Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-11-24

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A Boys Trials.
We do not think that any boy ever put on
his first long tailed coat without sense OF
shame. He first twists his back half off
looking at it In the glass, and then, when he
steps out of doors, it seems as ii all creation
was in q broad grin. The sun laughs In the
sky; the cows turn to look at him; there are
faces at every window his very shadow mocks |
him. The very boards creak with conscious
ness of the strange spectacle, and the old pair |
of pantaloons that stop light in the garret
window nod with derision
If he is obliged to pass group Of men and
boys, the trial assumes its most terrific stage
His legs all get mixed up with embarrassment,
and the flap Of the dangling appendage is felt
against them, moved by the wind of his own
agitation; he could not feel any worse were it a
dish rag. to be worn by him as badge of dis
grace. 1t is happy time for him when he
gets to church and sits down with his coat tail
under him; but he is still apprehensive with |
thinking OF the Sunday school, and wonders II
any of the children will ask him to swing his
long tailed blue.
The entrance into society may be said to
take place after boyhood has passed away, yet
a multitude take the initiative before their
hearts are presentable. 1t Is great trial to q
tender or tough age. For any overgrown boy
to go to door, knowing there are dozen
girls within, and knock or ring with absolute
certainty that in two minutes all their eyes will
be upon him, Is a severe test OF courage. 10
90 before these girls and make satisfactory
tour of the room without stepping on their
toes, and then sit down and dispose OF one s
hands without putting them In ones pockets.
is an achievement of which few can boast. II
boy can go so tar as to measure oil ten yards |
of tape with one of the girls, and cut it short |
at one end, he may stand chance to spend
pleasant evening; but let him not flatter HIM
self that the trials of the evening are over
There comes at last the break up. The dear
girls don their hoods and put on their shawls,
and look so saucy, so mischieyous and unim-
preSsible, as if they did not wish any one to go
home with them. Then comes the pinch, and
tho boy having the most pluck makes up to the
prettiest GIRL his heart in his throat, and his
tongue clinging to the roof Of his mouth, aRd
crooking his elbow, stammers out the words,
"Sball | SEQ you homer" She touches her
fingers to his arm, and thus they walk home
about foot apart, feeling as awkward as gos
lings. As soon as she is safe Inside her own
doors he struts home, and really thinks he has
been and gone and done it.-E1cchdnqe paper
OLD WINES The Bordeaux papers give
the following particulars of the late sale of Gu
rious old dry wines at Chateau Lafitte When |
the estate belonging to the late Count Ducha- |
tel was sold, the heirs reserved to themselves |
the right of selling the wine in the cellars |
This has now been disposed of, the purchaser |
paying five per ct. additional as auction duty. |
The attendance was exceedingly large, and !
comprised the principal wine merchants, qour- !
NETS of France, proprietors OF the great Paris |
restaurants, agents from many members OF the |
aristocracy and finance of France and other |
countries, and several foreign dealers. The |
dates of the wines ranged from l707 to 1861, and
the competition was naturally great, such col |
lection never having been before offered for sale.
The minimum price was francs the bottle for |
the growths of 1926 AND 1868, and the highest |
l2l francs for that OF 1911, the year or the |
comet. The first offer for the latter was 20 |
francs, followed by an advance to 80 francs at |
single bid, and then by 10 francs to 10 |
francs, and finally to l2l francs
The wines of the years 1866 and lS67still re-
main unsold, and are likely to be beyond the |
10 francs or II francs vintage. Comets agree |
with wine. The 1858 claret will be historical,
as it was of that vintage which Thackersy |
wrote, when staying in the wine, producing |
dstricts-"Shall live to drink OF thee, wine
OF the eOmetY' |
The Baltimore Gazette, has the following :
The wine world is wild just now about the |
extravagance of the bids made; but what are
they to the prices paid by bonClcants In the
days Of the Roman Emperors; when Vltellius
would spend $4,000 upon dish and throw |
away $50, 900 upon meal when Nero ate up |
a dish that cost $l50,000 aud regaled himself
with drink which cost still more; when Cali
gula spent S400, 900 upon supper, and when
Apicius who had expended 81, ,000,0 600 upon
his table and squandered immense grants anu
salaries, killed himself one day, after giving a
little dinner of 100000. because he found
that he only had trife OF S4OO, 900 lett? And
S4OO, 900 then was equal to many millions now.
We have little idea of the lavish expendl-
ture which was customary in days when Cleo
patra had to dissolve pearls in wine IN order TO
rlVal the sumptuous magni6cence of Antony.
Heliogabalus, adopting the mode OF making
presents at his feasts, gave to this one dish
Of silver and to that one golden cup or
handsome slave, or fine horse. The Emperor
'ltellus gave feast OF this kind TO twelve
guests, that cost him over $250,000. lie gave
them drink in vessels of gold, and, as at the
least OF Ahasuerus, the vessels were diverse
one from another.
ln those days when several hundred dollars
would be paid for a bird S tongue, VINE or ratii-
er drinks, for the wine was too thick to drink
pure. were costly and they became naturally
more expensive and choice with age. Horace
battered Lydia by, promising her wine
thlrty seven years old and Martial threatened
70 get drunk off wine OF one hundred years.
Nero, being invited to the house OF one OF his
subjects, was served with drink which cost
more than $l50,0OO. What is 4 poor little
sum OF $25 to this? The widest extravaganza
u the present age is close economy compared
With the lavish magnifcencc of the days OF the
homan Empire.
FOR THE LADIES. s.-It is said that If the top
oi carrot cut off at this season or later is
placed ina saucer of water, with few hits of
CHARCOAL to sweeten it, it will form radiated
leatherp nlant h,, no means nnwnrthu 10 nrace