The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1859-08-18
NOTES FROM a CORRESPONDENT.

NOTES FROM A CORRESPONDENCE.
LAuDERDALE SPRINGS, Aug. l3, so.
DEAR PRAIRIE News Your Town
correspondent" takes his seat this swell
tering morning. purposing to infiict . few
lines Of watering place gossip upon your
readers. The fiery dog-star's rage is felt
in this region in all its burning intensity,
and our amusements. ten pins and dane
ing, are either dispensed with or pursued
under very serious difficulties. Dancing
Is the favorite amusement, and brings to-
gether every evening nearly the entire
company at the Springs, about three
fourths Of whom. however, are merely
spectators. / presume there are not ma
ny, living in this fast age, who have not
witnessed what is aptly styled Fancy
Dancing" 1t is here carried to the very
extremity Of propriety. 1t Is scarcely
needful to describe the modHs operandi--
the gentleman puts his arm around his
partners waist, and they go zippity, zip
pity, whirl The monotony of the slide
and whirl are relieved by occasional en-
trancing squeezes. Some folk would call
this huggirg If fashion didn't say it was
dancing.
There are very few invalids hero--our
society is mostly composed Of votaries of
pleasure, who make shell road of life,
and dash reckessly along at 2.40 gait.
Still there is an air of subdued quietude
hanging about the place, which gives its
charms--if it has any-rather gloomy
asprctr 1853
That American custom, flirting, is ex-
tensively carried on among our beaux
and hefles BY the by, I've wondered
why this desire for flirting has become
such aeuniversal passion in our country.
There is scarcely one woman in ten but
will stoop to almost any extent in order
to get an opportunity TO "kick her NAM"
and the men are not much better, but
there are not many masculines who have
The vanity to suppose they can seriously
damage any female heart, by Irritation.
But the extent to which women often
carry flirting, frequently drives men to
suicide, drink, recklessnpss and evil
courses generally. Beside, it betrays
sllallowness of feeling and a fickleness of
purpose Incompatible with the instincts
of truly honorable, high minded woman.
The man or woman who is falthess as a
lover or sweetheart will prove tricky"
in the more intimate relations Of husband
and wife. Social intercourse is remark
ably free and unreserved--no stuck up
sets or exclusive circles are observable,
but as to the beauty of the situation, and
the pleasure one can derive from visit
hfther, / cant say much. l notice in
several papers glowing descriptions of
this, the Saratoga Of the South" but
the said Saratoga don exactly fill my
ideas of an apple of gold in picture of
silver. 1t may be my own lack lustre
fancy that can see nothing so extrava-i
gantly admirable in its beauties, but ex-
perience teaches me that any place, SO it
has the name and dignity of watering
place, will be eulogised as blooming, beau
tiful and tasty. You take your meals at
a table furnished with viands which would
not more than reflect credit upon a re-
spectablescoun'ry inn; promenade along
grass bordered walks, such as can be seen
at>many private residences in town and
country and lounge, smoke, game and
talk the balance of the time. Watering
places are generally humbugs, and /
would not risk my yeracious reputation
by making Lauderdale an exception to
the general rule. If you want to spend
money you can do it here at a fast lick.
reckon, though, this letter is getting
tediously long. There is no variety of
incident or circumstance, out of which to
manufacture racy, piquant letter, and
as these characteristics are the features
of correspondence, it is probably best to
Day Up.
+. ST. mustn't forget to announce
that a young lady, vastly rich, arrived
yesterday from one of the wealthy coun-
ties of Ala. presume theraare fortune
hunting gallants enough here who will
bow their supple knees to the golden god