The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-18
lCopyright secured according 10 laic.]
.Ao3l. f"r The Na'io"ai Era la-
JASPER: A ROMANCE.
BY EDWARD SPENCER.
Hoao Jasper Pasoned HIS Witch.

rs-t. br BY EDWARD SPENCER.
~. ~
Hoao Jasper Pasoaed HIS Witch
1t is early morning in city, that hour when
the slumberous craftsmen begin to yawn some
inpatient recognition of the imminent day. Ho-
tel porters are shouldering trunks for the early
trains and the early boats. Mr.. Strephon, hav
ing kissed his night-capped Mrs. Chloe, and lief,
her, poor little goose, sobbing in bed behind the
dimity curtains; having touched with hasty lip
the little ones in cradle and truckle bed l.; hay
ing taken the bite of breakfast arranged fol
him over night, and placed under napkin on
the sideboard, and having given his night key
to Phyllis as she closes the street door behind
him, is now hurrying to the railway station
travelling bag in hand e,, route for Metropolis
to renew his stock of dry-goods. They com
plain that there is no poetry, no romance
nothing chivalric, to be squeezed out of that dry
orange, the present. To my eyes, duck-legged
little Strephon, going off from his dear Chloe
(who, if she do scold, is a notable housewife
and an adorable weman,) is just as much a
hero, just as much a preux chevalier, and legit
innate poetical object, as any of your mailed
Lancelots, pricking them forth from their fail
light o'skirt Gueneyeres or pranking Ysaies,
with Yseuhs watching them from donjon keeps
as they HE away to Stay their dragons, punch
their giants on the heads, or carry wild forays
into their Soldans Of Babylons' and Samarcands
Kingdoms. More So because while they took
delight in these things, and got the jaundice
without them, poor Strephon is an entirely do
mestic animal, all his aspirations are locked up
in the narrow limits of the twenty five feet front
he has just left, and he only goes forth to obey
the call of duty-moreover, with real and
wholesome dread of " flood and feld,' of col
lsions, collapsed fues, trussel-work, draw
pers that wait upon the odernn tPs seef qri1
a man of heroic ideas y is plodding little
Strephon, to be sure, but, though his sole
weapons be ledger and yardstick, a man OF
right heroic actions, doing his "duty in that
state, &c. But it is rather with the morning
than with Mr.. Strephon that we have to deal al
present. few Of the more industrious house
maids are already busy with bucket and broom
scrubblng the parements, sweeping the streets
out to the legitimate dust-line, and making the
brass of the ironrailings brightly reflective with
flannel and rotten Out of red -curtained
dram shops creep few seedy shivering loaiers
who have been perchance taking a chair 2 for
the night, their windows edcurtained, too
and already the hodcarrier is going in, " to
light NEE pipe, shure," and have a drap o. the
craythur,' to take off the = raw NV the morrnn "
Guardians ofthe night are leaving their g beats =
for the station house, to report, to have their
sleep at home-many of them not needing il,
at the same time. Others are knocking at tall
mansions, and calling upon "setted fathers
men ofsobriety, responsibility, responsibility to
60 bail, or relieve from "quod y their wild rows
tering sons, who have been making fragments
OF the peace over night, in defiance of law and
order. few carts and drays are already out
tor their daily work wood-sawyer or two are
met, shOuldering horse and saw, going to-
wards the wharves country wagon rumbles
In towards the mornings market; the rapid
motion of the milk wagon, and the stirring clat-
ter of its bell, are heard in every streets the pa
per-carrier inserts his sheet under doors, and
between the Stats of shutters, running rapidly
on, as if not conscious of what pronouncement
for sudden Joy or sudden misery to hundreds is
contained in that damp sheet which he bears
swung on his hip by the thousand.
Adown the street, noticing these things with
angry Impotence that their daily routine should
be so unconsciously continuous in spite of his
misery, hurried traveller On foot he came,
dusty weary, for he had u.amped all night,
heartsick, yet very determined. He had come
that night from places dear to him, woven to
his heart by rich association-places perhaps,
that he had looked his last upon. A sorrowful
Hejira had that walk through the night been to
the traveller Hejira out of Mecca the Felix
into drear Petraea, out of Paradise into a bar
rem, brow-sweating Eden land. Down the
streets walked the dusty, weary traveller his
"gentleman- clothes " but illy suiting the stout
staff in his hand, the shoes and trousers gray
with proof of the miles he had come, the UNI
shaven chin and haggard aspect. Down the
streets went he, while Mr.. Strephon, as he look
ed over his shoulder, apprehensively quickened
his steps, and grasped tighter the handle of his
portmanteau; while hotel porter, cycling him.
murmured: "Sothin' wrong bout that ere
cove; while Bridget rests upon her broom as
he passes, and sends blessing after him, for
"shure an cts NEE that knows he's gintle-
man as has seen thrubble, which is the lot Nv US
all, may the Vargin presarve u.s." while seedy
loaters wink knowingly at each other with
bleared eyes, saying, IS been playin too heavy
on the green, and the Tigers clawed him
deep;' while hod-carrer mentally argues, his
honor's stirrin' early for jintleman-fait, he's
on his way to bed, l reckn;" while Waterman
doubts, as he eyes him suspiciously, whether
he does not sacrifice $500 Reward" and the
encomiums of the press, in not arresting him
ont of hand; while milkman and country-wag-
oner mentally observe to themselves upon the
strange fashions of city people; and paper-car-
rier, mild-eyed, expects to bear another lam
entable case Of suicide" on his hip in the
next issue.
Down the streets went he, even to a railroad
depot, where already the hustle and hurry of
Notwithstanding life was exemplifying itself
Fifteen minutes to spare. Time to battle that
flushed and fevered face, and brush that rum
Piled hair; to have the dust expelled from those
" gentleman Clothes" to taste even cup of cof
fee, hot and cheering; to buy a handful of pa
pers from solicitous newsboy with dirty face,
who keeps the change; to fill pocket with
cigars, purchase a ticket, and secure seat in
the !" smoking car" And, having done these
things now that he is seated, and has lighted
his cigar, and unfolded the damp paper before
him, our traveller is better. He can read,
though not with zest; he can taste the fragrant