, 1863-01-21

that the delights Of Richmond life and society
are to DO found: The effete, vapid and con-
under an inundation Of fresh adycnturous
spirits from all parts Of the Confedcracy and
elsewhere. The Elntastica1 day. Of the Wick
hams, CANDLES, Rando]phs, Leighs, and Wirts
haEe passed away forever; we rejoice in new
cra and miscellaneous population, troubled
with none Of the ridiculous Mrs Of the so.
called gentry.
The oldcn times hare passed away,
And glorious are tho new.
Here is the sweet Baltimore plug, adorning
The corners Of our principal ,thorongghfares:
The Departments Of Washington. ~.
/ The new man, the garrotef, is here; though
We see him not, save in the prints Of his in
gers on the throats Of unarmed citizens. In
The pa1atial stores on Main street, once inhab-
tied By Yankees devoted to the Union, VIC
find brawny 1tlians vending apples at 50 cents
apiece, anu nonpcscript 8outhcrncrs selling
minute plugs Of Tretchcd tobacco at IS cents.
Stout Marylanders occupy rooms on the cross
streets, and there throw away blockade boots
and shoes with reckless 1iberality. Able
bodied refugees, from God knows where,
6Tarm In our cellars aud abandon themselves
witha noble self:abnceation to the traffic in
putrid oysters mixed with mean whisky.
Substitute agents follow their unremunera-
nye vocationin namelcss places; extortionera
roll IN the wealth accumulated from every
~AAA&9 %Atte AAV LII ~ ElUUuEEk Ut luE u3Qu OF
man can fashion; bawds arrayed In the silks
OF Tyre and sidon and the jewels OF Samar-
cand 1lluminc and perfume our sidewalks;
gamblers erect their sumptuous towers on
every hand; whilst, as If to crown this splcn-
did concentration of social ornaments, the
vcrminous dcserter pa1ades his rags in osten-
tatious defiance alike Of civil and military
authority.
The variety Of our people is not their only
charm. We are told that the worn-out race
HSnT f%%H1 S$4l T. 49,
g1liEhed for their gentle manners. No such
cfdeminancy charactcrizes the 1usty and enter
prising population Of the new cra The spirit
Of freedom is broadly manifest in them, It
is beautifully exemplitlcd III the Ita1ian fruit
e7er, who with difficulty refrain. from kicking
dollar m ounce for his peanuts. The small
tailor. suddenly becomes rich, is spcecAless
with indignation If you dare ask him to un-
bend his dignity in the contemplate opera
lion Of meNding your clothes.
The ,cobbler, once too happy, to halfsole
your shoes, scow1s ut you furiously if you ap-
proach him IN any such mission, now that
leather is worth its weight In gold. The sad
d1eE, the gas0tteT, the grocer, the taalow-
chandler, the merchants in coal and wood-in
tact, all who hayearght to sell, indulge the iu-
science Of pecuniary Independence to degree
which makes intercourse with infinitely ex-
hilfaratinE. Tie entire absence Of obsequl-
business on the part Of our modern shopkecD-
ers Is one Of the most encouraging features of
the new times in this Confederation
!, an exceedingly 1ow estimate Of the fascina-
tions Of the life in Richmond would be Termed
if the account should not include tho nominal
price Of provisions, the astounding healthfnl-
mesa Of the air, and the abundance of the pre-
cious metals. Space does not permit us to
dTe!! at length upon these engaging features
Of Mcllmond's existence during the second
compelled to buy oftal Of opu1ent ,nillers at q
price which would stagger millionaire, and
when beef atsixty or eighty cents the pound
that removes every molar in the jaw Of mans
head, and reduces his biouspids to the circuul-
ference OF cambric needle {if he hare the
hardihood to attempt to chew it), every can
did mind mlist confess that the journalist,
who is generally presumed to be Indignant,
has little scope for the exercise Of his powers
beyond the mere recording Of the markets and
the Atcst sales at auction.
The eloquence of bare quotations trlnscends
the abilities Of any editor, however gifted, and
throws him at once into that vast herd whose
empty stomacl!s arc m ample excuse for their
gaping astontshmcnt ut the unprecedented
attitude In the charges for the commonest me-
cesEities Of life. And if It were possible for
the half-nonrished body to Withstand the cn-
croachmcnt Of disease, it would be consola-
tion to the citizen Of Richmond to know that
he dTells in perfect storehouse of 1nala&lfes,
and may take lis pick at any hour Of the day
the human frame.
To be tile prey Of the most lingering and
loathsome contagious is surely not altogether
desirable, but churlish indeed must be tile
sufferer who, in the midst Of his acutest ago
MES, cannot find abundant solace in the re-
Election that be can pay his incompetent doc
tor in shinplasters, and that when he dies, as
he certainly will, he will be buried in the
suburbs Of Richmond among countless
garroters, and blacklcgs.