Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-06
Ininn aud american.
BRICKS Is FLOORED BY TILTING
HOOPS.
From the Mobile Advertiser and Register.I

From the Mobile Advertiser and Register
Confidential.
BLAKEIY, May oath. lSGG.-GENTLE-
MEN: You can hardly take any interest in
my private affairs. ] don't suppose you do.
But am compelled, as a sanitary measure
TO pour my grief into one or more friendly
ears, and as / know of none more worthy of
condolences than yours, trust you will let me
pour IL into them.
As you are aware, ! am not a man Of fam
ally. i oughrnt 10 be blamed for il. It's
not my fault. IL had married every lady,
Il wont say every girl, for some Of them
fear, had outgrowE the night 10 be so styled, }
upon whom / have, from time to time, Of
iered to confer that distinction, | would be
as much married to-day as the Head Centre
Of the Latter Day Saints. But | didn't,
luckily; and | am still without what the
obituary writers call a companion" Out
of this Circumstance has grown one of the
most embarrassing affairs of my evantfuI life
1t is Of this affair / propose TO write YOU.
OF course what / shall tell you is strictly con-
iidential. You will know in the end why it
will not do to mention it to any living soul
Not TO keep you la suspense | have been
swamped, yictimized, fioored, by that newly
imported female absurdity they call "tlfing
hoops" Confound the things, If my great
grandmother were TO suffer herself TO be seen
hanging down from a set of them on the
street, ! would swear she was 10 kin 10 me,
and publish the affidavit in all the news
papers Of the city. The accidental glimpse
Of pretty foot-not TO say ankles not TO
be despised by the man of poetic soul and
cultivated taste. Everybody knows this
But when a set Of these fitting hoops land
Ia hoV,,al 10
the public at large, and feet and ankles are
exhibited with that sort of don't-care-a-
continental-cussitivene YOU sometimes see
on the stage when the second fiddle of the
ballet throws the full force of her genius
into the Highland Fling, / always feel like
paying somebody sixty-two and half cents
10 knock my hat down over my eyes and
take me away. IL there are ladies who de-
sire 10 show their iewelcd carriers and ruff
fled rigamagees, il strikes methat it would be
a brilliant idea 10 bring off the exhibition in
their own parlors, where they could have
the privilege Of choosing the spectators.
But as a victim, can hardly be called an
impartial Judge of these things
How | came TO be that victim was this: In
March last j went ont on Government street
10 witness the Sunday dress parade Of the
soldiers who are encamped Just beyond
Broad. While standing on the sidewalk
gazing with admiring eyes upon the ceru-
lean spectacle, and thinking that with 4
million Of such bayonets at its breast, it was
no wonder that the Southern Confederacy
threw up the sponge, | suddenly beheld a
young lady near me who seemed to be an
ornament 10 the neighborhood. She wore,
j distinctly remember, dress Of brindle-
colCred silk over brilliant skirt with Grim
son and black stripes, and apoplin trimmed
with purple berage and chencile flowers
the whole forming as charming t0A cnSem-
Die as you would care TO see. ] soon felt
peculiar sensation bubbling up under the
watch pocket Of my vest and gradually per-
yading my whole system. / had been along
there many time before, and was not at a
loss 10 know that was falling in love. |
stood still and let il work until ] went in
head over heels. Under such circumstan-
ces. il has never been a habit with me to
suffer my damask cheek to become prey
10 concealment, and determined to make
the acquaintance of the young lady, and tell
her all abou. it.
] didn't have long 10 wait She carried
in hand cream-colored pocket handker
chief bordered with Vincennes lace. Lucki-
ly for me, she dropped il on the pavement.
with one of those graceful bows for which, at
one time, | was 30 justly distinguished. She
remarked with smile, that she was much
obliged 10 me, and instantly felt the ice of
conventionality give way beneath me. We
fell into a conversation, which was kept up
till the parade was over, and when she turn
ed TO leave the ground, i did not hesitate
to walk off with her When we got to nay
turning-oh place. ! asked permission 10 visit
her. She said | could do so. / did SO.
Thus began my acquaintance with Polite
Ann. j went 10 see her often. ] soon found
that ] couldn't be comfortable unless she
was somewhere in sight | began TO feel
that without the smiles of Polite Ann this
world would be bowling wilderness, in
which / should be inclined 10 do the bulk
of the bowling myself Such is the infatu-
alton of Lowell
1t was a calm, still evening in carly April.
] sat beside the adored one, who held in her
hands every hope had left. One Of those
hands | took in mine, and squeezed II rs
gently as you would a magnolia blossom
that You didn't want 10 crush. She seemed
TO like It, have found that the most of
them do.
Hast thou ever loved, Polly Ann ?' and
my voice trembled melodiously. | felt that
an impending crisis was in the neighbor-
hood.
can't say that ! ever hast" was the
reply.
"Oh, dearest, best beloved Of Polite
AIMS p / exclaimed with touching warmth,
then do so at onCep Believe me- never
did poet utter a truer sentiment than the
bard of Idlewild when he sang:
The cup that is longest untasted
May be with our bliss running DER.
And love when we will we have wasted
An age in not loving before"
She looked as if she thought so too.
Tell ne, dearest Polite Ann" continu-
ed, that, if You cannot love, you at least
do not despise me, and / shall be compare
lively happy"
"Despise thee, dearest George! Can You
think me capable of despi,ing one which !
havn't thought of nobody else for the last
three weeks -
opened my arms, and she rushed franh-
cally into them. l went down the next day
20 see Squire LOOMS whom | engaged TO aid
me in introducing a wedding into the family
Of Polite AIMS mother, and the affair was
20 come of "a soon as | could raise money
enough TO defray the expenses of a bridal
tour 10 Whistler.
Last Thursday afternoon-I shall never