The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-09-17


fashionable neighborhood; and when
you reflect on my pareniage and uncouth
manner you will hardly think how much
my company is courted by the surround
ing anilles--espec;allv those who have
manageable daughters. From the.e gen.
tlcman have received familiar calls and
The most pressing invitations and though
| wished to accept their profierel friend
ship, | have repeatedly excused myself
under the pretence Of not being quite set
tied; for the truth is, that when have
rode or walked, with full intention to re-
turn their visits, my heart has failed me
AS approached tLeir gates, and | hav.
frequently returned homcward resolving
TO try again TO morrow.
However, At length determined TO
conquer my umidity, and three days ago
| accepted OF I'm invitation to dine this day
with one whose open, easy manner left
me no room to doubt cordial welcome.
Sir Thomas Friendly, who lives about two
miles distant, is a baronct, with about tw o
Thousand pounds year, estate joining to
what | have purchased. lie has two
sons and five daughters ali grown up, and
living with their mother aud a maiden sis.
ter of Sir Thomas, al Friendly nall, de.
pendent Oh their father.
Conscious Of my unpublished gait, have
for some lime past taken private lessons
of a professor, who teaches grow gentle
men to dance" and though at first found
wondrous difficulty IN tue art he taught,
my know!e Ige oi the mathematics Vas
OF pr"diglous use in teaching me the e.
quIhtrIum Of my body aud The due
adjustment of the centre OF gravity TO The
five position.
Having now acquired the art of walk
lng without tottermg, and learned TO make
n bow, boldly venlured TO obey tic bar.
oners invitation to a family dinner, not
doubling but my new requirements would
enable me to see the ladies with tolerable
iutrepdily. But aias how vain are ali
the hopes OF theory, when unsupported by
practice
As | approached the house, dinner
bell alarmed my fears lest had spoiled
the dinner by want OF punclualiiy. I'm
pressed with this idea, U!ushed the deep
est crimson as my name was repeatedly
announced by the several livery servants
who ushered me into the library, hardly
knowing what or whom | saw.
AT my first entrance | summoned all
my Fortitude and made my newly learn
cd bow to Lady Friendly but unfortu
naie'y, in b'inging back my left foot to
the third position, | trod upon the gouly
toe Of poor Sir Thomas, who had follow cd
close at my heels, 10 be the nomeuclnlor
Of the family. lhe confusion this occa-
stoned in me, is hardly TO bo conceived,
since none but bashiui men can Judge OF
my distress. aud of that description the
number | believe Is very small. The bar
onets poiteuess 10y degrees di>sipateJ my
concern, and | was asiouIshcd to see how
far good breeding could enable him To
suppress his feelings, and TO appear with
perfect ease, after SO painful an accident.
The cheerfuIucss of his lorcship, and
the familiar chat of the young ladies', in
sensibIy led me to throw of my reserve
and sheepishness, till At length ventured
10 JON III conversation and even to start
fresh subjects. The library being richly
furnished with books in elegant bindings,
conceived Sir Thomas 10 be man Of
literature, and vtntured to give my opin
ion concerning the several editions Of the
Greek classics, in which the baronct's
opinion exactly conceded with my own.
To this subject | was led 10y observing an
edition Of Xenophon in sixteen volumes,
which, as had never before heard OF such
thing, greatly excited my curiosity, aud
| rose up to examine what II could be-
Sir Thomas saw what WAS about, and
as suppose, willing 10 save me trouble,
rose to take down tue book. which made
me the more eager TO prevent him and
hastily laying my hand on the first vol.
ume, | pulled il iorciJly but, 10 instead
Of books, board, which by leather and
gliding had been made 10 look like six
ten volumes, came lumbIing down, and
unluckiiy pitched upon wedgewood ink
stand on the table under it. t.r
In vain did Sir Thomas assure me there
WAS no harm. | saw the ink streaming
from an iulaid table on tic turkey carpet
aud, scarcely knowing what l did, at
tempted to stop its progress with my
cambric handkerchief. In the height o
my confusion, we were informed tha,
l,Iiuncr was served up, and with JOY
perceived that tao bell whicl at frst iat
so alarmed my fears, was only the half
hour bell. 49,, ~.
In walking through the hall and suite
Of apartments 10 the dining room, I bad
time 10 collect nv scattered senses and
was desired to take NY scat betwist Lady
Friendly and her eldest daughter at tn,
table. Stree the fall Of the wooden Ken
ophon, my face had tecn continually
burning like firebrano, and ] Was JUS
beginning TO recover myself, aud feel com
ional,ly cool, when an unloeked for acci
dent rekindIed all my heat aud Sushes
Having upset my plate in bowing to Miss
Dinsa, who politely compIimynted th.
pattern Of my wais,c sat, i tumbled tho
whole scaldiug contents into my lal,, II
anita M nm itn,netiiate subpiy Of ua,kius n