The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-02-01
From the y. \. Evening reegum, Dec Gth, ls72l
An Englishman's Experience of the "Knick-
aWbockaWs."

SIr Sothcrn met Mr.. Lee at q welI-known
uptown resort q few evenings ago. They had
met before in the hallowed precincts of Piccadilly
and ST. James street, Mr. Lee being known rs g
thorough - club man at the other side. Mr..
Sothern knowing that Mr.. Lee was OF an es-
thetie turn of mind asked him what he thought
of this country.
=. Well. YOU know. Sothern, my bow" replied
Mr.. Lee, " IFS a very nice country, you know;
it's blarsted w~uf5auiy-in NY 'piniJn it's blair
sted wufi4nly, You know
But" replied Mr.. Sothern, you haven't
been about, have YOU ?"
o yes, deah boy I've done everything
worth seeing. LIS ali very nice but don't You
think, e1stre nous, You know, that people are
blarsted wuff."
Yes, bat l don't think that YOU have seen
any people, put in Mr.. Sothern.
"Oh ycs, but | have, - rejoincd Mr.. Lee q
have met the very best people on Fifth avenue"
- Bah! confound the av }nue. All shoddy. |
knew that you had met no good people heah,
Lee"
lin suah everybody SAYS that the avenue is
the Belgwavia or the Westbournea of New York
that it is the home of the awistocwacy, you
know"
'.An n mistake, my deah fellow. If you want
to meet good people heah you must 60 on the
east side. I've cut Fifth avenue dead. Come
over and dine with me, Lee, Mt the Gwamercy
House ut eight tomorrow night, and I'll intro
duce you TO some first rate fellOws-allo Of good
families, you know
"Knickawbockaws, eh, old f~ellow?"
Yes develish queer name, isn't it? but come
over and meet six or eight elbows quiet little
dinner
Mr.. Lee forthwith gladly accepted the invita-
ton to meet the half a dozen a. Knickawbock
avs
Meantime Mr.. SOthern called on Billy Flor
encc, at the Fifth avenue, and after a short con-
s~ultation cards of invitation with explanatory
notes were sent to Dan Bryant, Nelse Seymour,
Neil Brayant and a few other choice spirits con-
nected with the profession of negro minstrelsy.
The a. boys" were all at the "Gwamercy
House " well on time. During the day each had
provided himself with an extraordinary stock of
Alaska diamonds. As they appeared at the hotel
in orthodox swallow-tail black coats. white vests,
patent leather boots, rolling shirt fronts, delicate
lavender gloves and absolute considerations from
Alaska blazing in their bosoms they were posi-
lively magnificent 10 behold. Their fingers were
laden with rings of priceless value. Mr.. Lee in
all his days had never seen such a display of
jewelry. 1t was positively " empowering" In
the anteroOm he hazarded the question to Mr..
Sothcrn =
Didn't so much jewelry look vulgauish?"
1.-The custom of the country, my dear boy
the custom of the country "
Mr.. Lee reflected that it may be % vulgauish >"
but it wasn't such a bad custom after all, and
the party went into dinner. During the intro
duction, it must be remarked that the boys were
on their very best behavior, and Mr.. Lee was
charmed with their : wistoQuatic bweeding y
saying nothing, and staring stolidly at him and
at each other a very great deal.
When the soup was put on the table Dan Bry-
ant opened the ball by pinning his napkin well
under his ears, and drinking his soup through
his teeth with a hiss, like a steam engine.
Mr.. Lee was a little startled at this noise, and
stared somewhat. He had just articulated 9 How
shocking" when Mr.. Sothern nudged him, and
remarked in an undertone.
Custom of the country, my dear boy-cus-
tom of the country "
All went well until oysters on the half she'll
were brought in. Dan Bryant eat his with his
fingers. Nelse Seymour ~playfully drank Bry-
ants glass of sherry. Nelse had barely laid
down the empty glass when Dan raised his right
hand to the back of his head and turned down
his coat collar. In a twinkling he had drawn a
huge dirk knife from under the back of his coat.
This instrument, highly polished and about two
feet long, he laid significantly on the table beside
his plate. Not a muscle novel on the face of
any one present but Mr.. Lee. All expression had
left his face, and blank astonishment shrouded
his expressive features. He had stopped in his
dinner, but Mr.. Sothern again nudged him.
$50 on, old fellow 90 on. The custom of
the country nothing more"
But he couldn't. He lifted an oyster to his
mouth and laid it down untasted.
Suddenly Nelse Seymour burst into a huge
niger gufah of the most approved style.
"What the ID are you laughing at, you
by fool" asked Dan Bryant in the most
solemn tones.
Charley Backus at this moment had an oyster
on the tip of a fork in bis left hand, his elbow
resting on the table. Without stopping he put
his right hand behind on his hip and drew forth
an immense navy revolver, and clicking it omin-
ously he held it across the table i'll his right hand
and continued to eat his oysters with his left.
This was the signal for a general significant
Movement of hands behind.
N,l-o Sorynn,r F,,r,aH 10 non Pyro ,~l ~
marked soothingly =
81 amt sayin' nothin' to you, sonny
"You'd better not, old hoss,' Indignantly re-
joined Dan, I'VE all know you. We'd better
lock up the teaspoons while you're around, my
States Prison canary
This was too much for Nelse. He bounded to
his feet and shouted, "You id loafin' thief,
I'll cut yer heart out"
Drawing a huge Bowie knife, he made n rush
at Dan.
Free fight, Look out for the swag," shouted
a 80 Knickawbockaw " at the end of the table.
Charley Backus threw down his fork, and, pis-
toll in hand, took Dan Bryant's part, and rushed
for Nelse Seymour.
Meanwhile not a muscle moved in Mr.. Soth-
ern's face. The scene, however, was too much
for Mr.. Lees nerves. He jumped to his feet,
and in doing so upset his chair and fell over. He
stumbled to his feet and shouting, g Murder !
Fire. " backed towards the door.
But Nelse Seymour was too much for him.
Nelse nimbly jumped behind Mr.. Lee and pin
Toned him tightly round the arms, kept his (Mr.
Lee's) body between him and the nozzle of Dan
Bryant's weapon. which by this arrangement al
most touched that portion of his head directly in
front of where his brain ought to be. Mr.. Lee
jumped back, and in doing so upset Nelse Sey-
mour, who was behind him. The two rolled to
the ground, and Dan Bryant was standing over
them, with his pistol ready cooked, waiting till
Nelse Seymour should show a vital part in the
tussle on the floor.
AT this stage some one who declared his inten-
ton of 81 getting away with the swag" put out
the lights. In the pandemonium which ensued
Mr.. Lees shrill voice was heard above the din
shouting Murder " - Fire " Save me, for
Gods sake, save me :" His cries brought up
the walters, clerks, prOprietors and guests of the
hotel.
When the gas was lit Mr.. Lee was found
crouching against the wall in the corner of the
room. The weapons had all disappeared. Every