Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-11-11
from the New-York Leader
Wives VS., Ladies,

From the New-i ork Leader
Wives VS.. Ladies.
Wives are getting out of fashion, and we
have nothing, nowadays among upp'sh
Coloner-says Dr. Tapeworm to his
friend, as the latter wrote upon the Register
70 the St. Sponge 'em Hotel in Broadway
Col.Corkscrew and wife, Columbus, Ohio
Colonel, what fool you are to use that vul-
gar word "wife p Why not do as do! and
the snob wrote in big hand: Dr. Tape
worm and lady, IdiotsviIIe, Tennessee
But why call my Mary lady" in New
York, when in Columbus call her "wife''? 2
{" But you should call her lady every
where. Only laborers and mechanics have
wives. | tell you what, colonel, if we don't
keep up some such distinction, we shall
soon find ourselves confounded with our
tailors and dressmakers. To be sure my
father was retail ape-and-taffety dealer,
and Mrs. T. used to work out; but what of
that? Times have changed. and we-my
lady and I-have got up in the world. True,
failed last year, and compounded with my
creditors, confound 'em; but who hasn't fall
ed, should like to know? Beside, paid ten
per cent. on dollar, and that's more than
most Of them do, and at the best didn't
s:put by" more than ten thousand Or so; and
if it wern't for Miss. Sni the milliner, and
old Chip the carpenter-who have the i'm
pudence to dun US every time we meet
them-l should have forgotten the failure
before this
Now then, doctor, don't 90 harping on
that old affair; but tell yon what, this ia
king 10 ourselves airs, and calling our wives
ladies, because we live in fine houses, is In
my opinion all CANNON
But you wouldn't have the the Presi-
dent, for instance speak of Mrs. Pierce as
his :: wife, like one of his salaried under
strappersv
Certainly would; and for that matter,
his salaried understrappers, as you call
them, would be much more likely TO use the
wore " lady" than he himself would. Folks
who resort to such tricks do so because
they are not sure of their position. As for
me- | am content 10 call Mrs. Corkscrew
wife, as long as she is willing TO call me
husbandD
But rot in public?'
Not in public! Why not as well as in
private? What is there in the word wife so
indicate that we should be ashamed of it !?
Mary vowed in public to be my wife, not
my lady. and she has never been ashamed
of it that know, and why should she be,
any more than to call me husband? Fancy
her speaking of me, as her gentleman
True, don't call her "wife,' and deary,"
and "ducky," in public as LIDO sometimes in
private-when she is tending the baby for
instance but " wife" call her everywhere,
and mean to even though am colonel OF
you purchased an LII. D. of Dub 'em Col
| i,uo x,.,, should Il, an, 4; narap4
Well, do as you please, colonel, but for
would no more call Polly "wife" in public,
than would call her baby,jumper. Doyou
suppose | mean to be COMPOUNDED with
Chip; or have my wife COMPOUNDED with
Snip. Not L.
But thought you were democrat, doc
tor? You said SO at the fogy-fogie meeting
the other day.
So am. colonel, but what has that 10 do
| with it So is George Bancroft a democrat;
but that didn't prevent him having liveried
srvants when he was in England, and call
ing his wife ''my lady" when he introduced
her to the Queen! So is Judge Mason a
democrat but that don't prevent him from
wearing livery himself, and decking and
bowling before royalty like mandarin The
fact is, when you are in Cowes you must do
as cows do @1-sg.s
well, if that is what you call democracy,
I'm glad never voted your ticket; but
when you talk about England let me tell
you that there, even among the aristocracy,
a man calls his wife his wife. and when he
is speaking of any other woman. he calls
her woman. The word "ladynis only
used as a title. As for France, they have nc
word that answers to lady, and whatever a
mans position, if he cares straw for his
wife, he calls her wife Al hotel he may
write .Monsieur ct Madame" Mr.. and
Mrs.) Such-a-one, and for that matter don't
object to that among ourselves.
u RATHER SpIcY.-The editress of the Olive
Branch, Published at Boston, having receiv
ed communication from Nashville, Tennes
see, inquiring whether some female prin.
tiers could be hired there 10 go to Nashville
replied as follows:
every girl in Boston who is old enough
TO work in a. printing office. or any olhel
office. has a lover, whom she would be just
as likely TO trade off for Tennessee article
as she would be to swap him off for a grizzly
bear. The idea Of a Boston girl, who goes
TO operas, patronizes Juiien's concerts
waIizes once week, eats ice cream. rides
in the omnibus, wears satin slippers, some
times kisses the editor, going TO Tennessee
except she goes there as the wife Of one D
your first class citizens, editors excepted, is
truly ridiculous Wouldn't girl in a silk
dress, 9Th laee-edged pantalets and shiny
+ gaiter boots look well trudging through the
mud and mire of Nashville TO an old barn O
printing office, while inene corner Of the
same room two old darkies are jerking away
at an old ramage press and in the other, the
editor is squirting tobaccb juice over the
floor! Wouldn't she, be in nice fix wher
the editor and some great brute of fellow
whom he offended, got to playing at the
game Of shooting their revo]verss acros the
. office at each others heads? Who wonie
make the fire when--had run of, and the
editor was drunk! Who'd go home with
her dark nights? Who 'wouklatake her on
to ride on Saturday afternoon, and go IL
church with her on Sunday? No sir, a Bos
ton girl won't go TO Tennessee for love O.
money. She can get enough Of both nearer
home.o #
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