten Thousand rea
sons a day 10 wish to be unmarried, or else to b,
+ beggsr again. lie has told me Of her throw
ing the eards at his head because be had forgot
/ ten an eleventh at whist as an eight or ten
, and was present yesterday at her sweeping tn
, whole table, at one jerk Of the cloth, on
presnming 10 fancy thata pheasant, which sh
called raw, might be done as some people lik
it.
n think that | owe that lady who could af
. trent me so far as to make me witness Of tbi
+ no respect, that should prevent my doing th
, world some service at her expence as an exam
, pie; and beg every married reader Of mine
-, to ask their own hearts, If ever they should b
tempted under the same circumstances--whe
ther, if the one Of these people had asked par
] ent's consent, and the other obeyed the com
msnds of one, both might not have madethem
selves much happier in so important an artiel
as marriage than they have done, by following
mere inclination, even now that they arc unde
the most advantageous situation in pOiatof for.
tune? Obedience to parent is neof tic mos
natural Of the social duties; it is the OnlYone Il
which blessing is promised in this life, and The
proms very seldom fails to be aecomplishs,iis- ~