Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-05-01
B I o G r. A Ip III Y.

Life at the South twenty years ago.
History Of Thimblerig -COurtship
..Stage Acting--PrOfeSsi Gam
bling--Particnlar account Of Nat
chez under the hilI--Lynching, &c.
AFTER my speech, and setting. my
face against gambling, poor Thimblerig
was obliged to break off conjuring for
want Of customers, and call it half
day. He came and entered into convcr.
sation with me, and ! found him good.
natured, intelligent fellow, with a keen
eye for the main chance. He belonged
TO that numerous class that it is perfect.
ly safe TO trust-as far as tailor can
sling n bull by the tail, but no farther.
He told me that he was brough, up gen.
tleman; that is TO say, he was not in.
struc,ed in any useful pursuit BY which
he could obtain livelihood, so that he
found when he had 10 depend on him.
self for the nccessaries Of life, he began
to suspect that Dame Nature would have
conferred particular favor if she had
consigned him 10 the care Of any one
else. She had made very injudcious
choice when she selected him 10 main.
tain the character Of q gentleman.
The first bright idea that occurred to
him as speedy means Of betterng his
fortune would be TO marry an heiress.-
Accordingly he looked about himself
pretty sharp, and after glancing from one
fair object 10 another, finally his hawks
eye rested upon the young and pretty
daughter Of wealthy planter. Thin.
bleris run his brazen face with his tailor
for new suit, for he aboundcd more in
that currency than he did in either Ben.
toms mint drops or in Biddle's notes -
and having the gentiIity of his outward
Adam thus endorsed by his tailor an
important Endorsement, by the way, as
times go--he managed to obtain an in.
PRODUCTION 10 the planters daughter.
Our worthy had the principle of going
ahead pretty strongly developed. He
was possessed Of considerable address,
and had brass enough in his face to make
a ash.ketllc; and having once got &C.
cess 10 the planters house, it was no ca.
sy matter TO dslodge him. In this he re.
sembIed those politicians who commence
life as Office holders they will hang on
tooth and nail, and even when death
shakes them of, you'll find commits.
sion Of some kind crumpled up in their
clenched fingers.
Thimblcrig got the blind side Of the
planter, and everything to outward ap.
pearances went on swimmingly. Our
worthy 5oasted to his cronics that the
business was settled, and that in few
weeks, he should occupy the elevated
station in society that nature had design.
ed him TO adorn. He swelled like the
frog in the fable. But there's many a
slip 'twix, the cup and the lip, says the
proverb, and suddenly Thimbleris dis
continued his visits at TIE planters
house. His friends inquired of him the
meaning Of this abrupt termination ol
his devotions.
81 have been tleated with di.respect,"
replied the worthy Indignantly.
"Disrespect in what way ?"
"My visits, it seems, are not altogeth
er agreeable"
"But how have you ascertained that!'
81. received hint to that effect, and
can take hint as soon as another"
ga hint land have you allowed G
hint TO drive you from the pursuit Fol
shame. Go back again"
"No, no, never hint is suficien
for man Of my gentlemanly feelings
asked the old man foi his daughter"
swell. what followed what did h
say ="
"Didn't say a word"
"Silenco gives consent all the worl'
: over"
$50 thought. Ithen told him to f
y the day."
= "Well, what then :"
= "Why, then he kicked me down stair:
: and ordered his slaves to pump upon mt
That's hint enough for man Of my gen
= tlemanly feelings. My visits are nc
. properly appreciated and blast my oil
\ shoes if ] condescend to renew the &C
). quaintance, or notice them in any wa
~ until they send for me-"
As Thimblerig's new coat became re
!. ther too seedy 10 act the part Of gentle
n man in real life, he determined 10 sustai
- that character upon the stage, and acco
- dingly joined company Of players
:, He began, according to custom, at tt
! ! top Of the ladder, and was regularly his
II ed AMI pelted through every gradatio
- =, until he found himself at the lowest rov
~ ~ Ell. "Ths," bald he, "was a dreadf
70 :. check to proud ambition" but he col
% soled himself with the de a Of peace ar
quietaess in his present obscure WALL
i and though he had no prospect Of beil
in elatcd by the applause Of admiring mu
,g titudes, he no longer trode the scene
We mimic glory in constant dread Of becol
IS. ing target for rotten eggs and orange
of --"And there was much in that" ga
es Thmblerig. But this calm could n
n. continue forever.
th The manager, who, like all manag.
re. who pay salaries regularly, was as ab:
IN. lutte behind the scenes as the "Old r
he man" is in tho White House, had fix
lin upon eating up an eastern specta'
he called the Cataract Of the Ganges.
di, intended to introduce fine processi
Id. in which an elephant was to be the pr
der cipal figure. Here difficulty occurr