Southern reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1851-185?, 1852-06-23
Men and Women Nowadays.

Somebody is reporting for the Boston Joay
nal certain speeches Of Father Langley, who
is a very sensible old gentleman. The fol-
lowing is his opinion Of the present genera
ton
Failed, has he Iwonder that they don't
all fail. For what with the extravaganza and
good-for-nothinguess Of the men and women
nowadays, where is it all to end Call
themselves the sons Of the pilgrims, do they
l wish to mercy their old grand-fathers could
sec them They were true grit-real hearts
Of oak-but these popinjays are nothing in
the world but vcnccring! When | was boy
it used to be the fashion for boys to be ap-
prenticcd till they larnt their trade but now
they arc all BOSSES They aint no boys now
a-days. They set up for themselves as soon
as they are weaned know enough sight more
than their fathers and grandfathers-you can't
tell them anything-they know it all Their
fathers sweated and tugged in the corn field at
the tail Of a plow, or else over an anvil; but
they can't do It, They arc far too grand to
dirty their fingers They must wear fine
cloth, and shirt collars up to their cars-be
made into lawyers. larn doctoring; set them
selves up as preachers, telling US We ought to
do this or that or else get behind counter
to measure off ribbon aud tape Smart work
for two-fstcd men. Men, did say? They
worth morn half men. If We 20 on at this
rate the race will run out BY another genera
tion-wc shant have nothing but a mixture
Of coxcomb and monkey. The women, too
arc no better-it is just even. They arc
brought up good-for-nothing under the sun.
but to put in buffet When / was boy,
it wasn't so-the spinning wheel stood in the
kitchen, and the dyo-tub in the corner. They
were put to work as soon as they could walk
they didn't have no nursery maid to run after
them; their mothers wasn't ashamed to tend
their own babies. They could sew on q patch
and rock the cradle beside. The gals we're
worth something in those times, they could
spin and weave woollen, linsey-woolsey, red
and blue, and wear it too, after it was done.
They could eat bean porridge with pewter
spoon, and they were enough-sight happier,
and better suited, than the gals are now, with
their silk gowns, their French messes, and
silver forks; yawning and moping about
silly, pale things. with nothing to do. Set
them to work Set them to work Put them
at it early! Idleness is the Devils foreman;
and no chain is so strong as the iron chain Of
habit Watts was nobody's fool, can tell
you. lie knew what was what Folks don't
stand still here in this world they arc going
one way or t'other. If they amt drawing
the sled up hill. they'll be sliding down
Adam was a farmer, and Eve hadn't no Irish /
son, nor "nigger wench to wait upon her !
What do these popinjays say to that
Of the old folks, I'll warrant Adam
wasn'tnobody; Eve wasn't nobody, they know
i ALL
But they can't work they are 50 delicate
they arc 50 weakly. What has made them
weakly Send off your ehamber-maids, your
looks, your washer-womcn; and set your own
gals about it It made smart women Of their
.randmothers, if the old blood amt run out,
hey may be good for something yet.
Il used to be the fashion to be honest; if
man got in debt, he tried to pay; if he
diSi'rsablie.o opinion set a mark upon him
but it amt 50 now, IL tries not to pay; he'll
lie, cheat and steal; tf5s~Ehat better is it
than stealing1 and the one that cheats tho
fastest is the best fellow It is astonishing
how slippery these fellows arc Slip through
the smallest holcs--dont make no more Of it
than weasel. Just as soon think Of catch
ing a flea mapping, as one Of them They
drive fast teams without biz or curb buy all
they can pay for as little as possible pocket
all they can carry then fail make a smash :.
snap their fingers at their creditors; 60 to
California, or to grass; nobody knows where
and begins again Good gracious if some
Of these fellows lived forty years ago, they'd
have clapped them in prison and shaved
heir heads