New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-07-27
AMONG sHARPs.


Tor the day, on business which took me into
the city. Having accomplished the purpose
of my visit more quickly than / expected.
was strolling leisurely along st. Paul'e
cburchyard, with the view Of making my
way into the Strand. The time Of day was
the busy stream of people that flowed city.
ward or ebbed past me, it seemed was the
only loiterer. A man, however, walking
nearly as slowly as ], seeing me smoking az
he passed, at last stopped and asked me for
light. gave him q match. He fell back
little out of the stream of traffic into the
shelter of shop window corner to light his
cigar in peace. He was short man, about
ei1 and thirty, with brown beard and
Whiskers, face trile marked with small
pox, well-dressed, of gentlemanly appear
ance, and spoke with strong Indeed,
much too strOng) American twang. 4
As continued my stroll i soon became
aware that l was followed by this gentle.
man. The slower ! walked the slower he
walked. 1t is not comfortable to be fol
lowed-sO pulled up to let him pass. In
stead OF doing SO, he no sooner came up
With me than he pulled up too.
He set his head just thought out Of the
perpendicular, and, looking me full in the
lace, said: Guess this is tall city! Now,
It amt like Philadelphy, where our critters
knew what they was going at before they
began to build, and ruled all the streets
straight ahead in right lines. No, SIR"
"NO," l said CURLY, and was moving on.
"NO, SIR" he continued, walking by nv
side, land it's useless for stranger in yure
city to give his mind to going anywhere,
for he amt likely to get there. Now, if it
ain't re-ude of a stranger asking it, because
he is a stranger land we know how to treat
strangers in our country, sir), where air
You going TOT Happen you can put me in
the Way where I'm gOin tor
~ am making for the Strand" said; 'if
your way lies in that direction, l can show
1t to you, if not, / can tell you how to
end it,"
"Just where I'm castin' about to GET" he
returned; my mOOrins is at a hotel Oppo-
site Somerset House, and as soon as ! get
into the Strand l can fix myself right up
So I'll just couple on to you"
allowed him to do 80. l limited that !
had no wish to show discOurtesy to citi-
zen of that great nation to which he be-
l0nged. My companion had plenty to say
He ratified on about the States being this
and the States being that, so that it was
aeedless for me to do any more talking
than occasional intersection of surprise or
satisfaction. He told me that he had been
in England for f0rtnight-Jjust taken q run
over to see the old cOuntry-and should be
back in Moo York again in couple of
nonths.
When we had passed through Temple
Bar l told him he could be in no further
doubt as to his way, since he was now in
the Strand.
"I'm considerable obliged" he said; "Ill
do as much for you when you come to Moo
like that 7"
had freed my arm and held out my hand
70 wish him good morning.
you'll do spell 2" he inquired.
"A what r. said l.
"Du not make myself clear to the Brit
Nh intellect. Reckon you'll liquor p
mo; reckOned had rather be excused"
wal, he resumed, chewing the end of
his cigar 80 that it assumed a rotary mo-
ton, and Its point described a circle over
his face. wal, sir, it's custom we hev in
sur country, and we think il rather scaly |
@anners to refuse. Reckon you Britishers
do not think it sealy to slight friends hos.
Pitality in the street. We du."
As he persisted in regarding nv refusal |
almost in the light OF personal insult, and |
would not listen to any explanation that we |
do not regard the declining of drinks, in |
eur own country, yielded the point.
We retraced our steps short distance |
and entered wine store, on the city side |
OF Temple Bar, a very respectable place, |
where wines are drawn from the wood. |
Small round marble tables and light chairs |
were dispersed about the shop for the con.
tenience of customers. Here my compa- |
aion compounded drink of soda water |
and gin, and lemon and ginger, of which |
he wished me to partake. declined the |
mixture, and took a glass Of sherry.
We might have sat five minutes, when a |
tall and important looking parsonage |
lounged into the wine shop. As he entered |
he cast superciliOus look upon all the oc-
bupants of the tables; then, raising his head. |
he removed his cigar and emitted long
polumn of smoke from his lips as q con-
bemptuous verdict of lofty disapproval on
- society he had joined. He was we'll
lressed-iFreproachably, 20 far as the cut
md quality Of his clothes were concerned;
but they seemed to assert that conscious in
Of their wesrer that new
:lothes win assert over person who has