The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-03-30
JONESBOROUGH, TENN FRIDAY MARCH 30 1866

'"et pNslness man. must MAINTAIN tnnt IN
idea was a pure impossbility, Every on
will readily admit, when ! state that was il
the queens ware, glass and porcelain line tb
supposltion to have been grossly improbable
to say the least. However, married we were
left Tippoo Saib to her soitude--n sovereign
without subjects went to housekeeping in {
nee little cott0ge, whore we sill live; and al
all stories end, or should end, with mar.
ringe, ] might end mine here, excepting fol
the fact, that, from a correct point of view, the
story would be too short--!o say nothing oil
its being slightly deficient in point--plot, sit
uations, adventures, characters, and Incl
cents, and not at all 'buslness-like tran5ac-
ton.
Alice was an economic VI little creature, and
having known poverty, was continually gaz-
ing at a mental landscape, the principal fea-
ture being stocp decItvity Mt the f, OF Of
which stood 'orbidding-looking ams-house.
Nothing during the first yeOr of our marriage
CO ul dspel the Illusion thatthis was to be
the terminus of our mercantile career q sac
rifce Of the household furniture, and a per-
mNnent Imprisonment in the establishment
especially provided for recklesspaupers. Ny
little wife however, fought strongly against
this foreshadowed horror, and kept wakeful
watch and ward over those insidous marnu,
ders, the housrhon expenditures while the
solitary servant received lectures, in quiet
way, such ns would have doubtless nstonish-
ed and confOundcd Adam Smith himself
can safely say that nothing was wasted ex.
cept on beggars, and they aocked TO the
house in regiments and battalions. Profess
sional beggars they were svcry one of them,
frmed out upon the public by some Ital'on
or other vagabond foreigner, dislike beg
gars myself It's not i bnsiness-lite way of
getting living. | don't object to feeding
the hnngry-ln fact, protest energetically
again;t any suffering Of the kind. No one
can attend to business on an empty stomach
but, rs pay my taxes, nm opposed to the
city fathers allowing set of vagabonds MAX
ing trade of begging, and extracting six
pences from unprotected females Of the com
munity through recritcn Of fictitious sor-
rows. firm belief in the outrageous 20
manees ir, ente ly these ragged harpies was
an unhappy weakness with Alice, whose
sympathies were always instnntnneously AVA
The moment one Of these imposters made his
appearance the alms-house was forgotten, and
away went the swings Of economical house,
keeping. Her liberty in this respect was so
startling that was obliged to put stop to
/ ut last by borrowing all her silver change
on the pretext ofrequiring II on my business,
with additional check Of cutting of fufther
supplies. | was compelled to succumb how
ever, ms couldn't stand Alicc's tears, which
. she gave to misery being sail she had'
see another of the disreputnble poets) so
fearing that the drawing-room would aoat
away on "endless weeping" gave up,
the supplies, and tacitly encour-
nsed the imposters--one of the most unbusi-
ness like transaction was ever engaged iD.
One Of the consequences Of this morbiu |
dread ofpoyerty entertained by Alice in our
life was a persistence on her part
,r lduging in species of practical econo-
my le point OF which could not be brought
10 see. She Nould insist on the adyisability
,f making her purchases Of dresses and such
women gear from peddlers-a race Of people
s ho no doubt descended from the Wander
ng jew. The most obnoxious specimens OF
lie race who constantly haunted the premis-
% was and old TutOnic female, the pOsessor
# weazen face, an unearthy grin, and
}nbcIi, Il tongue equal TO the confOunding of
he Father Of Lies in person. She generally
made her appearance with huge white bum
lie on her back, suggesting the supposition
hat she had arrived from plunderiug some
iummer-deserted Mansion, and had bolted
,ith everything she could lay her hands on,
shite Marctlics bed quilt, which always sur.
onndcd the mysterious stock in trade. o.
,cted to this female, but II wasn't Of tae
lightest use, as was eouvinced, after
hort argument, that my objections being
used upon aprofoul dignornnce Of the whole
inject were frivolous and unreasonable. In
,ct | was so completely subdued that, n
hort time subsequent to my snominious de-
rat, found myself wearing some e1ecrable
oyks once a pprtiOa oftbe contents ofA white
unde, which like Pilgrims seemed corr
anlly glued to the old wOman's back. Ills
" opinion size slept on il. si
There was one clasB Of these wandering
pndors from whose inriieiionS considered
ysslfsf'. felt confident that Alice would
ever exhibit that universal weakness Of her
Y shown IN disposition tobe fascinated by
Ie tempting barEaIrs offered by dealers 10
,sss, cui-gla8s bottles, etc. Those peripa-
tic yagabonds who don't want money, but
, want old CLOTHES Ny confidence in this
,speet was based upon the fact that ! my
,lr was supposed to nndergtand the value Of
zen merchandise. The history Of ssiFes
lows, however, iha. II Is the unfatdsd
rong point which onrn falls before the at
.ckk or an insidiour foe Some lrreyerent