The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-09-17
ENFORCED COURTESY.

The Knicker60cker Magazine for September
has been issued by its punctual publisher, Mr..
Samuel Hueston, and it is full of the good
things which its popular editor, Mr.. Clark, is
20 famous for collecting. The embellishment
for the month is portrait of the humorous
poet, SAKE. Among the contributors of original
papers in this number are R. B. Kimball, Spar
rowgrsss Cozzens, the Misses Huntington, and
other favorites. The editor gives the following
amusing report of one of the coolest ex-
amples of enforced courtesy" that he remem-
bers ever to have met with:
About noon of the day of my arrival in St.
Louis, strolled into the bar-room of Barnum's
Hotel, and, calling for sherry cobbler, seated
myself by small table near the bar. l had
just finished my glass, when a wel-dfessed, re-
spectable-looking parsonage, apparently about
forty years of age, came in, and, seeing no one
else present except the bAr-keeper, accosted
me with the salutation, " Good morning, SIR"
"Good morning, sir" responded.
Baltimorean, sir ?"
"No, air."
From New York;"
ayes, sir"
Gone of the excursionists ?"
Yes, sir"
Will you allow me TO look at your ticket ~
Certainly, SIR" Exhibiting it,
Carefully perusing it. "Mr. -, am
happy to see you, sir. Is your lady with you
No, SIR"
"Sorry for that, sir; sorry for that. Ny
name is W; l am one of the committee of
arrangements for the reception of visiters on
this occasion. We of st. Louis do not intend
to be outdone in hospitality by any other city,
especially by Cincinnati but we find that
many of the excursionists, instead of applying
to the committee for quarters have gone to the
hotels for rooms. In all such cases the COM
mittee are DESTROYS of paying the bills, as they
are extremely unwilling that the guests should
be at any expense during their stay in st. Lou
is May | ask if you are staying at a hotel,
and if so, at what one for it will give me
great pleasure to arrange for the settlement Of
your bill"
replied, that was not permanently located
at any hotel, and that did not feel disposed to
avail myself of the hospitality of the city to a
greater extent than had already done.
"We shall insist upon it, sir and l trust
you will notify me when you are settled"
Just then, person in seedy suit of black,
a man who evidently had seen better days, en-
tered the room and approached the bar, when
my new acquaintance said to him, in stern
and authoritative manner
"Doctor, you can't have anything this morn
ing"
Whereupon, the poor Doctor, turning to him
with saddened look, replied
/" | haven't asked for ANYTHING yet "
"You had better go. You can't have any
thing here; go!"
With an expression of unutterable despair,
the poor fellow turned on his heel and left
when my companion remarked
q" That, sir is one Of the most talented men
in the State. he is physician by profession,
and once had a handsome practice; but, unfor
tunately, he has given way to his habits of In
temperance, and fear that he is irretrievably
lost. Perhaps did wrong in speaking to him
in the manner did; but l knew that if he
called for drink at the bar, he would be insult
ed, and l thought it would mortify him less to
send him away. BY the by, sir, won't you take
a sherry cobbIer 2"
"No, thank you, sir; have just taken
one.n
"Take another
Excuse me, sir seldom drink anything
in the morning, and my fatiguing ride of last
night has alone induced me to deviate from my
usual practice
"Then, sir, with your permission, will take
one."
He accordingly walks to the bar, and or
ders his cobbler; and while it was being pre-.
pared, he resumes his seat by me. Presently
the bar. keeper hands him his glass over the
counter, and, in doing so, says to him
Look here how many drinks do you owe