The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-04-26
An HOUR ROF AGONY.

be IN a balloon when perforated by
PrUssian bullets? Has it occurred
to him to have been indulging a
commendable curiosity in the re-
moter recesse3 of a coal mine, when
an explosion suddenly severed the
connection between himself and the
world without? There are forms Of
uneasiness not to be lightly treated
Of They shrink into nothing beside
that supreme commingling Of grief,
astonishment and horror as was my
lot to experience on a certain never
to -be-for5 often evening of January,
40.
Times soothing infuenee has
wrought its accustomed effect. All
bitterness, al self-reproach, haze dI, d
gradua ly away. In pltce oil that
mental tunult which for long pc
riod, attended the remembrance of
the accident III ques ion, now find
myself to narrdte with Indifference,
nay, even with q smile, .the circum
stance to which, but recently, my
most intimate friends burst hardly
hazard an allusion.
The Guild of Lumpeters represent
one of the most ancient and honored
Of London's civic !: itutions. What
they are, why they are, I have not
the remotest idea. Enough that, on
a certain day in November, they are
seen in their glory, their banners
brighter, their bands brasser, thoir
knights more corpu ent, themselves
sleeker and more redelont Of wealth
than any of their prosperous rivals.
They have hall eolely, it would
seem, for the purpose Of hospitality.
They give dinners of incOnceivable
succulency and ioothsOmeness. They
invite Mayors, nay Kings, who don't
always come, and princes, who gen
orally do, and they also invite me, l
go, for I Ike them. All the Lumpe-
ters of my acquaintance arc noble,
lArge-hearted men, citizen gentlemen,
on whom London, in need of arm or
purse, might confidently rely. 1
think if were other than what am,
[ woull be q Lumpeter.
Pretexts were never wanted for a
Lumpeter feed. The recovery of the
chief city city magistrate from n bill
lious attack, the breaking up of the
frost, the birth of q son and heir to
the Ban of Croat a, arrival Of pie
bald elephant at the gardens Of the
Geological Society, such were among
the events I could recall as having
suggested feastful reioicings. But
that to which I have now TO refer
was to regarded as a private and pc
culiar gathering, almost, III pOint of
fact, a corporate family feed, COM
prising no more than ninety-fve
guests, selected with INSTRUMENTATION,
for the purpose of testing the merits
of new head cook. Thus, it had
rather the nature of grave and dis
passionate deliberatiOn than of
dinner, q certain sense of responsi-
bility toning down the exuberate
mirth that usually waited on these
pleasant assemblies.
There were to be no speeches, no
music. The usual loyal toasts, no
more. Above all, no ladies. The
presence Of beauty, chatting in the
gallery, might haFly distract the at
tention of the weaker sex from the
great object of the meeting.
The Lumpeters were partioular-
and thought oonservative-in mat
ters of attire. They themselves, to
man, adhered to the fashion, mort
bund, but not defunct, or anklebut-
toned pantaloons, figured silk stock
ings, buckled shoes, expansive white
walstcoats and the military cravat
patronized by his late majesty, the
fourth George. It WAS we'll under
stood that the adoption of similar
costume on the part of their guests
would be interpreted by Lumpeters
as the most delicate return that
could be offered for their hospitality.
[ myself invariably sported the fancy
dress in question.
On the eventful day as have men :
toned, it happened that I had been
detained at chambers later han
usual, and on reaching home had
barely time to dress. While doiE g 50
[ received an anxious mt tssage { ON a
friend who was to have accom- panieg
me to the banquet, but who, BEND
late, and himself stranger to the
guild, begged me to secure for him a
seat next my own.
With increased expedition I finish
ed my toilet, and the dining hall be-
ing but five minutes walk from my
residence, 1 quickly buttoned on a
pair of rough overalls, threw ON my
cloak, and hurried to the spot.
To my astonisment, crowd, dense
and still augument was gathered
about the door. It was only through
the aid of a friendly policeman that
[ was enabled to make my way
"WhAt was the matter?" 1 inquired
of Number Nineteen Is. The an
swer, half drowned in the clatter O
arriving carriages, sounded like "lur
rim swell" "WhoF" Number Nine
teen forebore to trust his lips will
the name; but it were him the beast
esses out in Afrikey. It was ore
intelligent porter who presently an
nounced to me that the renowned
French lion slayer, tho Baron Boba
dill de Bette Fauve, had at the las
moment, accepted an invitation T.
dine at Lumpeters's Hall.
The character of the assembly ha5
undergone change. Not only ha'
a little reinforcement of n hundrsC
and twenty guests been hastily in
vited, but a dense mass of spectator
lined the hall, the passages and tn
ante-chamber, and even frothed owe
into the banquetting room itself, tn
spacious gallery Of which was alread
Gllnd with ladins- whom the chival