True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-11-11
q Raglan, Editor and Proprietor,

private box at the Royal Opera ard
very. absurd, figure we made, | have no
doubt, with our affectation and our airs.
But excessive self esteem is, believe, a
characteristic of midshipmen, as any one
at all acquainted with either Of you chaps
can attest.
The opera was a brilliant one. Som
tag sang delightfully."-; but in our imPa'
tience for the commodore, we paid little
heed to anything beside. The first act
passed, and he did not make disappear
ance. We began to fear he had postpo-
ned his coming, altogether, but the fates
had not doomed US to Disappointment on
that night. Soon after the commence
ment of the second act, with no little bus
tie and confusion, the commodore entered
his box with most bewiching young la
dy leaning on his arm, and accompanied
by an elderly lady and gentleman in all
probability her parents ; though whether
they were or not matters as little 10 this
story as their presence did to the commo-
dore, who, without doubt, heartily wish
ed them at home, as they,it is reasonable
to suppose, would have been, were il al
lowable in France, for young lady to
appear in public with gentleman unae-
companied by chapefon. We were all
prodiglously struck with the beauty Of
the commodore's lady, which, in some
degree, nitigated our surprise that such
man as our respected, and venerable
and--as we, al least, considered--unuller.
ably il.natured commander should have
his tough old heart pierced by ashaft from
cupid's bow.
Separating Our box from the one ad.
joining, was partition sufficiently eleva'
ted TO prevent the occupants of one box
overlooking the other, though not so high
but by standing upon the seats, we coulc
see all that took place, and what was
more, hear all that was said by either tht
commodore or his lady. The curtains in
front of the box effectually screened u'
from being observed by other persons in
the house, and our friends had no sooner
taken their seats, than our four faces
looking very saucy and impertinent,
dare say, and resembling so many cher
ubim, in having no visible bodies, were
protruded over the partition, our chin'
resting composedly upon the upper edge
from whence we gazed serenely dowl
upon the scene Of love making beneatl
US.
"The old boys heart was evidentl
touched, fact which completely over
turned the unanimous decision to whicl
we had often arrived, al times when tn
commodore was more than ordinaril
ugly, to wit, that not one spark Of huma
feeling, sympathy, or affection, found
resting-place beneath the double gull
breast buttons on his blue uniform GOA
But his words and actions, on this ac
casion, removed the erroneous impressio
, from our minds, altogether Even zoe,
fact, who by no means thought any sma
things of ourselves, could not but env
the easy grace of his manner, and the il
resislible air with which he whispere
no end of line things to the fair being ;
his side.
"She, on her part, not only encourage
his addresses by thousand coquetlis
airs and speeches, but seemed highly fla
tered by his attentions, and also did ht
parents, a circumstance which excited Il
little wonderin our unsophisticaled heart
> knowing, as we, did, that the young lady
family were highly respectable, and
jealous Of their honor as the noble
Frenchman of them all; while, at the SAN
. time, not only was the commodore alreai
. provided with wile-abeit, by no ma
|, ner of means so pretty, or SO gentle as h
present love e--but an anchor watch
=, grown up daughters, who might readil
; have passed for elder sisters. But v
|, we're yet to learn that long life to r.
:, wing sailor begels tact and ability
love affairs, ofwhich till then, it had n,
! entered into our hearts to conceive.
"The commodore, after profusion
. dorid speeches (Which, gteive to sa
. were not, in all respects, ia such stri
=. accordance with truth as would have
!, come high official of the U. S. nav
: service, and sized lusTe upon the flaga
;, y. this overwhelmingly glorious republic
'" addressed 10 his fair one with that 10
=, tone of voice in which all experienc,
i lovers delight, gradually passed from Il
+ light and sportive to the sentimental sty
q Of conversation-the burden Of his Sol
q besung the hard fate Of sailors in genert
: 2 and himself in particular, in tina! he W
, deprived, so great portion of his exi
tence, Of the enchanting society of I
/, males.
o "This sentiment struck our TRUTH
n Young minds as rather curious, to say i
,, least, he not having been at sea for nobo,
i. knows how many years, previous to II
,r cruise. But when, warming with 4
subject, he with "a whole Toadside
" killing glances, began to deplore the .
( cessive and unremitting services
n country required of him, and which h
is been the cause Of his leading the lone
o, life of bachelor, but which ciTcumsts
I, ces he now felt "a perfectly murderi
as glance at mademoiselle) had been orda