Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-07-21

cleverer little fellow never broke bread, !
on q visit to his uncle. We arriy-l
ed q short time before the younger portion
OF the family had returned from church,
and were sitting 10 the plaza conversingl
with the " old folks" when the cousins of
my friend came in, accompanied by a cous-
In of theirs, all three II am speaking of
his fair cousins, Eorit is with them / have
to deaD as pretty, lively, good natured and
accomplished girls as one would find in a
summer days travel. My friend gave me,
as | thought, an introduction to them all
The ladies pro ,eeded to the parlor, and af-
ter awhile called in Mr.. Landon. Time
passed on, and / began to think that it
was, perhaps, time we we're returning
With this idea in my head ! " bulged"
unceremoniously ceremony was always a
clog to me) into the parlor In search of my
friend. As l entered, I perceived that all
not craeay right, for, very much to
my surprise, MI. Lanaon arose and began
to carry me through another introduction.
| was confused, and consequently (being
extremely Jreen) acted very awkward /;
which set the room in atitter. Observing
this, | became still less at ease, and, to say
the least, not a little offended. Any one
who never experienced it can draw no idea
how l felt-my blood boiled in every vein.
left the parlor abruptly, determining to
leave Immediately for home. On entering
the piazza again picked up a little book,
which | had been reading before I entered
the parlor, and with my pencil hastily wrote
something on the fly leaf-I don't recollect
now what it was, bnt I know that it was
an expression of my Sentiment" concern
ing the treatment | had received. After
this my choler abated, and / was prevailed
on by my friend to stay all night. On my
return home Mr.. Landon informed me that
what | had written in the book had given
his fair cousins ofense. / therefore wrote
them an apology-not q la mode, but a Ia
naoOd-and there the matter rested, until
l have now digged it up "topointa moral
Now L would not be considered by any
means as c~ensuring the conduct of these
accomplished young ladies for laughing al
me-for l don't suppose that they could
well help it-but ladies should be evel
ready to make the necessary allowance, auc
comport themselves accordingly; always
bearing in mind that the more deserving
are apt to be, OF first making their debu
into society, the most awkward.
Although, under certain circumstances
1t is very difficult to avoid it, laughing a
the tolbles and shortcomings of,our fellow
is very reprehensible, not to say impolite
1t was laughing at my uwkwardness, i
the incident above mentioned, that stun
me SO. Receiving that species of "lie,'
which profaue writer's are in the habit {
qualifying by a prefix Of two dds with
dash between them, would not have mad
me half 80 mad. On reconsidering th
matter, however, | could not find so niue
cause to blame the young ladies as mysel
l had no business entering that 'Eholy
holies," the parlor, as I did ; but (and
am a good deal so yet, altho' | have "ssee
the elephant" it was a favorite maxi.
with me then to dispense as much as pc
sible with idle ceremony. Too strict 8
adherence to rules will never forward Il
cause of true politeness, which, be it a
ways remembered, CONSISTENT mainly
the attempt on our part to lessen the ,Ceig
Of the burdens imposed %pon 'oWr gfeUom
MERRY ANDREW.
r. Il. Springs, N. G..