The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-06-13
THE DISPATCH.
THE HEAD OF MY PHO-
FE,SSION.
IN TWO ca APT Z Il g.
L.

rArOltPrt l0ne Oh al Sts Va
.so,rh ,bpu approaching its decline, was
s'a' yicornns and boastial. At the period
- my childhood, Bath was the winter focus
Of fashion, and TO fashion and fashionable
neonle il " as devoted more thoroughly, per-
hans, than any other city or town in the
realm. Nothing that could by any possibili-
" offend the visitors was allowed to exist
while every attraction, whatever It's moral
ASPECT, which had charms 10 lure them thitt-
or. was uareservedly displayed. distinct
ly remember that while gaming-hoases and
worst places were encouraged, it was high
crime aud Bisdemeanor for little urchln 10
trundlc a hoop on the pavement, lest be
should dana re the iarthingaie OF some lady
of ouali,y; aud school-boys were tagged off
20 prison in the town-hall, tor playing at
"cierry'' in Orange Grove, to the supposed
disturbance Of the rheumatic tabbies. In
those DAYS there were no hireabie cabs, car
r;ages. or omnibuses; aud the only availa-
lie locomotives were the sedan chairs, for
which there were regular stands at various
places throughout the city, the principal
ones being those near the Pump-room, and
in front of the Assembly rooms. The chair
men were peculiar race, long since passed
away-stout, brawny, broad-shouldered fei-
lows, clad in light-blue frock sur;outs, plush
brooches, white stockings, and shoes with
broad shining buckles. Originally, they
had worn cocked-hats, but these, in my
boyhood, began To give place to the custo-
mary cylinder, and disappeared altogether
in the first years of my apprenticeship
These chairmen were the tyrants Of the foot
paycmeu,s, along which they ambled at
six-mile-anhour pace, ruthlessiy sweeping
into the kennel all who were not sufficiently
active in getting out Of their way. The
walls of the old Abbey at that day briStled
with chimneys and chimney-pots; close
files of shops chiefly occupied by small ira
ders, chung like barnacleS all around the
surface Of the ancient structure, save at
the grand western entrance fanking the
Pump-room and thriving trade was
done in them, because there was one neu-
cleus of the fashionable tbrong. Orange
Grove then aeaS a grove crowded with an
cient Gins, fungous with age. The Parades,
North and South, were the Corso of worn
out roues and coHrtly convalescents, who
promenaded them in wheel-chairs within
the shadow Of the New Assembly-rooms, and
at an easy distance from the restoring wa
tiers. Dull, dreamy, and yoiceless in sum-
mer-;ime, no sooner were the chills Of au-
tumn felt, than Bath was rapidly converted
into huge caraTansary. Strange faces
and new equippages flocked in by hundreds
daily. Every body then began to let lodg-
ings, from the hucksters in the by-streets, to
the spectators in the Circus and the Royal
Crescent, and the price OF apartments rose
suddenly from shillincs to pounds. Ten
guineas a week was nothing for a trades
inau S upper floors, which became the habi-
tat 0. the landed gentry, whose retinue of
servants had 10 take post in the tradesman's
kitchen, along with his family, and to stow
themselves al night in cupboard, closet, or
garret, wherever shake-down could be ex-
tempor'sed
All those vices which were fashionable,
winhed nj By the sober citizens, who made
81 1rsft out of them, walked the streets at
noonday, if not without notice, without
rebuke. Scenes which were common to all
ewes at Bath during the era Of the Napoe-
onic wars, could not now be described in
these columns, because the present genera
ton Of readers would not tolerate the de-
scription. Among the least obvious of the
vices which fashion had made popular was
that organizing the gentry gained in their
uDUStS IiEutS inc
Sunday gaming establishments fourishcd
in MI parts Of the town some select, and
onl, accessible to the subscribers Others
common to all who could assume the APP
pearance Of gentlemen. OF all the modes
Of gambling, perhaps billiards was most es-
tec1ned Tue game had been pronounced
healtbful By a distinguished member of the
faculty, and rage sprang up for it, which
prevailed for years. What the nobility and
gentry delighted in, the middle classes and
The lower classes would of course feel long
ing for; and as Il result, there were billiard
establishments open to all ranks, from the
subscFip,ion-tables at the Upper Rooms,
where tie members played for thousands,
down TO the rickety board of Old Spraggs,
in Union Passage, where the balls trunded
oyera field Of green baiZe into pockets rs
wide as a church-door and the apprentice
boys Of the town gambled for two-pences.
At ten years OF age my uncle sent me
to school at Old Carpenters, in George
Street, one Ct the most vigorous fog
gers of the day, who, aware Of his
strength Of arm, would considerably
allow culprit to Undue an extra jack
ct, or even two, if he could borrow
them, before submitting to punishment -
Here made tle acquaintance Of Ned B,
who soon became my bosom-frend, and
through him it was that became billiard
player. Neds father was the proprietor of
a large billiard establishment 10 Nilsson
street, where, in several rooms built over
the garden in the lear OF the house,
billiards were played during the season at
all hours of the day and night. One or
NIL at fol Il lixry
pied, and at Ned's command. Here he
taught me the game, for which | immedi-
ately conceived a passion, and practiseo
it without internission at every posi-
bile opportunity. 1t is q fact that In
my eleventh year | sometimes played
for seven hours a day, without absentlng my
self from school, without fatigue, and with
out surfet. Neds father had no objection
to our practice, as it was his OBJECT to make
finished player of his son. The boy, how
ever, was near-sighted, and soon outstrip-
ped him in knowledge OF the game. Some
times Mr.. B----wonid watch our play, and
give us instruction, which was but too apt
In receiving. This slate of things continued
until | was fourteen years of age, by which
time / could beat, and had beaten every
amateur player that frequented the rooms
not unfrequently to the considerable pro-
fiji of the proprietor. who was always ready
to back my play.
AT fourteen, my uncle bound me as out
door apprentice to Mr.. C in George
street. i had now but little time in the
evening for billiards. AT first, did not
care for this, thinking had enough of it
but after an interval of a few months, the
old passion of the gaue came on me strong
er than ever. had recourse to my old
schoolfellow once more but now there was
an objection to my appearance at the SUBJ
scription-rooms, his father not wishing his
subscribers to identify me as Mr.. C-'s
apprentice. 10 consequence, ii was only
by stealth, and on rare occasions, that we
could resume OBJ nlaY In this dilemna