The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1853-10-12
MISCELLANEOUS.
Written for the Port Gibson Reyeille
YOUNG OLD MEN"
BY J. BOMBER, JR.

Reader, am anything but an "0li Fogie.
as the term is generally understood, yet ten
chances to one you will set me down for one,
before pcrusing twenty lines Of this essay =
Yet, in our journey through life, strange
sights will present themselves, puzzling the
mind By their siigularity, and causing the
heart to sigh-tO sigh in vain, alas =
For the good old days Of Adam aud Eye.o
Il can but pity the young man, between
the age Of puppyhOod and independence, q. e.
10 and 2l years) when see him aping the
airs Of some strolling coekney, Mhnss Ewpg-
gering manner and fancy. oiths." he, in his
boyish simplicity. imagisfes to be the indca-
ton Of a gentleman. When see that young
man leaGe behind him the home Of his child
hood. to seek his fortune in the worlds wide
field" and behold upon bis countenancc a
look of hueh importance and foolish selfcon-
ceit,.-as much as TO say, Plague take the
old folks, say They are forever advising,
freihng, aud making inquiries Just as if |
am not oh enough to take care Of myself. -
set him down a. a spoiled ebild--a specimen
Of Young America disgrace to lis parents
"a young old man" IT'S such specimens
ofthe rising generation who are an adherence
to every well-bred man, when It is his misfor-
tune 20 be thrown into their company
| pity such monslrosities yet behold them
in every city and village; for, to use nauti-
cal phrase, they are easily distinguished "by
the cut Of their jib." Perhaps (and perhaps,
only,) he may possess what is termed "an n
telloctual countenance if 50, behold him
with his hair "roached" IA statesman,
copy Of Tom Paine obtruding from his coat
pocket Skep:icism Just daring to show itself
in his eountonance, and pitying frown for
every 'Sunday-school scholar, Of his own
age, whom he shall chance to meet in his
perambulations
Perhaps he IS a merchants clerk. If 50,
behold him standing behind the counter Of his
employer. arraYed in high, stiff, standing col
lar, hugh.knotted cravat, barber-pole panta-
looms, patent.leather shoes, moustache CON-
posed Of a few dowEy hairs and pomatun,
smerkiug. condescending air for all wealthy
customers, hut a cold. naughty, impatient
demeanor toward those less favored with the
almighty dollar. Examine him well, reader;
for in him you behold the second edition Of
spoiled child-a Young Old Man.
Let his position be what it may,-either
school-boy, apprentice, counter-hopper. or
romantic, nice young man." he is the chap
whose "mother don't know he sout;" or, ifshe
docs. is perhaps also simple enough to think
that, as "Chawles is almost seventeen, he IS
quite competent to attend to bis own affairs :"
lie Is the one to treat bis father with disre-
spect; and, while not in his presence, speak
OF him as the "0ld Man There are sew
eral stages to be gone through, before the "old
man" is brought on. PA, papa and
" father have had their day /; and, as the
young swe Il lazily rolls his cigar, or quid O.
tobacco, to the other side Of his mouth, he
strokes his goose-down chin, and replies with
a curl Of bis lip, to the gentleman by whom
he is interrogated, That's nobody but the
Old Man y
No expression with which | am acquain-
ted, CRATES 50 harshly on the ear, as that Of
" old man''-especially when il comes from
he lips Of son speaking Of his father. II is
irreyerent, and shows lack Of some kind Of
Of the youth; and the person who
habitually uses the expression, is either such /
IN one as / have described, or young man
intimate with low characters or " young old
man, . who docs not feel that respect due from
/ son to his parent. In either case, you will Iu-
gariably find him a specimen Of the rising
generation . with which. alas our cities and
.owns abound.
Tbs young old man frequcnts oyster
cellars, ice-cream saloons and fashionable
lie has learned to say ~damme
With a fashionable grace. and can smoke a 7