Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-10-13
From th- Ohio Farmer.
ONTHE CORNER.
By MRS. FRANCIS D. GAGE.

By MRS FRANCIS D. GAGE.
There is nothing like keeping one's ears
open; though really, sometimes one feels
like shutting both eyes and ears on the
streets, such horrid sights and sounds come
sweeping by with the crowd; and yet do
believe, if we should take our pencil and
tablets, and mark the good and bad in two
columns, side by side, we should find the
good line the longest any day in the week,
though some folks don't think so. But,
about this "Waiting on the Corner"
"Did you ever catch an omnibus when
YOU wanted one!'
mo, of course moi, ot,-wbo ever did {"
"Well, we are apt to say no one ever
did; but out with your tablets again and
see if you're not mistaken there too But
sometimes you don't, as l know. l was
coming home the other evening after lit
tie excursion in shopping, and found myself
at the corner of Olive and Fourth just ill
time to see the bus whirl off without me.
''Just ten minutes, ma'am," answered the
driver of the next to my question, "How
soon he would leave!" So took my seat
on the shady side of the poor mans coach
and waited patiently. Now Olive and
Fourth is about the best place in our whole
city, to watch the fashionable stream of
living folly, as it surges to and fro.
1 noticed two we'll dressed young men,
who, like myself, seemed to be waiting O1
the corner. Nature had done well for
both of them, and the tailor, barber and
hairdresser had not been wanting in polite
attentions.
Having nothing else to do, sat look
ing down upon them and wondering in my
own mind if these two good looking young
men were of that mighty multitude who
come to cities and sell themse.ves-that
is: health, self respect, honor and honesty !:
sand what remains" as Cossio said sis
beastial" for that miserable paling mess of
pottage, fashionable dissipation" l won
dered, too, who their mothers were, that
had poured through their blood such a
stream of good heartedness, as to make it
overflow in every feature of their faces, and
Whether the good council received at thier
knees, when the little clasped hands were
folded in theirs and the soft voice uttered,
'sLead US not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil" would stand by them and
guard them to the end.
Just then one of those splendid displays
of dry goods, called a fashionable young
lady, swept by; she bent her head grace
fully, and the young men touched their
Panamas. She was very beautiful, but oh !!
what bundle of laces, ribbons, flowers,
silks, kids, jewels, fringe and fan she car
ried, suspended over that immense tent,
built up of whalebone or steel aud white
tape.
"What do you say, joe" said one of the
young men; how will it do TO set up
housekeeping with such luxury as that!'
"Say-why | say it won't answer-no,
Sir, that's my candid opinion-I've seen
that lace manlilla and that splendid hori-
zon blue silk before; and let me tell you,
Miss Ellen Dupoy is sailing just now un-
der at least one hundred and fifty dollars
worth ofrigging."
"And she will want at least half dozen
suits year, you think"
"Exactly and that will be moderate, my
dear fellow. Ellen's charming girl-has
very good sense, get her off the dress fine,
and kind, tender heart as ever throbbed
inside hoddice-"
"Confound it, Joe, / know all that, but
whal'sa fellow TO do; l love the girl, and |
thnk-well, no matter, l won't say any
more on that task. But think can better
keep up with fast horses, theatres, cigars,
brandy and elegant boarding houses, than
attempt such an expensive luxury as that,
on my sal;ay."
"Belter by half, Ned. The fact is, we
poor devils get awfuIly blamed for what we
can't well help. What's fellow to do?
Here, my Governor insists l musts marry
and settle down, and reads me long lee
lures about spending a thousand year,
and insists, if [ had wife, would keep
house and live economically, l could save
half my salary"
marry and settle down--I fancy we
should settle down considerably, if we were
to undertake it with any of the girls of our
class. We read beautiful stories in the
Ledger and Ladies' Book, of home in two
rooms, and sweet little Marys and Eilens,
who cook beef steaks, and make toast and
tea with their own hauds, and keep all
warm and cosy, and slippers and double
gowns ready till we come. Now if we
could only hit upon one of them, Ned"
"Can't be did, Sir, and to wed the little
lady under that wide spreading tent, with
my income. would be to crush me with
disappointment and modification.
81 tell YOU, Joe, its no use We have got
to stick to the boarding houses, and it we
don't want to die Of dyspepsia and bad
cooking, keep up the tone of the stomach
by keeping up the spirits with fast horse,
fashionable flirt, and a glass Of lager,
now and then"
Just then a rush was made for the coach,
and our two philosophers took their seats
inside. just then too, Miss Ellen, who
had finished her promenade appeared at