The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-04-21
Pot,chon n,ania.

E Potichomania. h7 lN. A'
Whoever looks over the advertising columns
Of English and French journals will lately have
observed numerous notices headed Poticho-
mania" or "Potichmanie," and containing
mystic illusions to jars, vases, designs, etc,
oil addressed to the fashionable public. Those
dfar practical countrymen and countrywomen
who are perplexcd by these notices and not
initiated into the Potichmaniac mysteries, are
Informed that Potichmania is new art, de-
vised by some ingenious idle lady of fashion in
Paris the object Of Which is to assist fashiona-
BILE danes in the difficult task Of killing time.
The materials necessary for carrying on the art
are common glass jars, bottles and vases of diff
lerent shapes 8 lot of rude pictures cut out Of
books or magazines, Chinese designs being pre-
ierab!e; cup or vial OF gum arabic, and CO.
pions supply Of white paint. The pictures are
fastened by the gum on the inside Of the jar or
vase, according todhe taste Of the artist, and
when the inner surface is so prepared as to pre-
sent to the outside spectator sufficiently gro
tesque appearance, the white paint is poured
into the bottle end then poured out, leaving d
sufficient quantity Of course to coat the inside
completely, and give to the common glass the
appearance of very common proclaim. The
paper hangings on the inside Of course show
distinctly against the dingy white background,
and the pickle jar or cod-liver-o bottle is trans
formed into d mock Chinese vessel, which
fashion declares is fit to be placed Oh mantel-
pieces, etagercs or center tables, among orna-
ncnts Of Parian or Bohemian glass
Some amateurs have already begun the prac-
tice Of this art in our own city, the necessary
instructions having been sent to them by French
| or English friends, and there is springing up
quite demand for empty bottles and jars Po-
| tiehomania bids lnir to superscde entirely the
late fashionable leather work, crotchet work.
and the different branches Of work in German
wools. 1t is true the art is quite in its infancy
with US as yet, and most of the specimens thus
| far produced are rather RIDE. But in England
and France it has reached to certain degree
Of perfection, ii perfection can be predcated Of
ln art, which, in its best state is but a con
junction Of fragments and scraps arranged ac-
| cording to the whim Of the worker We see
advertised in the English papers vases, boxes,
designs, colors, varnishes, baskets and oil sorts
#" notions for Pc;ichomania, while one patient
| but enterprisirg man afvertises, as a ground
work for the imitation China, the little dots or
perforations Of the British Post-Oihce stamps,
which he sells at one shilling for Il box contain
| ing a million But II our ladies Of fashion
.rcrsevere we see 10 reason why they may not
attain the same degree Of excellence in this III
spring and intellectual art. 1t will be a
splendid resource and relief to them, after their
fingers are wcaricd and their brains exhausted
by incredible efforts of The imagination over
pair Of slippers or u crotcheted purse. If they
pursue the new trt with the characteristic ell
| th,lsiasln of the nation, we see no reason why,
before another twelve month, oil our wives ard
daughters may moi he Potichomaniacs, nor why
all our shelves and mantel pieces and hooks
and crannies, may not gfoan under the weight
of old bottles, transformed by the new art into
articles Ct virtu. Philadelphia Bulletin.
| THE CoRpoRAI.-Dur;ng the American Re,
volu;ion an officer, not habited in lie military
costume, was passing by where small com
pany of soldiers ware at work making some re
pairs OH small redoubt The commander o
a little squad vas giving orders to those wht
were under him, relative to stick of timber
which they were endeayoring to raise to the toy
Of the works. The timber went up hard anG
on this account the voice of the little great mar
was often heard in his regular vociferations o
:" Heave away there she goes leave ho!"
The officer before spoken Of stopped his hors'
when he arrived at the place, and seeing th'
timber scarcely moved, asked the commands
why he did not take hold and render little aid
The latter appeared to be somewhat astonished
and turning to the officer with the authority o
all emperor, said:
"Sir, am Corporal" ....
You are not, though, are you?" said The Of
fcer. was not aware of it" and taking Of
his hat and bowling, " l ask your pardon, Mr.
Corporal" ....-......-..
Upon this he dismounted from his elegan
steed, flung the bride over post, and lifted til
the sweat stood in drops upon his forehead
When the timber was elevated to its proper sta
ton, turning to the man clothed in little brie
authority: ........... -.
"Mr. Corporal Commander" he said, whe
you have another such job, and have not me
enough, send for your Commander-in- Chief, ali
will come and help you second time
: The Corporal was thunder struck. 1t wa
/ WASHINGTON. [Knickerbocker.
! ANT1-ScRATcH1NG MAcH1NE.-The Yanke
d. ,,1-,