Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1869-01-22
Baltimore Correspondence.
BALTIMORE. Jan. 18TH, 1869.

be altogether without interest to your readers,
trust am notiobtruding in giving them
General dullness in all departments of business
has prevailed here since the holidays were over.
Before and during the festive season. however,
there was an unusual activity in several
branches Of trade. Some people-in fact, a
good many people-complaiped Of hard times,
but the lavish manner in which money was ex-
pended showed that at least some of them had
no right to express dissatisfaction with the
times. Many of the merchants certainly reaped
rich harvests; and if extravagant individuals
went home with their purchases, signing over
empty purses, they kept it very quiet, and the
outside world knew nothing of it.
A speculative mind, in comparing the bust
ness affairs of the city to-day with what they
were just before and during the holidays, is
apt to draw this inference: that in trade as in
the physical system an over stimulous is al
ways followed by reaction proportionate to
the power of the exciting agent. would not
have you suppose, however, that our city is
just beginning to shake off the stupor conse-
quent on a kind of commercial debauchery. I
would only intimate that, as business at this
season of the year is mostly of local charac-
ter, the good people who opened their purses
to their utmost extent, during the holidays, ex-
ercise little caution in opening them at all,
now the holidays are past. This, however,
will not apply generally, as a walk on Balti-
more street this beautiful day will fully demon
strate. Young ladies, in all the gaudiness of
the ''winter Styles" and older ladies scarcely
less showily arrayed, throng the street through
out nearly its entire length, intent on shopping
expeditions. Anybody knows, that knows
any thing about it, that ''shopping'' can't be
done without means.
Speaking of ''winter Styles I would re-
mark, by the way, that probably since Fashion
first assumed her sway over female character
dating back, presume, to the time when mo-
ther Eve, in default Of something better sewed
leaves together in which to clothe herself
never has the ingenuity Of the fair sex been so
remarkably fertile in devising acays-their pa
pas and husbands usually devise the m.eans-to
make themselves prettier. AS to the degree of
success that has attended their efforts, that,
like the spelling of Mr.. Weller's name, is alto
gether matter of taste. 1t is no doubt, try
ing to the nerves of the more timid and inexpe-
rienced OF the sterner sex to witness some Of
the styles characterized as the ''Grecian bend"
Yet am really beginning to think that in
spirit of obstinate mean perseyering, that
was an ugly slip of the pen, Experimentation,
some of the ladies have arrived to that degree
of fortitude that they actually, in stoical kind
of way, enjoy the apparent instruments of tor
ture Fashion has prescribed for them. At first
view of one of these styles, however, was in
[expressibly moved to lr,itys Seeing lady on
the street, evidently suffering a very severe at
tack of cramp, impulsively sprang forth, gin
ger bottle in hand, overcoming my customary
temerity in the earnestness of my desire to rend-
er assistance to a suffering lady; but to my
utter chagrin was characterized by the fair
one as 'stupid impertinent," and threatened
with the awful wrath of papa. Luckily the
old gentleman has not as yet honored me with
his acquaintance. have, however, learned a
lesson; and now, when l meet young ladies on
the street, however much they may incline
from vertica1ity, keep silent and pass on.
The young gentlemen, however, are but lit
tle if any, behind the fair ones in their perfect
obedience to the eccentricities of Fashion. The
most striking peculiarities Of a young gentle
mans outfit are the inhuman tightness of his
breeches, the brevity of his coat, and brigand
ish appearance of his hat. The latter has, for
sometime, been gradually increasing in dimen-
sions until it bids fair to become formidable
rival of the umbrella, while the pants, on the
contrary, have been proportionately decreasing.
Strength of material, rather than width, seems
to be one of the principal requisites for the lat
est styles of gentlemen clothing particularly
cannot possibly Withstand the terrible inside
pressure to which they are subjected.
The "Grecian bend'' nor tight breeches,
however, seem to have the smallest influence
in lettering young gentlemen and ladies from
entering the holy state of matrimony. For six
there has been spirit of hymenialay manifest
ed among the young people unprecedented in
the history of Baltimore. They are married
and given in marriage" with will that is tru-
ly commendable. Even there are some indica-
tons of a matrimonial commotion among those
of 'riper years" Crusty old bachelors are
placing themselves in an attitude of defence,
alleging, as a reason for doing so, that in &C
cordance with the spirit of the times there is
imminent danger of an overwhelming assault
by the more mature spinSters who have been
patiently biding their time for years. Wheth-
er these apprehensions are well grounded or
not, remains to be seen.
Church matters Notwithstanding certain
good people, of all denominations, go through
regular forms of service-generally are not as
prominent in holiday times as they ought to
be. However, our churches are usually well
attended and, it is a well known fact, that for
church facilities Baltimore will compare favor
ably with any city in the Union. l have un-
derstood that there is a probability that DR..
W. E. Munsey, of Central M. E. Church, South,
of this city, will, on the 14th of next month,
preach the dedicatory sermon of church re-
Gently erected in your county. l trust the re-
port may be true, as it will afford many of
your people an opportunity of hearing this dis
tinguished and brilliant pulpit orator. DR..
Munsey is at present on visit to New York
city, in the interests, 1 Think of the Southern
Educational Society.