The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-08-18
s E L E G 7 E D ).
From the Household, Words.l
A Bowl of PunChs

not to be found elsewhere; part SUM-
shine-part mirror-part gas-and part,
no light whatever,) when was thrown
into train of reflection not unlike the
chequered light in which Twas seated ;
for my thoughts were, in some measure,
prospective and retrospectiye-halfs sun
shine, and half melancholy; with a
dust Of other-day world curiosity mixed
with the certainty of this-day world
material. had been thrown into this
train of feeling at missing on their ac-
customed shelf a row of punch bowls,
many, if not all of which, when | was
less careful Of my constitution than |
am now, | had helped to empty in the
old supernaculum or volunteer style
Those, on which China's gayest art had
dyed the azure flowers "that blow"
were, found, crowded in a corner, one
within the other, as if no longer asked
for; and over that blue and white bowl
real Chelsea, wrought with noble
envy of Dresden, and more to my liking
than any Dresden manufacturers, be-
cause it smacked Of Smollett and Chel-
seal observed cobweb of at least
last year, symbolical-what more so !?
that the bowl was no longer Of any use,
that punch was no longer drank in
short, that people, young and old, were
much in my own condition-no longer
what they were.
In this state of thoughtful certainty,
the bowls bringing old faces-now, no
longer old-once more into my memo
~, and my thoughts still partaking Of
the chequered shade in which I was
sitting, called the head waiter VIII
liam to my aid for, like the little hero
in the Rejected Addresses, 81 always
talk to Will.n
e.' William" said, @why are the
bowls put out of sight? Why, more
than all, is that old blue and white
Chelsea friend, from which the Com
modore and myself, with Joe Kepped
and Henry Eaton, and some more mer-
ry fellows used to drink, going fresh
into five shillings' worth in the morn
ing; why does that bloated spider mo-
nopolize its noble circle, throwing its
filmy web over its top in place of the
delicious steam from old Jamaica u.s.
quebaugh, OF right Geneva, OF Nantz
or Hollands; Geneva was the drink the
Commodore loved best, though can
not say that L" To what extent of
rambling | should have run I can hard
ly ina gine, for William was listening
atteniyely, with a smile playing on
his lips, overcoming for time at least
two twinges of the gout. 'Why, sirn
iaComing, pa Pay in mine p, why
are pawnbrokers' windows crowded
with silver punch-iadles % And, with
this appropriate problem TO solve, he
left me for time returning, however,
as soon as there was another cessation
of demands to pay. Yes, say, why
are pawnbrokers the principal, almost
sole, proprietors of punch-ladles-look
at any window, how they strew the
frontage with masonic badges-punch
and masonry are both out of fashion
But how do you account for this? no
one calls for even a half-crown bowl
or sneaker now "Why, sir"-I OBJ
serve that William generally begins
eny particular communication in this
Inannerl-" Why, sir, it is not as it used
10 be when / first came here, when
you, and the Commodore, and Harry
Eaton, and the squire from Ilford, and
the Romford gentleman, and the cap.
tain of the Somerset House Militia, and
the major of the Light Horse volnu.
teers-HeTfiesi as was, and the gentle.
man as was on the Chronicle-Mr. Per-
ry's friend--he who knew the old Duke
of Norfolk so well uflaying particulars |
emphasis on the sol, and the partner
from Hoare's house over the way. Lord /!
and how many more could name
Those were the days of punch and 10y |
atty, Punch went opt of fashion with |
the war. You must have another war
to get punch into demand again. | am
certain you would be confouhded at
hearing how much was drank on the
tenth of April and that wasn't war
neither-but ii proves my point. Louis
is the mani sir,eto take those
bowls from of their sh elf and to lessen
the number of ladies in the windows of
pawnbsekersyi andsRith this concluding
remark, pronounced in kind of conf
3entiah whisper; William left me to
pursue his business--both of fsus evident
u wishing flor the sake of punch alone)
hat Louis Napoleon tuould come over.
! I sat still brooding upon punch and
he land commemorated by Waller:
The happy country where huge lemons grow.
Who's for poonsh !" found myself
saying, mimicking Garrick's favorite
node OF initiating Johnson--sqneezing
salemon into a punch-bowl with un-
south gesticulations, and looking round
he company for eager applicants
Phen It occurred to me, does any young
Hwet his commission
low that is, dip his Admiralty writing
. = bowl Of punch 2 What are our
1enug militia-meu about-your Sher-
Eood Foresters to wit 2 Surely bowl
{ punch Rould do them no harm
aaking their. clothes fit tighter to their .
kins, and their arms lit moderately /
lssd( filter TO WELD either bayonet or
word. Would Dibdiu have written his j
unless with bowl of punch {
- NJ A IN j