Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-03-03
Doesticks on New Years in New York.
SEVENTY HUNDRED AND OSE, NARROW STREET,
New YORK, Jan. 2, 1855.

having luxurious time on board i MISSISSIPPI
steamboat-said boat being aground on sand-ba
I-provisions all gone-the captain, steward, AM
one OF the bar keepers being occupied playing
poker, with the passengers at one end Of the boat
while the more piously disposed were listening tt
the drawing tones of nautical preacher, who wa
discoursing secondhand sanctimony at the other
crew all on bender in the engine room, fremer
all drunk on the boiler deck, and everybody gene
rally enjoying themselves.
| Made no calls myself except at the BAR where
wished myself so many happy New Years, and Sc
many compliments of the season that l slept that
night on pile of cottonwood and when attained
my state room next day, l found each berth occu
pied by sadde-colored fireman, both with theil
boots on; one with my Sunday coat under his head
for pillow, his hair decorated with sundry humps
Of stone coal, and his red flannel shirt ornamented
with the contents of tar-bucket and carpenters
glue-pot. Since that eventful time have become
a sojourner in town, and on the approach of New
Years, had felicitated myself on the prospect Of
seeing how New Workers celebrate this universal
holiday.
Intended to call on my friends, and hoped as the
number of my feminine acquaintance in this i'm
mediate vicinity is SMALL to get through in time to
spend the afternoon at my new boarding house,
where Mrs. Griggs, my landlady and her two daugh-
tiers were to receive calls and who invited me to
be present and see the elephant as far as the pro-
ceengs of the day should disclose to an unsophis-
tcated eye, his mighty and magnificent proper
tons
Early in the morning, dyed my incipent but
dietary moustache into visibility, dressed myself as
fashionably as the resources of my limited ward
robe would permit, and attended by my fast friend
Sandie Goatie, started on my journey, intending to
fetch up eventually at my boarding house. stopping
at the intermediate posts by the way.
Went to the Smiths, Thompsons, Tompkins
Greens, Browns, Virgins, Robinsons, &C., in all
these places there was the tame performance, with
out change of programme. l give the formula
Enter-speak to the lady of the house-happy new
ompiments-happy returns-take glass
of wine with the lades-another Of brandy or punch
with the father-nbble little cake to be repeated
nd Ebstum. At Jones's they had on side table,
plate with placcard labelled for the poor and
every visitor was expected to drop in contrbu-
tion Some malicious person has recalled that
Joneses did the thing last year, and his incon
venient and libelous memory has also recalled the
circumstance that soon after New Years the two
daughters Of Jones had new silk dresses, and Mrs
Jones rejoiced in new hat and cloak of the richest
STYLE and says that Braglev the broker told him on
the third of January last that Jones had some tens
and twenties of him in exchange for small money,
and made him give him two per cent. over because
so much of it was silver change; and he in fact
nsnuates that as the money was to be for the poor
Jones voted himself as poor as anybody, and kept
the proceeds; and rumor whispers that the Joneses
wont have half so many calls this year as last, be-
cause their friends object to being taxed to pay
their miners' bills.
At Shocks we found the door closed, and basket
hung outside, in which to deposit cards-thought
of the founding hospital.
" l.,
and elegant player On that tortured instrument,
the piano-each can sing an assortment of glees,
from beautiful operas-transposng her voice into
vocal cork screw, and opening her mouth so that
as general thing, you see those uncomfortable
articles, used in fremens prasoology to light up
the hose and these songs the delectable morcels
Of harmony, varied by such extemporaneous dis
cords as the agitation forgetfulness of the mo-
ment may occasion, are always executed for the
of evening visitors-Mrs. Griggs'
daughters are no exception to this general rule.
First call-bell rings-enter bashful young man
his first attempt at fashionably visit
came in with his hat in his hand-put it behind
him to make his bow-dropped it-tried to pick it
in it-put his foot through it-fen
over t-and in his frantic struggles to recover him.
self burnt his coat, fractured his pantaloons, united
his cravat, demolished his shirt collar, and was
finally borne away to the hall by his sympathising
friends; minus his patent moustache, one half of
which was afterward found in Laura Matildas
scrap book and the rest discovered in the coal
scuttle.
Crowd of young men came in together lit is |
customary here, for young gentlemen to club their
unds hire carriage by the hour and go calling by
he drove; stopping at every house where one Of
he company happens to be acquainted so that
when lady keeps open house, for every body |
xhom she knows or desires to see dozen un-
Known individuals annoy her by their unlimited |
one asked the young ladies to |
ing, and the young ladies did subsequently, |
opera, but sometimes varying the entertainment |
With the touching ballad of odd Dog Tray or the
graceful and genteel melody Jordan is hard |
oad.' If the harmonious screeehing of yesterday |
we're blended and consolidated into one powerful /
scream, it would have been sufficient to |
aise the ancient druids from their graves only to |
ind that although the final trump had not sounded |
was by an imitation by no means to be despised,
hat they had been fooled into a premature resur-
ection.
Asevening came on, the guests who came showed |
igns Of the days indulgences-I was particularly
dified by the movements of three of them, whom
noted with peculiar care-the first one shook
lands cordially with the servant girl, called her
Mrs. Griggs, wished her many happy returns, and |
pology to the piano stool, and Immediately sat |
own in the spittoon. The next made his bow to
he hat stand in the hall, staggered into the room,
nd called for brandy smash-tried to rectify his
Mistake by begging pardon of Mrs. G. for installing
er parlor for bar-room, and assured her if he
ad done anything he was sorry for, he wasexceed-
lgly glad of it. The third stumbled on to the
ola, and after steadily contemplating his boots
nth much satisfaction for fifteen minutes, he picked
p Chinese fire screen and with an irresistible
runken sobriety, he tried to decipher the mys-
erious character thereon at the same time calling
ne attention Of Mrs G. to the capital story in the
lst Magtober number of Herper's Octazine.'
Refeshments-fr man often essaying to wipe
is nose with his umbrella, which he afterward
laced in the music rack-poured his coffee into
is ice cream, put his cake and sandwich into its
lace, stirred them up with teaspoon and tried to
rink-the effort resulting in signal failure, he
assed his cup to the chandelier for "a little more
spilled his wine in Laura Matilda's
eek, begged she wouldn't apologize, and offered
wipe it with his pocket handkerchief which
ppeIation he designated the door mat which he
ad brought in with him from the hail. The other,
ter carefully depositng his plate on the floor,
ropped his gloves into his saucer, made a great
tempt TO eat his cup of coffee with his knife and
rk, and then resolutey set about picking his
eth with the nut-cracker. After some complicated
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