The Republican journal., 1871-09-21
Gossiping Letter from Percie.
Correspondence of the Journal.
NoPLAcE, Sept. IS, 1871.

number of Somebodies and Nobodies, I
am travelling through it at the rate Of
say twenty miles an hour. 1t isn't the
lightning train. That's hundred miles
ahead. And we are here. Everything
happens you know, or has direct cause.
Now don't interrupt with a Providential
dispensation. | know better. This was on
ly and altogether most aggravatine, and
exaggerated case of constitutional lazi-
ness. The clock had been talking to me
all the morning with its ceaseless ''tick-
took, tick-tock" which interpreted means,
you'll be late, you'll be later Il
know shall" in accents by no means
mild. But by no fault of mine. Every
refractory orimp and obstinate pin We're
promptly in place, hat satisfactorily ad-
iusted, gloves snugly buttoned, and satch-
el and shawl put conveniently near. a
good twenty minutes ago. The passing
time has been filled up in glancing over
Ben Buffers last attempt to ''enlighten
the ignorant with a slight spasm Of adj
miration for the pluckiness of the man; in
tossing the Maine election returns over
the table as unsatisfactory reading; and
groaning over the Hodge detalcation as
an instance of the sinfulness Of mankind
i'll general and thai one in par lticul.r. But
in vain. The hackman, like the ''slave
in the ring is still Invisible. Gloves are
drawn off and then drawn on again. Hat
is tipped to the right then to the left, and
finally brought with an emphatic Jerk two
inches lower on the forehead. Heels 90
with an impatient rap, rap, to the window,
then come spitefully back to the table
trot. off again to the door, and bring up at
last with an eXaspelated stamp on the
carpet. "Ah, here you are''-in blandest
tones, with an inward twinge of remorse
at our own hypocrisy. 81 am afraid we
shall be late" ''Oh. no. There's plenty
OF time" | am assured but not satisfied.
| got my money il readiness. l plant
my feet for 4 spring ! lean lmpatiently
toward then desperately back. At the
depot say in an attempted voice Of calm
ness: please get my baggage checked
for Be- g Too late. madam, the
cars have Just left" What cold, un-
sympathetic voice How stern, and hard
and ilinty the Is How implacablc
the features Of the red, round face; how
stubborn the rotund form | swept by
them all and took q farewell glance at the
departing p. p short for Pullman Palace
| wish | could say whoa. do say, to the
unluclly son of Erin. in uncontrolled
severity, "There, told you So" OF Ill
human punishme1ts this to me is the most
terrible. Just a5 if it wasn't morttica-
ton enough TO make q blunder without
having that complacent @ | told you
so' thrust in your ears. The intense
hue of the flush that suf1used that mans
face, and the regret indicated in his "In-
dadc, I'm sorry, Miss" assured me that
he was making; IN abrupt descent into the
Valley 7of Humiliation, and strai aightway
compassion asserted itself The brilliant
thought found expression in II can wait :"
As if there WIS any help tor it !
And | did wait four hours in noisy,
distracting railway station, watching the
outgoings and mornings. And l Won
aaooa If Cod made all these people after
his own image and pronounced them good.
Here was 4 rustic bride, radiant in
Solferno silk, black velvet sack, white
bonnet and gloves, attended by an i'm
maculate looking man, slick and shiny
from his well oiled locks to his highly
polished boo.s. They are too independent
for lovers-too loving for long married
people. | know they are in the first
stages of the honeymoon. On his part
there is no more waiting upon smiles and
frowns. Already there is a large taking
ON of the rights and prerogatiyes of lord
and master, plainly perceivabIe in the ad-
ditional dignity of the strut, and the an
tagonistic angle of the elbow, So soon
bclligercnt? BY no means. Only deeper
and intenser assumption Of that peculiar
patronizing air men ever manifest toward
women, attended sometimes by gentle
Difference and courteousness. But still
patronizing for all that. AS if she We're
the weaker part of creation. They seem
in silent was to be always quoting the
lines Of the poet
might has ruled the earth,
Will rule it-shall rule it.
MeekncSs is weakness
Strength is triumphant
Women, thinking it nice to be depend
ent f'ondly submit to all this aggression,
and whine and wheedle for the rights they
dare not demand. This bride is like al
brides, tidgetly and fussy, with her newly
acquired Importance. But in her deep
blue eyes there IS the sweet contiding
trust of a loving heart, that makes us pray
softly under our breath, that the bloom and
freshness may never be darkened.
Next is a bonny Scotch mother, with
homelv, honest face, bold black eyes and
raven hair. She talks of Scotland and the
dear home twenty miles from Edinburgh.
I wish | could catch and put upon paper
the quaint commingling Of Scotch dialect
and broken English, as the pretty vine
covered, cottage home grew into distinct
shape under the skilllully portraying
tongue. The same master touch brought
out the heather hills rugged and grand,
and glowing as the canvass of the painter.
A little faithful copy of the mother inter-
rupts with "Please, mamma, may sing
the lady n song?" And such Il song
And such a voice! Bright, tender, limpid
and softly flowing as the waters of her
native brooks Rising into clear, pure
heights, and sinking into faintest whisper
All unmindtul Of the gathering crowd, tho
admiring looks, the praisetul words, the
little singer goes on, with the light OF an
other and higher nature shining from the
radiant face and uplifted eyes, and fin
;sbos in ;, tri,,mohal shower of applause