The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-09-27


clerk of the cities of New York and Brooklyn,
has made record of another cheated term to
whose correctness $4,000 surviving souls are
ready to testify. But the many sudden show
ers have afforded fine chances to study and
admire that most graceful of all female accom-
plishments- promenading upon wet sidewalks.
Suppose ourselves standing on Broadway, near
the ST. Nicholas, at o'clock p. NJ, of a warm
day, to see it done.
The bright morning sky which lured out the
city fair in shoals, curdled Suddenly into thun-
der-clouds which have just emptied their con-
tents, leaving the awnings dripping, the lead
ers from the roof bursting with miniature cas-
cades the cutters choked and gurgling with
frothy, nondescript ofalbroth-the Russ pave
ment bare and slippery, and little pools in the
hollows of the broad tagging of the walks,
wore there by the tread of myriad feet. With
the first CLEAN of returning sunshine our streets
are filled and our observations commence. We
can readily tell whether the fair promenaders
are city or country bred. Here comes a fat
determined woman who pushes stright on car
ing nothing for her feet put planting them re-
solutely where it chances, putting and splatter-
ing. Lether pass--she is poser and her
style of walking will not certainly betray her
place of breeding. Next comes superb NIL
tronly dame who chooses the most eligible
stepping places with perfection of science
almost equal to instinct. Plainly she is city
bred and used to these predicaments all her
life. Her neatly fitting black gaiter is dry
and unmatched. She proposes to accomplish
4 crossing. See with what easy grace she
gathers her ample robes around her LETT arm
and tiptoes herself across, disclosing the lower
half of Il well turned limb, cncased in hose of
spotless white.
Here comes Il sweet-iaced maiden, gliding on
tmidly and irresolutely in a pleasing mental
struggle between sensitiveness and the desire
of preserving her neither toilet intact She has
not learned the art of prone nading wet
streets, and already great splashes are sullying
her clean skirts, and she will have doleful
letter to write home about the nastiness of our
streets. All! maiden of the rosy country
face in one short year from now, when you
have seen more of our inside and outside life,
shall have heard Vestvali sing drinking
songs in tights at the Academy of Music
seen Sots in the ''Sarentula" at the Metropol-
itan-,when you have learned to Polk and
Redowa in parlor and ballroom, and our city
beauxs, by a thousand compliments, shall have
made you aware of the personal charms you
now possess so ANONYMOUSLY, you will have
learned promenadmg
Here comes an acknowledged belle--hcr
handsome features wear the smiling serenity of
the drawing-room. She looks neither to the
right nor to the left, but with elbows slightly
inclining outward, gingerly holds her costly
robes in advance, between the thumb and fore
finger of each gloved hand, revealing the pref
tiest little fawn-colored gaiter in the world
tied about dainty ankle. and slight glimpse
of the lace-fringed p-s.
But l see, Mr.. Editor, by the grave shake of
your head, that we must proceed to weightier
business. But let me say. by way of wind up,
that the freedom of the promenade, like the
freedom of the surf at watering places is imu-
table, and any ignoramus who should presume
to take advantage of it in the way of insult
ing remark or idle jest even, would find him.
self handsomely marked with knockles, cane
or cowhide.
Speaking Of cowhides brings me to another
fracas which occurred on Saturday evening at
the st. Nicholas. The facts simply are that
Mr.. Wright, Texan, met Mr. Dean, a Bal
timorean, by appointment to discuss and settle
a dispute growing out of the disposition of
certain plate belonging to the steamboat
James, of which they were joint proprietors.
Warm words ensued-the Texian produced a
cowhide which he laid suddenly upon the Bal
timorean, who d. ew large dirk knife with
which he had provided himself in anticipation
of quarrel, and plunged it twice into the
body of the Texan, who now lies in a danger
Gus state, but is somewhat better this morn
ing.
To most of us French is as ancient rs He
brew. Hence the picturesqueness of Rachel's
brilliant performances, and hearing 1000 leaves
OF the fresh play book turned inStantaneously
to rustling from footlights to dome, as if
hail storm was pounding on the roof Rachel
herself was so startled on the first night of her
performance that she opened her full Jewish
eyes to their utmost stretch and stared vague
ly for a moment, as if an earthquake had rum
bled under her feet. She is getting used to it
now-foreleases US from the fascination of her
spell just long enough to turn leaf at the