The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-01-12

Mrs. Wiggins has worn that sky.bfue bon.
net for two winters. She got il, Mrs.
Burt says, Of Mrs. Jones, in John ,treet
and it cost eight dollars. Wiggins has
sported the same brown coat he now
wears, for four years. hear he has late
y purchased new black frock, and IL
one OF Jennings' clerks tells the truth, il
cost him twenty-five dollars. Well, now.
what on earth can have embarrassed Wig.
glnsi Certainly not his domestic arrange
ments,"
So Joel Swampey, would talk Of pso.
pie, sometimes unquestionably leading to
serious injury Of them, but exactly how
they could not well tell. He generally
enjoinsd confidence, and Of cotIrse the
inuendoes lie throw out were confidential
ly communicated along chain of possips
like hiu1self until they got into bold broad
daylight, and effected a positive injury.-
The story he told us about Virgins, " as
overheard by gentleman who sat near
US at table, and in three hours was in Wall
street. Wiggins met it promptly, without
beng able to trace its author, and as the
result proved, it all originated from the
fact of his going into ncighbor's to get
some uncurrent bills changed into city
money. Swampey, or one Of his friends,
saw him coming out with roll of money.
and at once conciuded-such folks always
jump at nclusions-that lie was little
short. -."
Joel Swampey was very fond Of ladies'
society, and we are sorry to say, the fair
sex, or those who lived at his hotel, liked
his gossip 90 well, that they encouraged
ms attentions. 1t was 30 nice for than to
have all the particulars about every little
affair that was going on in town; and then
Joel was so thoroughly "booked UNI IN
them. He heard all the engagement.
which were on the tapis; knew the time
selected for the marriage ceremony; and,
sometimes could tell what the bride and
her attendants we're to wear. Then he
was acquainted with all the little sccses
which occurred in families, between hus-
banda and wives. II Mr.. and Mrs. Blood
had had small spat about the galla6tries
OF Mr.. Is, or the EASY manners of Mrs.
b- SwamPey was possessed Of all the
particulars Of the affair. 1t rather an.
noyed him to hear that the difficulty had
been compromised by tho interposition of
Mrs. Rambler; he would very much have
preferred to state that an eternal separa-
siob must enSue. . ... .- ,., ..
We say the ladies at the hotel liked all
this spicy gossip, which Joel Swanpey
carried in his budget; and, which he told
with 80 many shakes Of his littlo hump
back, aud so many little nervous laughs.
Why will ladies IN holcis ana boarding.
houses, have such dcrravcd ,appctitcs for
scspdal' Ah reader, that's question
which it would puzzle the spiritual medi-
ums TO answer. '."' .' ..
Bot Joel Swampeys ecquetting with
the ladies at the hotel, once produced 4
storm, which gathered about his head, and,
wh;ch whom Il broke, nearly carried away
his cars. lie had been accustomed daily
to waylay the servant who was cent to the
post-office for the letters, and by giving
him n six-pcnee, to obtain at the earliest
momen. anything intended for himself
More than this, the early glance he had
al the letters enabled him, to run his eve
over their superscriptions; and l,o hence
could skip about the house, announcing
10 tho various boarders that there was \
letter for them in the Office. Sometimes.
he would even 60 80 far-very frequent
ly in tbs ease Of ladies--as 70 deliver the
letters himsslf saying a. he did so, while
he winked those little gray twinkling eyes
81 his, -hope its good news" or, 81 see
the seal is black one; pray heaven! no
bolys dead!" - t...
'Once upon q time" as the story books
say, be was talking with young and
handsone lady, the wifo Of Colonel Easy;
bat let US narrate the dialogue:
Swampty. Mrs. Easy, how Is Maria
Freeman, that wasi '.a. s.H
Ma. Essy. You mean Mrs. Herbert
Jones A. %, 7s ra- s...-.. ....s
!s,sa"spey yss beg pardon, Mrs. Her
bert Jones. ttE E7f'.l'3
Mrs. Easy. She was well when las.
heard from her, but her children have
been sick ... s.--
ISwdsspey. know: little Peggy had
the measles; Kitty, the cbicken-pocE; Sal
ly, bi!es. DR.. Ferguson attended them
by the way, that was an enormous bill Of
his; sevcnty-hvo dollars for forty visits. I
got the particulars of the charge from
your husband, the Colonel. ,7.s
Mrs. Easy. ALI! the Colonel should
not have spoken Of it corDplsiningiy. The
doctor is his friend, and has done him ma
ny fasors.
S,eampey. Oh, he only told me. you
kaow; ! used 10 BE- very infimats with the
Colonel before you were mspied, when
he was % afseasirs TO Mrs. freeman.
I Ars. Easy. (Quite uneasy.) Atten-
tive 70 MEa-. Freenani Why I did not
know that.
SscasspeS (Perplexsd, and yet not per-
plexed) Oh-he was-~-but then, you
know, Il ~as before he knew ysu. Let
mo ses---Mm. Freemsn introdueed you 10
yoar husband. Well, they were very
warm friends, and i suspect they stilI CEN