The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-04-09

and rang the bell rather furiously. After
having done so, it occurred to me that had
better keep cool, as l had already, within
fifteen minutes, been twice sneered at, as
man bereft of my sober senses. So asked
calmly for Mr.. Coggins. The liveried SER
want had come to the door very slowly; and
answered very slowly that Mr.. Coggins was
in his study, and would probably see me in
few minutes The time of the impudent
fellows absence seemed so long, that L
whiled it away by examining the contents
of a richly chased silver card-basket, that
was in the ground-foor Office, where he had
left me to wait. Amongst the many cards
was note of invitation; it was sealed with
a coat-of-arms, and ran thus e.7 q.
| .'Mrs. Fitz Fudge requests the honor of
the Misses COggins' company at lobster
champagne indigestion, which will come off
at midnight on Tuesday next, at a furnace
heat temperature of "a degrees, and under
gas light of lar-microscope intensity.
Ladies are requested to appear in the
present style of monster-costume, statuary
above terminating in balloon. "
A pretty good description of one of our
own parties, said | to myself, as the gen
tlemanly waiter appeared and directed me
to follow him into Mr.. Coggins study
| Coggins looked care-worn and older than
he ought to look at his age. How are
yod, old fellow ?" said |, in as cheerful
manner as could put on COIL pretty
WE'LL" he rejoined, considering the price
of the necessaries of life. Only think of
it'll" be added, "the last importation of
brocades and poplins brings So per yard it
takes eighteen yards to make balloon
Five times eighteen are ninety. | have q
! e. nj al Din
ty are $72O, for raw materials, to say moth
ing of making, trimming, under-sleeves,
bonnets, laces, shawls, &c. Seven hundred
and twenty dollars are two dollars day
for every day of the year. This is for one
change; and my wife says that she and the
girls are shabby on less than six changes
year. So you see what decent apparel
comes to. Then we must eat, drink, and
give parties. 1t is dreadful Bankruptcy
and an assignment are drawing very near to
me. am, to be sure, only like other men
of family. But, at my age, it is dreadful /"
Here he burst into tears and awoke.
My wife had just pulled me by the shoul-
der.
"What are you groaning about? You
must have the nightmare"
Nightmare!" said /, iercely, " to be
sure have the nightmare, under the pres
sure of such expensive balloons"
Balloons" said my wife," what do you
mean by balloons? Are you crazy?"
Crazy" | replied, with increasing en-
ergy; I" hare been crazy, but will be SO
no longer Do you think that | will con-
tinue to waste my life in keeping you and
these girls floating along the streets in bro
cade balloons"
The girls burst into tears. "Oh, papa is
going mad " My wife is a woman of great
energy and presence of mind; so she bade
them be quiet, and sent one off to order a
mustard foot-bath, and told the rest not to
t irritate me by opposition. "Poor DEAR" she
added, looking at my bald head, he can
be blistered without shaving
| was too much excited to care whether
f she thought me crazy or not, so | continued
in some such strain as this;
Negro slavery is quite respectable in
t stitution. The poor fellow who picks cotton
in Mississippi is unconsciously, yet really, :
, benefactor to the white slaves of Manchester
J and Paisley, to whom he gives bread through
= the cotton crop. But in the slavery o.
American white men of intelligence to the
, low despotism of the mantuamakers and
l mlliners of their wives and daughters
= there is no redeeming feature"
e Here one of the girls handed me a pape
: with columns of election returns.
n * Do read it, papa, you are always inter
n | ested in that kind of information"
Il "Away with returns about anti-Lecomp
e ton and tariff candidates, | exclaimed. 70
, shall canvass the country Mt large before tht
b., next Presidential election for a new polit
t cal organization. My platform shall be thu
= rendition of French mOdistes to their native
!. shores, and sumptuary laws against expand
- ed skirts. We need protection-"
Here | turned around and saw Dr. Ian
o Get, who had entered during my impassioneC
+, harangue and who stood all aghast at sucl
Y a discourse. | will only add that l was pu
It to bed Immediately, and that l have beer
: reported very i'll with the brain fever since
e the election. Do you think I am crazy p
8 and II am, did get crazy on the excite
i ment Of the late eIection2
0 SOMNIAT0R
II