New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-12
NEXT DOOR TO BULLIMAN'S.
~ HAHN FRISWELL.

NEXT DOOR TO BULLIMAN's.
BY HAM FRIswELL.
Which shall begin with-the Bulliman's
or Boxley Down. The person is more
worthy than the place; but, as the place is
known because it is the residence of the
persons-and because. "Sir-ree" as they
say in America, the persons are particularly
nice people, will first begin with the
place.
will not say which, because live there,
and wish to keep it Select" If every
body knew the virtues of BOxley Down,
everybody would flock there, and 1t would
cease to have any virtues at all. Silence is
golden: will be wisely reticent.
BOxley Down is also on a great high-road
to several ancient and excellent towns. and
in years gone by the Boxley Downy ones,
as we may call them, used, when out OF
cash, to lay in wait for his Majesty's mails,
and present protocol, pistolshaped, at the
inhabitants of the mail cOach-ust as Prus
eia is, at the moment l write, holding sew
eral big guns at the head OF Paris-and re-
fresh their purses by gathering from the in
habitants certain gold pieces. When Boxley
Down was satisfied, the mail was at peace.
These days are remembered historically by
the Downy ones, and with regret. They are
simple race, and talk OF the old robbers
with .justifable pride.
The Down is parched in summer and
frozen in winter. The noses of the Downy
ones are grilled bright scarlet during June.
July and August, turn to a mellow brown
in autumn, and achieve beautiful black
blue in winter. The Down has disappeared,
and long, struggling town of small shops,
pretentious villas, good old houses and
huge sprnkling Of inns, taverns and beer
shops form, on the crest Of a low hill
which, by gradual rise, is yet some hun
dreds of feet above the level Of the sea-
what is fOndly spoken of as The Down"
The DOwny ones are proud of it. If you
mention to them the small village of BoXley,
which is much more select and aristOcratic,
they turn up their nOses-red, brown or blue,
according to the seasOn-and speak of it
with contempt. At Boxley Down, the Eng
lish Philistine reaches a patriarchal old age
and the minimum of intelligence. He be-
lieves himself the salt of the earth. He
is very religious two Baptist,
one Congregational, and one English
church, which he calls the "Estab
lshment." The Baptist Downy
ones have lately split into two parties; but
both are equally bitter against the otherre-
ligiOnists London is regarded by the
BOxley Down with mingled envy and hor-
Tor; and yet the most strict of the Downy
ones are suspected-mOre than suspected
Of running by railway from Boxley Old
Town, as they call it, to laugh at the Adel-
phi. or to be thrilled at the Victoria. This
dire suspicion has caused the Rev. Pincher
Twills, of the Established, to preach
thrilling sermon, in which the blaniish-
ments Of London were compared to those
of Daliah, and the backsliding Downy ones
to the defeated and shOrn Samson. On the
same. subject, the Rev. Spanker BOrle, the
Baptist minister, produced a rousing dis
course, which sent two married and jealous
ladies into Mysteries.
live at BOxley Down, and l am "next
door to Bulliman's.' The deserted house
have taken was never christened. 1t has
been called by various names, each man
who came to it giving it new appellatiOn
prefer to have a local habitatiOn without
name. 1.-THE post of honor is private
station that is my motto; bills are, there
fore, sent as due from next door to Bull
MANS" and they are duly paid.
Bulliman's is "a ladies' school. There is
no male Bullman. There was one, who,
says his mild relict, was an officer in her
Maiesty's forces" Officer is a wide word.
There are officers in her Majesty's customs,
and in the local pollce-a force which,
though very efficient, has the benefit of
being totally composed of officers. But the
deceased Bulliman-a meek fellow with a
tremendous beard, weak head, and a con-
sumptive chest-was neither in the police
nor in the customs, nor in the pOstOtfice.
Neither was Bulliman an officer in any regi-
ment. He served, however, in the Crimea;
and his grateful country has pensioned his
widowfn SO insufficient a way that Mrs. Bull
Imam is fain to keep school. The truth is,
that William Bulliman was in the Commits
sariat Department, and being of tender
conscience, as we'll as having 'consump-
tive chest" he, after the terrible revelations
about our starving troops and famished
horses, "took III" and died. "He was ten
der-Learted fellow, and never ought to have
been called Bulliman.' said his widow, as
if there was something terrible in the
name.
his widow was a faint-hearted, mild lit
tie creature, as any one might see; but she
had two little children, as different from
herself and the deceased officer as well
could be. Her theory about the matter
was, that they favored grandfather; and
from tho stories told about him, think
they must have done so. Grandfather Bull
Imam, fine, dashing fellow, had been a
parson and was an officer in very differen,
army From the story of his life one might
have supposed that the Rev. BullimaI
acted up to his name, and that his sons
spirit was thereby crushed. by the rule o
contrary he had married very meek, bu
tall, creature. whose nature had been be
oueathed to the "ofiicer," while the fierce
ness and dash Of the gallant drill-sergean
in the ranks of the "Onety-tirst Regiment
was given to his grandchildren. Dick ant
Katey. Happily, toward their mother thes'
children showed nothing but tenderness
and love.
Dick had been well educated, as the chill
dren OF most genteel widows are. Poo
creatures, how they do pinch and screw fol
the rcs"lr: and sometimes, how poor a one
it is! Dick, however, did all in his power t.
make Ills mother happy; came out well il
his examinations. went in for chemistry, anC
was soon decently employed in the analysis
. of water. sewage, and other pleasant mat
tiers. The British public, yeay or two ago
had a scientific craze; and Dick was lucky
in taking advantage Of it. He was not a