The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-10
For the National Era.
WHAT 1T COSTS TO KNOW A COUNTESS.
BY MRS. BELL SMITH.

Percival G. Dungleson and Augustus Dray-
very entertaining, attentive youths they were.
Sons of Dungleson, Drayton, & Co., prominent
merchants in one of our most prominent cities,
these young gentlemen had been sent abroad
to polish finished education. They had run
through Germany, galloped through Italy, fed
through Switzerland, and brought up in Paris,
as the point where the newest, neatest, and
most complete polish could be obtained. With
handsome apartments in Boulevards des Ital-
lens, pair of English horses, dog, cart, and
coupe, groom and valet, these two specimens
of Young America lived up to their income, and
polished rapidly as the fondest parent could
desire.
The life was elegant, but rather fatiguing.
To frequent theatres, without being sufficiently
familiar with the language to be amused; to
be habitue at the opera, with very confused
idea of music; to wander through picture gal
leries, and not know, save by catalogue, one
master from another-make altogether rather
dismal thing of it. The daily drive to the Bots
de Boulogne becomes at last bore, which the
Emperor, sitting like toad on horseback, and
the Empress swinging gracefully along in her
carriage cannot alleviate. The dinner at the
Cafe de Paris becomes heavier than the drive
and after while one discovers that it is all very
we'll, but rather dreary, and not exactly the
thing for Young America. Vet it is astonish-
ing what time it requires to realize this fact.
We have acquaintance who have lived in this
way for years, yet insist upon it that it is all
decidedly gay-indeed, delightful. sometimes
think that can number quite crowd of peo-
pie / have met abroad, who would be willing
to die upon the rack, if thereby they could for
moment attract the attention of some crowned
head.
Now, this very morning we breakfasted with
Drayton and Dungleson, at IL O'Clock precisely.
Quite an early hour, we were assured, with some
evidences of WEAKNESS. Indeed, Drayton said
two o'clock was his time-he much preferred it.
Our breakfast lasted nearly two hours, and we
talked about affairs at home. The young men
really frightened up, and for that space of time
were easy, happy, and natural. We separated,
and at four O'Clock. while driving to the Bots de
Boulogne with distinguished editor and fam
ily, we encountered our two friends, perched
on their dog-cart, behind the housekeeping
horse, looking exceedingly elegant and exces-
sively bored. Our distinguished friend, the
editor, invited us to an early dinner at the Cafe
de Paris, after which we were to visit the opera,
to hear Alboni and Roger. We selected lit
tie table in one corner of the large room of this
celebrated restaurant, which we found comfort
ably flled-Glled with common English, COM
mon Americans, and yet commoner French
for the Cafe de Paris, although so noised
abroad, is not the Cafe where the knowing ones,
and those who wish to know, seek dinner. In
short time, Damon and Pythias--thatis is, Dun.
gleson and Drayton-came in, and asserted their
place at one of the windows, looking on the
| Boulevards
While the distinguished editor and ID. were
talking politics, I amused myself by watching
my young friends. They dihsd with an cir.
The air was elegant-the dinner elaborate.
Their courses were pencilled off in careless,
indifferent style, as if thing not desirable, yet
to be endured. Course after course was passed,
in the same nonchalant, high-bred manner. The
last touch of the cooks art called forth no &C.
ENCOURAGEMENT, the most delicious wines no