The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-11-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
From, the Illustrated Family Friend.
A LETTER OF INTRODUCTION
OR,
Tfse Fatal Casaltflovycr.
A RAsHFUL MANS STORY.

IS Let him who has never suffered
from the horrors Of bashfulness, pass
By this article. He will find here no
thing with which he can sympathize
But he who knows the exquisite mise
ryof a temperament, whose very ma
ture almost shuts him OUT from human
sympathy, while it opens upon him
the full slnices of laughter and ridi
onlo, he only should read, for he only
can, understand, this chapter of my
etsfferings. 1t is but specimen Of
my life. Er asno disco onsnce. 10
all others it will be in the proud con.
eciousness Of the unspeakaAe bless.
ing of impudcncc, let them thank
heaven that its waters can never flow
FOR them.
As my object is but to give a spe-
eimen of the numerous coAtre temps
Mat necessarily bcsct ne, the mo.
mont [ appear in ladies society, |
shall merely speak of those that be.
fell me at the only dinner in Paris,
to which was invited. Though Ia
den with introductory letters, l nev-
or delivered another.
Ipass by the various efforts I made,
beforo [ could muster sufficient reso-
luton to delivc. to Madame o., the
one that procured for me, and a
frieud who came with me, the dinner
in question. | pass by, too, my trepi.
sdatinn at the everlasting peal with
which the bell.responde,l to my touch.
Scarcely could 1 distinguish the
3'arles nn .Suisse, over the porter's
lodge, whero probably Swiss never
sbood since it's erection. l pass by,
several minor blundcrs such no ask
ing the porter to direct us to :" la
chamlrc de Muddme,'' meaning her
drawing-room. Suffice it to say,
thatsny less nervous companion, die.
tionary in hand, boldly led the way;
shat having traversed a yoodly mum
her of courts and stairs, we at length
arrived safely at an antc-room, where
stood servant before pair of fold
ing doors, which he threw wile open,
and announced us by pair Of naucs,
shat ne should never have recognised
as our own, nal we met them else.
where.
Already agitatcd, and pcrspiring
with nervous trepidation, this osten-
satious mode Of entrance, so different
from the republican simplicity to
which WAS accustomed, was a formi-
sdablc trial to me. My cheeks tinyled,
my knees trembled, and my heart
beat violently. l skunk silently be.
hind my unabashcd companion, and
endoavored to gather sufficient cour.
age to conceal the trcmor that shook
me like an ague.6t. Madame O..
rose to receive MS; and, as We ap.
preached her, it became necessary
that I should deploye from behind
a,y friend. But in 80 doing, l did
not notice a large pet dog, who, com.
fortably stretched on red velvet
cushion, lay mapping beside his mis
tresa, directly in my path. On l
went, anxious only to get through
the Introductory ceremonies as soon
as possible, and then to enscoucc my
aelF in some remote corner, where,
s''.'The world forgetting, by the world forgot"
Z might escape all notice or remark.
But truly says tho French proverb,
'"'L'homnae Sc propose, mais c'est lc
bon Dieu qli dispose" and very un.
fortunate were his dispositions for my
intention. AS l hastcncd on, all
glowing with confusion, and quaking
! with fright, just as began my bow,
l stumbled over the dctcstcd pet,
and was suddenly prccipitated mead
foremost, like an anciert battcring
ram, into the lap Of Miss P; over.
Hturping episodically countryman of
my own, who was seated next her,
balancing his chair on its two hind
legs. To save himself, he instructive
Jy grasped the back Of her chair; and
his weight at her rear, acting at the
same moment that | was hurled at
her 'front.'. decided all hesitation, and
{. eyer we all rolled together, the chairs
mppcrmost. The vile cur who had
= been at the bottom OF the whole mis-
sschicf, seized me by the leg, and, re
lcciying q hearty kick in return, add
ed his bowling to the chorus of dis
may thqt now filed the apartmont.-
Happily, the female sufferer in thi:
melee, engrossed oil tho sympathy
aud attention of the company; but
well knew, that in the short minut,
that had elapsed since l entered th'