The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-08-06
THE EMPTY CITY,

The EMPTY CITY.
That notorious old scountirel, the Duke
Of QucensLcrry, whose name is almost as
familiar TO the disgust Of the present gen
Grafton as his Polyplcmic face, ogling PIC
cadiy from Il Low-window, used to be to
our British lorcEathcrs, was wont to Justify
himself for never quitting London, by aver
ring that, though London might be empty,
there were more people than lie could find
in the country.
If the onc-cycd Duke were with us now,
to make broadway lidcous from club
window, lie would find rs good reason for
1uarrcling with the people who declare that
every body has gone to tho watering
places"
fyou wish 10 ride up town in Third
Avenue car, do you find any moro disposa-
bIe room for your legs now, in the middle of
July, than you found in the middle of De-
ccmbcr? If you wisl, to ride down town
in broadway omnibus, do you pass a brief
CT purgatory OH the corner of the street now
than you did then DO you get your let
tcrs any sooner at tho Postoflico? Docs
your tailor keep his promises any better, or
your bootmakcr? Arc your debtors temp
ted back to town by the hope Of finding i:
dcscrt9 Or your creditors driven from it
in despair of tlleir little collections ?"-
Doubtless tho watering places" are FULL
The great Eastern steamers 60 Of nightly
from our wharyes, rs black with human be-
ings as whortlcbcrry-puddng with wfortle-
berries, or Il pound cake, in summer, witt,
flies. The railways-Northern, Eastern,
Southern, Western-groan and scream with
their mortal loads. Ifany man should take
the trouble to calculate how many gallons
of utterly nauscous mineral waters have
been imbibed during tho last fortnight in
great pastcboard hotels by lank mctropali-
tan visitors-or how much indigcsliblc food
-or how much intoerablo wine has been
consumed during tho same period by our
friends and neighbors, the results would
stagger veteran compiler Of Blue Books.
Promiscuous city polkas havo been danced
in many corridor and shining hall through
all the rural districts ; promiscuous city
flirtations have scared the modest wood
nyn'ph and the sky dryads in oil the Area
dian haunts of fashion. Adventurous gen.
tlemen 60 boldly catching up tho broad
rivers and along the smooth sea-watcrs Of
our happy coast. O.hers not less adventu-
rous ride hurdle,races in the presence of ad-
miring beauty, and risk their nccks or their
reputation with daring worthy of-Tippc-
rsry or St. Germains.
But is the town empty? Look at the
streets; look at tho Park; look at the ho-
tells; look at the Academy ofMusic, swarm
ing with its thousands of dcvotccs. If the
2town is empty, what shall VIC do when it
comes.to bc~full again.
Ono lesson, and not tho least serious that
may DO drawn from this inapprcciablo emp
tiness, thisimpcrccptiblo dcsolation Of the
town, is surely wortl, the drawing. 1t is
tho lesson of the practicable insignilicance
which il Tho portion or all tho sons Of men,
in the midst Of the'bustle Of their busy lives.
Would the roar Of the streets by day be less
loud, the glare Of the streets by night be
less brilliant, if all tho ardent and noisy life
which has been passed out of Quietly had
been passed into far and foreign regions-'
into the farthest and most forcign2 We
all aurn the crank of tho universe" wlrile
we hold it in our hands, you know, but
when we, shall DO enforced to lot lit 90.
when our,lands shall drop from it, be those
hands the strongest and tho steadiest. will
universe cease to mose do you think
Look on tho fullness Of .empty broadway,
and ponder m answer woEslkponderingl-sl|
Nse Fork Times. s@ssi
ssI say, old boy,":s6riod Pauf Pry TO an |
cScsyator in North sLieldswbom he sspied |
at tho bottom osgswning gaif, awbst are |
you digging there &, s6ig j ole,n the |
old boy iepliefls Ranls swas not to bo put |
OFF inthis fashion. & What are you going |
TO do with the hole a,; s Goirg to Gu {. itiE.
.toseoalr hole IS bed the Old boy, aid |
retail llispa e iafsdyE ios gate posts" Paul
''wss seI s., ~ & 81, 4,
ynnan being acesstsd B,y' saal
ance BY The name Of Cobb, re.
6 M know you, sir:" !" g Ny name
Tept - man, who was about
3 DIG g & y q q III. replied tlsgc'er-
..:sIylies q You hare 50 much cornSin you |