New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-02-04
THE PEOPLES COLUMN,
[ Brief Communications {'u5kshed-Lohg
0"es inrcriabig Rejected-Ihe Editor not
Responsible for the Sentiments ErprsSse6

d. tie ComneolicatiOnS.l
The Velvet Sponge
Everybody knows the common street cor
ner sponge; growing shabbier year after
year. and coming down in his eXaction.
from the comparatively respectable sums
whose loan he at frs. used 20 gmilinglv''re-
quest 'for few days only" to the pittance
of invent, five cents, for old acquaintance
sake L is, therefore. not necessary to de-
scribe him. Bat the velve: sponge is quite
q different thing. He does not grow shabby
in dress Sr poor in person. Hot he; sleek
and jolly is he in youth; sleeker and jollier
in middle age; sleelzest and iolliest when adj
yancing years have rounded his paunch
and Redeemed his nose. and made the cup
and platter the browning joys OF his lie.
Good clothes and good Twin: chow differ
en-. from good life,l he will have. come by
them how he may. Like the lily Oh the
field he tolls not, get daily is arrayed in
dazzling garments, always at anothe!s
cost.
Sometimes the velvet sponge il 4
batcneior, in which case ne is certain
20 be a quasi fayorite with the ladies.
$50 neat. SO polite When he advances
toward his female friends. between the acts
at the Opera, he IL always welcomed with
smiles. His appearance is so completely
ce0n's i! fo"t. his manner SO dignitiedly
defereatiai. his commonplaees so blandiy
uttered. his stay SO chsrringlv short. FOR
ladies dislike monopoize!s at the Opera.
That he sponged his ticket CT the money
that bought i. the dear creatures never sus.
pect: yet their regard for him is but shall
low, for certain nameless but potent at
mcsphere snti-pathetc to sentiment keeps
him always when in female society outside
the boundary line of eligibility. Seyerrhe.
less, the velvet sponge is sometimes e1eep
tionally benedict, and takes advantage
OF the situation TO make the larger drafts
upon his friends purses and patience. We
have one such man in our minds eye, and
ne fills it weli---a tall. stout, elderly. gentle
manly. pompous man, who walks and talks
as if owned halt Carondelet street, and
does. in fast, draw large proper
ton OF his financial resources from
he is of a good family people OF poor but
honest parentage' seldom become velvet
sponges). and has been "well off," and
O1ce--a long time agO--naintsined a fair
position among business men. It was at
that time and on the strength of that posi-
ton that he married: and how he has man
aged TO bring up family, with his habits
and his means. il n marvel TO al! his ac-
quaintances. The shifts his poor wife has
been put to for the purpose of :" keeping up
appearances and not dis2racing her ele-
CANT husband, are written on her face in
CSreW0TR burrows, and on her brow IN
silver hairs. She 10 not sleek nor wei!
dressed. That does NOT matter SO much,
however. as she never goes out, not even to
church: and "a for the children. they com
pare with their father in physical adVan
'ages about as the pupils ia Dotheboys'
Hall compared with Wackforf. He has
il afl--God help the rest. The street
c:rney and bar-roOm associates Of the vel
We: sponge. however, do not know his
family: they only know of them. the fine
family OF which hs boasts NOT being his
wife and children. but certain defunct an.
cestors from whom he seems 20 have in
herited nothing but his name. His career
OF sp"ng ing once fairly catered upon closes
only with his grave. for even his funeral
expenses are provided by contribution from
his friends. cheerfuliy furnished as the last
tax they will be called anon to yield in his
behalf. They soon. however. find them
selves mistaken, for the widow and child
dren so !cpg concealed b" his portly
presence now loom up, and claim assistance
on the ground of the eminent responsibility
and the genial qualities OF the deceased.
The velvet sponge is not. however.
found solely among broken down business
men OF the fist families. He is sometimes
a decayed or disappointed politician: one
OF that kind Cantly described as ''Dlayei
OUT" Gnc who has been taken up at some
former period OF bis worthless life as
''eligible,' generally on The strength of a
icyial manner, a capacity ;Or carrying "a
heavy ioad,'' without showing it. and i
plentiful lack OF scruplr. As soon as he
has esved his turn his trainers drop him, that
is, politically: but pecuniariiE he is not to
be dropped. His short term OF service IA d
party man has given him ''elaiins' which
every member Of the party is expected 10
aid in igIidatin4 mo pun intendedI, aud a
JurGensOme tax it ia. For the political
velvet sponge. during his short period OF
usefulness. was accustomed to clean clothes
and dainty fare. !uxuries which. ne is quite
unable 20 earn by any legitimate occUpa-
ton. get has come 20 regard as his by d la'"
of nature. And somehow or Othe. he will
have Them. ANA continues to get t!em FOX
the rest of lis life.
There are many other classes OF the vel
Vet sponge. the most 9iti!ui of all being the
young man whose salary Is net sufficient 10
meet his expenses, and who ekes il ont by
boIrowiD, from his fathers friends. Eut
enough: our readers can doubtless recall
numerous specimens OF the various kinds
We have mentioned. and many mora.
SUFFERER.
---~sEe---
sfeeting in s.retaas
The members of the Lincoln Repub-
!icaa Club, OF Gyetna, assembled last eve.
min. 70 discus. whether TO indorse Il. II.
Chadbournc the regular Republican candi-
dat. for State Senator. IN plac. OF 5. NJ.
Todd. the expelled member of the Senate.
or Mortimer Smith. ;he independent candi-
date.
The :nectia. yvaS called "a oTier hy =. J.
a. 10 si,.. s.,uh who f"St