Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-27
NED BRACE.
The Character Of q Native Georgian
Of the Olden Time.

Heads Of the Guests at che Hotel
A Passage with q Frenchman-Va.
rfOus EccentricItfes OF Mad Wag
There are some yet living who knew the
man whose character am about to delin-
cate; and these viii unanimously bear tes-
timony, that, If it be not faithfully drawn
it is not overdrawn. They cannot svouch
for the truth Of the anecdotes which am
about to relate Of him because ofthese they
know nothing; but they will unhesitatingly
declare, that there is nothing herein as
cribed to him of which he was incapable,
and of which he would not readily have
been the author, supposing the scenes In
which have placed him to be real, and the
thoughts and actions attributed to him to
have actually suggested themselves to him.
They will further testify, that the thoughts
and actions are in perfect harmony with his
| general character.
do not feel at liberty as yet to give the
name of the person in question, and there
fore be shall be designated for the present
by the appellation of Ned Brace. 49,,
This man seemed to i've only to amuse
himself with his fellow beings, and he pos
sessed the rare faculty of ceriving some
grati6cstion Of bis fayorite propensity from
almost every person whom he met, no mat
ter what his temper, standing, or DISPOSE
ton. OF course be had opportunities enough
of exercising his uncommon gift, and be
rarely suffered an opportunity to pass un-
improved. The beau in the presence of his
mistress, the fop, the pedsnt, the purse
proud, the over-fastidious and sensitive,
were Ned's favorite game. These never
passed him unipjured; and sgainst such be
directed his severest shafts. With these
he commonly amused himself, by exciting
In them every variety of emotion, under
circumstances peculiarly ridiculous. he
was admirably fitted TO his vocation. He
could assume any character which bis hui
NOR required him to personate, and he
could sustain it to perfection. His knowl-
edge of the character Of others seemed to be
intuitive.
1t may seem remarkable, but It is true,
that, though he lived his own peculiar life
for about sixteen years, after he reached the
age of manhood be never involved himself
in personal rencounter with any one. This
was owing, in part, to bis muscular frame,
which few would be willing to engage; but
hOIC W Lis dOIO1LuCbo III LILO
management Of his projects of fun. He
generally conducted them in such way as
to render it impossible for any one to call
him to account without violating all the
rules Of decency, politeness and chivalry at
once. But a few anecdotes Of him will give
the reader q much better idea OF his charac-
ter than he can possibly derive from gem
eral description. If these fulfil the descrip-
ton which have given of my hero, all will
agree that he is no imaginary being: If they
do not, it will only be because am unfor-
tuEate in my selection. Having known him
from his earliest manhood to his grsve-for
he was a native Georgisn-I confess that
am greatly perplexed in determining what
portions ofhis singular history to lay before
the reader as proper specimen of the whole.
A three days visit, which once made with
him to Savannah, placed him In a greater
variety of scenes and among a greater d.
versity Of characters, than perhaps any 9th
er period of his life, embracing no longer
time; and, therefore, will choose this for
my purpose.
We reached Savannah just at nightfall Of
a cold DEFENDERS evening. As we ap
preached the tavern of Mr.. Blank, at which
we designed to stop, Ned proposed to me
that We should drop our acquaintance until
he should choose to renew it. 70 this pro-
position l most cordially sssented, for l
knew that, 80 doing, should lie saved some
notifications, and avoid thousand Ques-
tons which l would not know how to an
swer. According to this understanding,
Ned fingered behind in order that l might
reach the tavern alone.
On alghtiDg at the public house l was led
into large dining room, at the entrance OF
which, to the right, stood the bar opening
into the dining-room. On the left, and
rather nearer to the centre of the room was
fireplace, surrounded by gentlemen. Upon
entering the room, my name was demanded
at the bar; it was given, and took my seat
in the circle around the fire. had been
seated just long enough for the company to
survey Inc to their satisfaction and resume
their conversation, when Ned's heavy foot
step at the door turned the eyes of the COM
pany to the approaching stranger
"Your name, sir, if you please?" said
the restless little barkeeper, as be entered.
Ned stared at the question with apparent
alarm; cast fearful glance at the company;
froWned and shook his head in token of
caution to the barkeeper, looked confused
for moment; then, as if suddenly recol-
lecting himself, jerked piece of paper out
of his pocket, turned from the company,
wrote on it with bis pencil, handed it to the
barkeeper, walked to the left of the fireplace,
and took the most conspicuous seat in the
circle. he looked at no one, spoke to no
one; but, fixing his eyes on the fire, lapsed
into profound revery.
The conversation, which had been pref
ty general before, stopped as short as if eve
~ man in the room had Eeen shot dead.
Every eye was fixed on Ned, and every va
riety Of expression was to be seen on the
countenances of the persons present. The
landlord came in; the barkeeper whispered
to him and looked at Ned. The landlord
looked at him too with establishment and
alarm; the barkeeper produced piece Of
paper, and both of them examined 1t, as If
searching for fg-mite with the naked eye.
They rose from the examination unsatisfed,
and looked at Ned again. Those of the
company who recovered first from their as
constituent tried to revive the CONVEX
sation; but the effort was awkward, met
with no support, and failed. The barkeeper,
for the first time in his life, became dignifed
and solemn, and left the bar to take care of
itself. The landlord had world of foolish
questions to ask the gentlemen directly OPP
posjte to Ned, for which purpose he passed
round to them every two minutes, and the
answer to none did he hear. 7...
Three or four boarders coming in, who
were unapprized of what bad happened, at
length revived the conversation; not, how
ever, until they had created some confusion,
by inouiring of their friends the cause Of
their sober looks. As soon as the CONVEX
sation began to become easy and natural,
Ned rose and walked out into the entry.
With the first movement all were IS hush
as death; but, when he had cleared the door,
another Babel scene ensued. Some in
quired, others suspected, all wondered.
Some were engaged in telling the strangers
what had happened, Others were making to-
wards the bar, and all were clamorous, when
Ned returned and took his seat. His re-
entry was as fatal to conversation as was
the first movement Of his exit; but it soon
recovered from the shock; with the differ
ence, however, that those who led before
were now mute, and wholly absorbed in the
contemplation of Ned's person.
After retaining bis seat for about ten
minutes, Ned rose again, inquired the way
to the stable, and left the house. As soon
as he passed the outer door, the barkeeper
hasted to the company with Ned's paper in
his hand. "Gentlemen," said he, scan any
of you tell me what this tsp" All rushed
Tho IN instant. ono Or tvyc, ,,a;r of