Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1853-10-08

ALEXANDER SMITH INA FASHIONABLE SALOON
| A correspondent of the Boston Transcript has
furnished that paper with the following interest
ing and striking sketch of the appearance of the
new poet, a. Smith, Esq, in brilliant saloon
| of fashion in London:
LONDON, August 8. 1868.
Afew evenings since, l was invited to a friends
house where company of literati were to as
semble for the purpose of meeting the youngest
and most enchanting of the British bards.-
About y o'clock the crowd of ladies and gentle
men thickened toward the door, and expectation
| stood on tptoe. Few present had ever looked
upon the youth who had taken captive seanaany
hearts and heads among the admirers Of song.
"Genius is always eccentric, said tall, thin,
wiry, STRAIGHTFORWARD curate, s and Smith viii
| startle us / dessay with his mdnner.' g He will
soon be here" replied the lady of the house,
"and we shall see." 10o'clock and the white
headed servant bowed and called out distinctly
| at the drawing-room door, g Mr.. Smith |" every
| voice was hushed as the footsteps in the entry
grew louder and approached the entrance ave-
nue.. l must acknowledge to considerable GU
| riosity on my own part as Mr. Smith came for
laYard and extended his hand to Mime -.
observed aslight trcmu.ousaess on the part Of
| too felt the magic presence of genius, and in
| stinctively turned pale and faltered somewhat
in her manner. have eenher bow to Duke,
and extend finger to a Duchess without the
culver of a muscle. l have seen her recognized
by and return the salutation of half dozen
Earls and Their Countesses at sitting, with
scarce change of color, but now her trial hour
had come indeed. Like a true London-bred
hostess, however, she soon resumed her wOnted
ceolness, and Mr.. Smith was on the floor for
examination. A pallid face seton a back ground
| Of raven hair; eyes now bright. now languid,
of eboR blackness; lips apartand eager; a form
Ifrail as the bush that bears the pendant lilly );
and Alexander Smith is before us. He looked
hungry, and Immediately called far sandwich
and something liquid tosmoisten its journey
down his waiting throat. Ihave seen pantaloons
in all their various stages Of patched decay, but
never such pair as encased that night the
lengthy lower members of Alexander Smith
They had seen better days. The same may be
said of his coat and the sum total of his apparel
But If his garments were bad, his manners were
brilliant. He neither looked nor acted like an
ordinary man. His whole bearing was magni-
fcent, and every eye followed him with admit
ration. One of his first requests was to have
the windows thrown open wider that he might
gaze upon and hold conversation with the
stars. He spoke to no one else, declining all
solicitations of introductions His breast pin,
a larg& cameo representation of Marc Antony
lay, like an Emperor, upon a very dingy shirt
bosom. This he frequently cIutched with con-
vulsive energy. | wished very much to hear
the sound of his voice, and once only during the
evening was gratifed. As the servant handed
him the tray of ices, be seized one with both
hands, swallowed it without a struggle, threw
the glass out of the window, and sighed in a
tone like the western wind
o, let me live,
* To love, and flush, and thrill
d Or let me die!
Two walters Immediately rushed forward and
bore him to divan, round which thirty
whitearmed damsels Immediately lowered breath