Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-02-17
words of every remark he made were: "
understand this much better than you"

| however, we're the Grunwcisel balls. NJ
one danced SO perseveringiy, none SO Wig
orously as he; no one made such bold, sucf
graceful jumps. His uncle dressed him fol
such occ asions in the newest and hand
soonest fashions; and although it was i'm.
possible to make his clothes At, yet every.
body considered his dress charming. The
gentlemen, to be sure, took offente. al
these balls, at the new style which he in.
troduced. Hitherto the burgonaster had
always opened the ball in person, and the
most highly born young men exercised the
right of regulating the rest of the dances;
but since the young Eng'isbman's arrival
total change had been brought about. lie
would seize the prettiest girl by the hand
without leave or license, take his place
with her in the figure, manage everything
precisely as he pleased, and constitute him
self, Withou. ceremohy, lord, master. and
king of them all But as the ladies found
these manners extremely elegant, the young
men dared not venture on resistance, and
the eccentric nephew retained unopposed
his self-assumed dignity and rank. -. ..
Such was the behavior adopted by the
nephew at balls and parties in Grunweisel.
As is too often the case in other alters,
bad habits come into vogue much easier
than good ones, ard a nav and striking
! fashion, especially if it be ridiculous, has
ever something in it highly attractive for
the young, who have not yet formed an nc-
curate or sensible judgment Of themselves
and the world. So it was in Grunweisel
with the nephew and his extraordinary
manners. For. when the younger world
perceived that the young stranger won
more admiration than he incurred rebuke
for his awkward habits, his loud laughter.
and his insolent answers to his seniors,
and that these passed merely as evidences
of his spiritual nature, they thought to
themselves: "Nothing is easier than to
make myself exactly such another spiritua |
brute" They had formerly been industri-
GUS, clever youths; but now :hey thought:
"Of what use is learning, when ignorance
carries a man so much further!" Sc, aban-
doning their books. they spent their time
in dissipation on the streets
Till now, the Grunwei.el young men had
entertained proper dislike to a rough and
vulgar demeanor; now they sang all sorts
of vie songs, smoked huge pipes of to-
bUcco, and spent much time in low pot
houses, for with them they resembled the
young Englishman. At home, or on a visit,
they lay down in boots and spurs ON the
ottomans; at assemblies they titled the ir
chairs, or put both elbows on the table In
vain til. ir oder friends represented to them
how foolish, how disgraceful this behavior
was; they referred TO the shining example
of the nephew. 1t Was said to them, in
vain, that certain degree of rudeness must
be forgiven in-Ihe -nepksa.- -ee.r-i+err-
ton of his English birth; the young Grun-
wieselouians declared that they had as
good right as the best Englshman in
the world to be vulgar in spiritual way.
In short, it was general complaint that
gentlemanly breeding and behavior h,d
been entirely eradicated from GrunweiseI
by the evil example of the young stranger.
But the Pleasure Of the young men, in
duration, for the following incident changed
the whole aspect of affairs. A great con-
cert was re solved upon, to close the W inter
announcements, to be given partly by the
regular city musicians. partly by skilllul
amateurs OF Grunweiesl. The burgomaster
played tie violoncello. the doctor the bas-
soon, with great skill, the apothecary.
though he had 10 ear, blew the flute, seve-
raj young ladies of the city had studied
arias, and every preliminary had been care
fully arranged. The cid stranger expressed
the opinion, that, though doubtless the con
cert would be admirable as 1t was, he no.
ticed that 10 duet was included in the pro-
gramme, and that duet was, as every one
knew, necessary element OF every con-
cert. This opinion occasioned good deal
of embarrassment. The burgomaster's
daughters, to be sure, sang like nightin-
gale; but where was tie gentleman who
could sing duet with her! They thought,
at last. of falling back on the old organisi, ),
who had sung an excellent bass in former.
days; but the stranger announced that all
this was useless, for his nephew had
voice of surprising cultivation and power.
The duet, therefore, was studied with all
haste, and the evening at length arrived on
which the ears of the people of Grunweisel
were to be enruptured by the concert.
The old stranger was unable to be pres
ent at his nephew's triumph, in conse-
quence of illness, but he gave to the bur-
gomaster, who visited him during the day,
some rules for the guidance of his eccentric
relative. He is a good s9ul," said he;
shut now and then he is seized with some
strange notions, and breako out into the
wildes: freaks. regret, extremely, nv
ina bility 10 be present at the concert this
evening, for his demeaIor is perfectly dec
orous while ] am by. He well knows why,
the scamp! Let me assure your exCellency
tina, this vivacity OF his is not mental
vice, but merely bodily infrmity. When
ever, therefore, any such humor seizes him,
so that he seats himself on a music-stand,
or attempts to knock down the contra. bass,
or the like, if your excellency will take the
trouble to loosen his cravat little, or, il
nothing better can be done, take it off al
together, YOU will see how quie. and we'll.
! bred he will at once become"
The burgomaster thanked the sick man
for his confidence, and promised. in case
the necessity arose, to follow his directions
to the letter.
Part frs, of the concert was over, and
everybody was on the ienter hooks Of sx
pection for the second in which :he yoans
/ Eng lishman Wns 10 neriorm a duet with iht