Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-10-28
Prom the Bunalo Conservative.
A Graphic Portrait

"1'HE PRlNCE ov Coon PELLOws."-l'hls ~ al
title bestowed generally upon Slout genllsmani
with pnsnid cOmplexolj pleihOrc habit Of bO'
dyi red lace, and q loud laugh, whose Chief
business seems 10 be hanging about blr'TOoms,
thinking at other peoples expense snd tn TelnT
telling broad stories, enaotlig ludicrous pHnlO'
lime, and entertaining circles Of companions with
such gossip mud thA'ng as seems appropriate lO
The places he lFeuuenls HE'S always an nmuble
man, sometimes even loveable one in many Ie.
speclSi but his cornwall haUiS have long ego
oVeteons al his better qualities, aud he now e-
votes himself entirely to their qualifications, The
Prince Of Good Fellows should neveT bs seen Oe'
leE0 twelve o'clock in the day, as up To Tint time
he Is lnll Ofhehes sad, morOse, and neIVOuSi talks
vnguely Of illness and DEATH conlemplaleS his
finger nails, sghs, Iubs hiS eyeS, aud yHwnS, auu
frequently gives uIleTanov 10 The sentiment that
thlsia hard world TO live in, Which IL undOubL-
edlYis for him, During this depression he resorts
to alcoholic stimuli MIS- 10 bring up his nerves,
and by dlnto OF frequent Espitlions Of the remedial
agent aud fTugal I5nnsl, eaten Standing from the
counter Of some bar, he succeeds in restoring a.
portion Of The lost nervous energy and begins to
come out quite strong about tue lour Of nlelidian'
Al this time he prsssnls the appearance Of 10.
vial, happy .nan, and 70 the superficial portion Of
his admirers deem himi some Of them, indeed, go'
Ing so at as 10 envy his lot aud ~ wish they were
aS eOnlented as he.
Atdjnler the Prince OF Good Fellows Is looked
upon as most desirable companion. He knows
all the etiquette ollhe table, aud never commits
any breach oil the unitieS or that place. He dress
es a salad with exquisite taste, and cannot lie de-
celved in Wines. He tells you the history Of Tue
OiiYe-whOh he has accidentally stumbled upon
10 Chambuts's Miscellany or Household Words
and has pleasant unectote 10 oil all The pausrs
Of conversation, The ladies fancy him very
mutli, (oT he is respectful, comedies every lhing
10 them, and deleTs 10 their Judgment. lie does
no, take much wine while lheY nTe OF The luble'
and opens tile door iOTteiI exit with nhaie gTaos.
Once they aTe gone he deYOles himself 10 The de-
caneTs, and Tue rOnIs OF laughter that follow the
ladies up stais are provoked by smart joke Of g.
which would moi bear rvpilllion In The drawing
room. Still he is not VnlBnL nnd really coarse
willCism actually OfTends hlmj for hs has delicate
sensblles, aud hi, broad style Of humJE grows
out of the wine rather than naturally from his
taste. Later IN the evening" when lv IOlnS The
ladies' above sl0iTs, he IS attentive aud marked IN
his conduct towards them, turns u cir music, adj
jusls the piano STOOL, nndiG he sees middle-aged
spinsler, a plain or u "SloW," one, neglected. unh
playing wGil flower he Is peculiarly attracted to-
wards hei, aud bOTes himself perhaps IN the eliOEl
10 do her kindness.
Sometimes The Prince Of Good Fellows is
bache or, but olteneT lie is hurried man with
several children. His wife is rarely seen IN soci.
ely, aud her appearance is that VI one out Of Health
aud much Depressed in spirits. Her dresses are
usually Of a Uy.gOne style, aud, though neat, We
evidence OF rigid economy aud many nTlific,s 10
make The two ends meet She takes Tue bnck
slteels aud the less lIgqueuted side OF the way as
abe walks abroad, and lakes special cure To avoid
passing public places where she may meet the
gaEeof her husbands friends. She walks rapid
ly, with her head down, aud IN winter draws her
scaEly shawl tightly about her shoulders, an un.
glOyed hand showing through the openingIn front.
Occasionally she may be met coming from mnTket
with little basket nengeIly ST ckedi but her hts
l9la.a t.,fraisa
IN her table expenses, loT he Iequites clean linen
and neat garments, aud lleil purse will not nIlId
sumptuOus living.
10 see him in his prime and glory you must meet
the PdnGe OF Good Fellows al on evening party Of
young men, when supper, and wine, aud cards,
aud loud lulk, and mlErlment nTe The elements vi
The entertainment. There lie comes out SlIUngesli
there his good fellowship is most thoroughly deYel
oped there he is In his element, and TO See aud hear
him one would say he has The happlest Of lnen.-
The jokes, tile TepaTlees, the mlIl moving Maria.
tOns the vii md humoT which abound, udud by
brilliant lights, sparkling silver aud glass, bright
wines, cheerful COuMlUnAncts, aud all tile access
Of such lime, give an ait Of enjoyment aud
pleasure ~ the scene which may well tHSCinnle
Tie INEXPERIENCED and pass with lhem as real. But
IL they would know the s:elnn truth, II they would
know how false and futile Is oil this muckeTy OF
happiness, let them taUy I'LL the evening is spent,
the lights Oul, The WINE drunk up, The perry dis
prIsed. Let ihen follow the PnnCe Of GOOd Eel
lows TO his home. Let them listen 10 his halt.
drunken muuedngs MS lie puTsues his lonely way,
and lake heed Of his seli.aOcusatIOnS, his bitter
Teviling, ms TepToaohes and VOWS OF reformation.
Let them enter with hun tile oheerless house,
where wife and little ones ATE paying the penalty
VI his sin. Let them sac the misery those SINS
entail the bitter, piucnng want that staIes out
from Scanty Leds, from broken furniture, from
empty cupbUaTds, from worn aud lntleIed garments,
from cherries crates and wickless broken lamps.
Let them watch The smile that plays about tue wan
face Ol tue poor, neglected, llmUSt htaIl. broken
wife ns she kisses The lips that 80 lately joined IN
the TibOld Laugh, the drunken chorus. Lei them
watch Tue detection that settles upon tic face Of
the Prince Of Good Fellows as The excitement
wears of and the sad bitter Truth takes possession
VI his mind-the plain, hard truth that his good.
fellowship Is killing him, bodily aud mentally, is
beggnIing his family, and dIugglng down helpless
woman aud innocent little children 10 depth from
which they eau hardly hope to rise. Let them see
The Good Fellow in The morning, as with shaky,
nervous leebleneSs he attempts to attire himself
for another DAY Of "hOppinessj' the Efforts Of
the Aife 10 make him smart and nealj heaT the
whispered words Of enlIeaty ns lie parts from her
upOG The lhfeshhOld and the pledges whispered
back. Let them see and heuE all this, aud then
say IL the Saddesl, poorest, thnnes, most delusVu
Of oil shamsIs not that popular one, "lnE PNScE
OF Coon FELLOwsl"
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