Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-06-17
LETTER XII.

From Mr.. John SnlIth TO Mr.. SetR Jones.
MAPLEwooD, ARK.
DEAR SETH Pm in luck, decidedly. 1t is
my private opinion that Shakespeare, or who
ever it was that said the course Of true love
never did run smooth was aninny and an
old fogy. Pm a living, monumental refuta-
ton Of the falsity Of the doctrine for | adore
and am worshipped. No simple devotee at
forest affairs no Druid worshipper of old
no a~colyte in grandest and most solemn tenn
Piles could outvie my devotion for gold,
added to youth and loneliness, is Irresistible.
l am certainly in love and if | do not de-
ceive myself, | am not wasting my signs on
ana tncn, my poor, %forforn, Wireless, chiIdless
Jones, you may let me be vilely painted
This counting, Seth, is an institution. I'm
improved, and improving, by that very agree.
able process. l have quit drinking except,
perhaps, o julep of morning and eleven
o'clock a gentlemanlike toddy my wine at
dinner, and an occasional whiskey punch. I
don't cheat any more at cards that is to say,
not in the old Governors family there being
green ones enough here, any day in the week,
who are so hopelessly green that it would be
a san not to fleece them. l intend to act nom
orably. | shall not run away with my fame,
unless the old lady becomes obstropolous !;
kOE L tlAuh L III mdllHkO GuC IccL VI tue Idull-
ly. Thanks to the cards, they oNe me too
much not to very civil to me. AS fortune
would have it, moreover, l not only got the
old gentleman out of an ugly scrape, but
have performed several such Offices for the
son, and have saved the daughters life. ]
think am betting on the four aces when ]
say that my nest is as good as built and feath.
cred. Give me joy!
The old gentleman consults mi on all oc
c~asiOns. / wish you could have heard him
the other day. We had grown lie had, a
least somewhat familiar and confidential
over a bottle of Catawba when he turned
to me, and, laying his hand on my knee
said, in q whisper:
'Smythe, l want your advice, my dear fel
low. You know everything, | do believe
and | want your opinion on a rather delicat
affair."
We'll, sir, I shall be most happy to sery
you. Any thing that
'Sh-h-hP he exclaimed nervously; mot 8
loud, my dear sir; Philury might hear ye
/ kept my face straight, and listened.
you see, my dear Smythe, the old woma
is spending money here like the very mis-
chief. She has taken it into her head thl
she knows all about cards and the loss {
from twenty to a hundred a night fails to ope
her eyes,
demonstrate with her.
Il haze man | have but you might a
we'll talk to the East wind! She lost sixty
odd to Col. Burt, last night; and when sh
intimated to me that she wanted some none,
l ventured to reason the matter. And wha
do you think, was the replyf'
/ remained silent.
why, sir, demme if she didn't go off lk
a 81 -rnoEofl Mr. nPu , cauo che 8 xro~
two hundred dollars, before nine o'clock til
evening"
Suppose you withhold the supplies said
"Twon't do, Smith / know her of DID,
She used to have between you and me)
little one horse grocery on Barclay St.; an
she was worth a few thousands when l ma
ried her. If / refuse her, that'n be the tie.
for a month. She'll cry take on have &
alarmin' attack O. the hlghstrikes make Il
house too hot to hold me-
my dear Dry : said /; putting one ing
: meditatiyely on the side of my nose; L thir
|, l can help you, in this matter
|, MY dear Smythe, if you can
Trust me-
You. can command me. I'll make it wor
your while En..-t -dt..-
. i want no recompense. my dear Dry b
/ let me make a suggestion. Just let 20
, bankers in New York, or your agent, 20
!, man Of business, write you an alarming 1
ter failure Of banks-fall in stocks-hea
bankruptcies
But she gets the Express and the Jourz
Of Commerce, regularly knows the pri
8 current and the news On Change as well
Q she does her alphabet
We'll, then, bride your agent or-st'
let nae write an anonymous letter to her, a