Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-01-28
A COMPOUND PERSONAL.
The DeViltries Of Two MiSChieV'
GUS Young Ladies.
How a Lot of SOft-Headed Young Men
Were Taken in' and "SOId.''

anyone may see, who is curious enough to
read over their Mandy PANTY appeals and
propositions. They generally read after
this fashion:
" A YOUNG LADY OF LITERARY ABIL-
| N tiles and poetic lOngngs, but who feels
herself alone in this cold and unsympathetC
world, would like to correspond with some young
gentleman similar, with view to an interchange
of sentiments which may lead to something
more confidential. Address Maude -"
Again we come across such effusion as
the following:
A GOOD-LOOKING, SENTIMENTAL
| "A youth desires to correspond with some
Young authoress, who like himself, is DESTROYS of
being great in the world OF letters, and who
i would lend the light of buOyant heart to cheer
the gloOms OF his own. Address BYRON" etc.
But they vary considerably, and run all
the way from a high toned Byron to the
illusions of rollicking schoolgirl, DESTROYS
of entering into the world Of practical TO-
nance. In fact, we suspect that a good
proportion of these soft personals" ema-
nate from youthful brains DESTROYS of in
dulging in little Irritation and innocent
deviltry. But to our story.
Not long since a couple of young ladies,
who were as full of mischief as an egg is of
embryo chicken, took it into their pretty
heads to have some personal" fun at the
expense of whoever might prove gullible
| enough TO be taken in. So in a late issue
of the paper alluded to they publish this
card
"VITANTED, BY A FUN-LOVING YOUNG
! w Lady residing in the City of New York.
| but whose aristOcratic relations curb her joyous
| emotions, to correspond with handsome young
man of good family and position, with view OF
| finding COngeniaI, cOnfding Nnd sympathetic
| friend. Beauty, social position, love of the re-
! fined, the beautiful and the humorous indispen-
| sable Address BEAUTY, Box --, y. Y.
This advertisement once placed before
the world, they awaited the replies. They
| did not have to wait long, for before the
| end of the week. the perfumed 6IletS ,dOuC
poured in upon them in a perfect shower.
And such baLetS-dOur! such prOtestatiOns
of innocence never awakened, until they
read Beauty's "card," such gushing and
! egOtism, such loving appeals for a photo
! graph 'of the sweet one whose simple wish
had captivated them;" such attempts at
| being funny, as a specimen OF what they
could and did enjoy, because it was inhe
! rent in them; such glowing descriptions Of
| the beautiful which they wOrshipped, were
never seen or heard before.
The two mischiefs came near going wild
| with delight; it was almost too much for
! them to endure and remain sane, and PROV
! ed too much for them to keep to themselves.
| Two or three of their lady friends, as fond
! of fun as they were, were taken into their
! confidence, and enjoyed the reading Of the
! passionate bHet-SdOJGC Then they all set
! to work answering them after a formula
! agreed upon between them, until over forty
| had been made happy, each one thinking
| himself tire favored and the only one.
In the course of a few days answers
! 10 Of
| interview or a carte de riSite. The young
! elfins were in an ecstaCy of delight, but
| Just how to manage such an army of anx-
ious candidates they could not at first de-
/ t.rmine. At length it was agreed to an
swer each one Of them after this fashion:
''My Dear Friend-I have been revolving
| the matter of a meeting over in my mind.
| l fear | have Been rash, and that it will be
! impossible to meet as both of US desired.
But have hit upon a plan that will to a
| certain extent please US both. Next Tues
! day evening it has been arranged that l
should 90 in company with my brother and
| a few Of our family friends Gall such stuck
! up and precise folks that detest them), to
| WallaCk's Theater, to see ROSedGLe. The
right hand upper box has been engaged
| and will be seated next 10 the stage, so
! You cannot help seeing me; but as l have
! quite as much anxiety to see you rs you
! have to see me, you will oblige me by being
| seated in the orchestra, as near to the front
as possible. To make assurance doubly
! sure, please wear a white bouquet in the
! left lapel Of your coat, and carry a small
! white-handled cane. When the curtain
! goes down at the end of the first act, will
| you stand up in your seat and bring the
| handle of the cane to your lips? This can
| be done without exciting attention, and l
( will wave my handkerchief slightly in re-
! cognition, so that we both can know each
! other, and The better understand whether
! it will be agreeable to continue the friend
ship so happily begun. Don't fail to follow
instructions, and you will make glad the
! heart of BEAUTY"
| A copy of this letter was sent to each of
! the waiting lovers, and Treasurer Moss was
at once besieged with applications for Or
chestra chairs for Tuesday night. Being
| nearly a week in advance they had no
| trouble in being accommodated, and so
! everything was arranged in the lOvelest
manner possible.
No sooner had the epstles been dis
! patched than each of the young viXens took
her beaux into the secret, and the particIl-
! lar box spoken of in the letters was engaged
for the eventful night. Then each of them
! fell to dreaming, talking and anticipating
what the result would be, until they nearly
skinned the cream from the denOUemcRt.
But the night in question finally arrived,
and all hands to the Personal were ready
and anxious.
Soon after the doors were opened, one
dandy after another began to arrive. Each
one of them was dressed in the height of
I 4 L, II. a.,
bouquet in the left lapel Of his coat. Each
also carried a small cane with a white ivory
handle.
Such an array Of fashionable young men,
all with the same tokens, and all entered
near the front of the orchestra, not only
astonished the remainder of the audience,
but there were not a few anxious and be-
wildered exchange of glances among them,
as one after another of the victims came in
| and took their seats. What did it mean?
Was it simply coincidence, a happen-so?
| 1t must be they all appeared to think so, for
aside from the angry glances which they
cast at each other, there appeared to be no
/ suspicion aroused in any of them. Besides,
/ the last test, the rising in the seat with the
| cane to the lips as the curtain went down
at the end Of the first act, would be final
! proof that it was happen-sO, and each one
Rugged himself closer to himself and waited
! events.
The curtain finally went up, and the eyes
of the curious audience We're at last taken
from them to the stage, greatly to their re-
lief, for they appeared to be conscious that
so many men dressed so much alike and all
wearing white bOquets, were attracting cor =
siderable attention.
The young ladies' and their gent emen
friends came purposely late and sat well
back out of sight They had Toned them
selves down by resolution, ST., that their ris-
ibles were well under cont ol, and with hon
est faces they waited erents. Thew could
see the amorous popi.iays and the searching
glances they cast towards the private box.
They kept themselves just sufficiently out
of sight to ass IRE them that the box was oc-
cupied, and pretended to be greatly inter-
ested in the progress of the play.