Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-01-19
Prom the Evening Post.
THE LONG QUEUE.

About forty years ago there lived in the British
provinces Il most amiable clergyman, who accord
ing to a fashion amongst old gentlemen in the
rein of George the Third, wore a very long, high
ly cherished queue, tapering from the thickness of
ones finger to the smaliuess of a goosequill.
IN longitude it reached down to the very bottom
of his back, and he was q six-cooter. 1t was a
perpetual annoyance to his wife and daughter, hav-
to be carefully placed on the top of his cap every
night. The clergyman was a great reader, and
when absorbed in his book was perfectly uncon.
scious of what was going on around him, even
when the five ellis of black ribbon, which were roll
led round and round his feet of pigs tail, were
taken off in order to comb out the back of his
head. 1t was no slight task, l will tell you, either
to unroll this ribbon and to iron it, especially to
re-roll the wrapper of the sacred relic. The toll
of performing the operation was entrusted to none
but his darling daughter, who loved her dear father
most %tenderly; and yet, with all her beautiful afec-
ton, the task was at times rather annoying, par
ticular as there was not another queue in all the
Provinces-certainly herGather's long tail was the
only one in NOVA Scotia. 1t was often the sub
ject of merriment to his family, and the fun was in
creased ten-fold when Southey's celebrated poem
appeared about the Gentleman in Black, when lie
says:
'Over the hill, and over the dale,
AS he came over the plain
And backward and forward he swished his tail,
LINZ u SShtiChidh ShlsHlHS MS Cduc.
But it is well known to all people, how tenacious
ly we cling 10 old habits and fashions, however
absurd, and this cherished long tail, though SO
often the subject of ridicule, was still allowed to
swish and dangle adown the good c~lergyman's back
even although on going to or from church during
a strong nor'wester it would be whacked AMI LASH
ed across the faces of his companions. This added
a triHe to the annoyance of the dear girl who had
to perform the coiling up at night, and the unroll
ing before breakfast.
Well and in truth, to make a long tail short. one
evening, when the young lady was going to a party
and the dressing of her own lovely hair and the
decoration of her person had consumed full two
hours-whenw was ever a beauty in time for o ball?
they will have their ringlets and dress adjusted Il
dozen times before they think all right, or sufficient
to make q killing impression ON entering n ball
and, to use some of the words of a popular black
song, they will
Wheel about and turn about,
And stand tiptoe.
And every time they wheel about,
Think of their new beau.
And the lovely being in question was no exception
to the English ruls-after her toilet was finally
finished, she was not q little vexed to notice the
time; it was long past the hour when dancing was
10 commence, and she was sadly, shockingly anoy
ed to recollect that she still had to dress her papa's
queue; she had cate forgotten that in attending TO
her own ringlets. In a fit of youthful impotence,
she determined for once to make short work of it.
So rushing from her dressing-room into the par
lor, where the good old man was, as usual, deep
in his book, she applied a pair of sharp scissors
close to his head, and cut the gordian knot. doubled
up the queue in an instant, placed it on his crown,
drew down the cap, and flew to the carriage, in
what might be called the t~winkllpg of a pig't
whisper"
The ball was brilliant, but she could not enjoy
it, for, conscience-stricken at what she had done,
she dreaded the fearful censure of her fathers
wrath. On returning late in the night, the house
was quiet-all had retired, save the servant. She
scarcely closed her lovely eyes during the night,
and wept bitter tears for the sin of having mutt
lated her beloved fathers most cherished appen-
dage. She trembled violently ON entering the
breakfastroom late next morning. almost expect.
ing a queue-hiding with the long lash of the dis
mantled tail.
But what was her wonder, establishment and de-
light, to be met by her beloved father with open
arms, pressing her to his bosom, and kissing her
affectionately. She burst into tears-sweet tears
Of affectionate love and gratitude; he assured her
she had done hin. areal service, and instead of re-
proof, she had his sincere thanks for having done