The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-30


ne figure. and preposessing manners, but
to say this as an exception would be do
ing great injustice to North Carolina, and
Raleigh in particular | had had my pre-
iudices against North Carolina, from
early impressions, taken from the history
of the Revolutionary War. and l was
moreover told, while in Washington, that
Raleigh was an iIliterate place, over
run with priest-craft-that the Worship
ers of priests are ignorant, is true, and
that several of these infest Raleigh is
also true; yet it contains a large portion
of enlightened. generous and independent
men, not at all inferior (if not SUPERIOR
to any mentioned in my previous tours.
They have warmth of heart, which
Irvine around around our affections in
spite of us. | shall long remember Raj
eigh.
My pen is now to give pain, not only to
the parties concerned, but to all that
part of mankind not lost to feeling: | al
Jude to a strange infatuation of the fe-
males in Raleigh, from the Oldest to the
youngest, in an unbounded use of
snuff! real tobacco snuff! They do
not snuff it up the nose, but take it into
the mouth-they call it dipping. 1t was
hrst resorted to to clean the teeth and has
grown into confirmed habit 1t is simply
dipping small wooden brush. a little
stick (bruiSed or chewed at one end into
a common box of snuff and rubbing the
teeth, and they are so besOtted that they
sit for hours rubbing their teeth, merely,
as 1t is said, for the pleasure of intOxica-
ton-llke topper over his bottle. which is
affirmed to be the effect But why snuff
would occasion intoxication when grown
INTO habit, more than chewing tobacco.
i cannot discover; some say it is more ant
to reach the system. and must finally de-
stroy the health. The ladies of Raleigh
are deadly pale, and emaciated. old and
young; even little girls look like ghosts.
A knot of young ladies will assemble in a
room as though it were tea party and
and lock themselves in, and dip for hours.
chatting and amusing themselves all the
while with anecdotes and stOries-cooks.
chamber-maids and washer-women all
dip. | have seen little girls walking in the
streets, with their lips besmeared with
huff and saliva. which rendered them OBJ
jects of disgust, and it evidently drstends
the mouth.
! Besides the expense and loss of health
and color it evidently must engross all
their time. These little and big girls never
go without their box. and the stick in it
either in their reticule or their bosom:
and the cook hardly waits to get her din
ner dished, till she is eagerly engaged in
dipping. Was there ever such a thing
heard of before! They must be bewitched
Fine women, tooi-what pity. 1t is
strange they do not take some measures
to stop the evil amongst the children, that
the mania might end with the mother
This lamentable practice is said to be
spreading into the neighb0rhood of Raj
elgh; and, some do say, it lis in use in
some of the adjoining towns. They gene
rally strive to keep it a secret! but all
their vigilance is vain. 1t is, alas! but too
well known. Several respectable gentle
men, married and single, with deep felt
regret mentioned the ruinous habit to
me- and L am sure with the very best in
tentlonS, requested me to expose a habit
so offensive, and one which threatened
to destroy the intercourse of the sexes
The young men of Raleigh seemed to de-
plore the unfortunate habit, in language
of the most touching sorrow. This is one
of the many proofs we have that women
. and not men rule the nation. | hope my
public lecture. and that the prospect of
dying old maids may induce them to quit
dipping.
My landlord and bookseller, | believe,
are all that remain unnoticed. | put up
with G. =. Guion, Esq, who keeps the
only house worth naming in Raleigh. 1t is
the most complete establishment | have
seen in the State, or in any other State.
The rooms are large and splendid, and
every way comfortable and convenient;
the servants good, and the table is ex-
celled by none; all this leads to conclusive
evidence, that the proprietor understands
his business. / have already remarked
that the stage drivers in this country are
gentlemen. 1t is presumed. therefore, that
tayern-keepers must be civil, and though
this was a long way from being the case
with my landlord at Greensboro, Mr..
Guion, is an exception to any one on this
side of Col. Dow, of Maine; he is a per-
feet gentleman in his manners, and a
prince in generosity. He is a young, tall,
elegant figure, and rare specimen of
manly beauty. Mr.. Turner, of the firm of
Turner q Hughes, is my bookseller, and Il
most amiable and worthy man. Nor less
so is Mr.. ID. Lindenen, another bookseller
of Raleigh.
| have said nothing of the schools of
Raleigh, nor did | visit Them as there no
longer exists anything in our country
worthy the name, our whole system Of
education being annnihilated by the
Presbyterians.