Time slipped on, however, as it always | months, he was obliged to leave Thornton does, and these conjectures of mine gained to practice elsewhere. My father had ofconfirmation. Miss Joanna arrived, and I fered an old lumbering family coach, and it would not be persuaded by my mother to was drawn out and furbished up for the call with her on Mrs. Adams. occasion, but as there were forty ladies of all ranks and ages to go, and there is always such a difficulty in giving precedence to any in country society when all are equal, he proposed that each lady should draw for her turn in the vehicle. The next week the invitations for the great party were issued; ours was on rosecolored paper, and was thus worded," Mr. and Mrs. Adams have the honor to invite you for Thursday evening, on the occasion of the happy return of their daughter, May 20th." This phraseology I chose to think ridiculous, and laughed accordingly. I tormented myself for days, in studying how I should dress. At one time, I thought I would appear the extreme of negligence; at another, that no Beau Brummel should excel me in foppery; at last I decided upon being very eccentric and singular, and to show my contempt for all reigning fashions, I dragged forth from an old chest some military suits of my grandfather's, breeches, silk stockings, silver buckles, and gold lace, but I knew that these would only serve for a masquerade; at last I perceived among these antique treasures, some enormous bows of ribbon, which were once worn on the shoes. I determined to wear a pair of the largest in the collection at the coming party. I knew that every one at Thornton was completely blind to my follies, and approved of all I said or did; and I thought to myself, if Miss Adams has been instructed to gain my heart at any rate, she will, of course, applaud with the rest; but, if she has the good sense to show her disapproval, I shall respect her accordingly. While these trifles occupied me, the mass of the village was in great confusion. I have said that Mr. Adams lived at the extreme end of the town. A heavy rain had made the road to his house almost impassable, and now the difficulty lay in procuring conveyances for the evening in question. There were but two persons in the place who possessed a vehicle of any kind, these were the clergyman, Mr. James; and the Doctor, Mr. Brown. The first had his own wife and daughter to escort, after which his modest carriage was at the public service. Dr. Brown profited by the circumstance, like a sagacious man, he offered to convey all those in whose families he practised and no others; and though at the time it produced much angry feeling, yet the villagers remembered the lesson, and after that were bled, blistered, and physicked by D Brown only. Poor Dr. Stiles suffered the fate of all men of talent who go on foot. -To make a fortune one must really have a carriage. He may have been a good physician and an honest man, but before three This would have answered very well, if the same method had not been resorted to with the hair dresser who, lately arrived in the place, had never had any employment till this evening, when he had been engaged by the whole forty. And now a new conflict arose; as chance would have it, Miss Stevens drew number one for the carriage, but number twenty for the hair dresser; and Mrs. Elsworth, the merchant's wife, the proudest lady in the village, who held number one for her hair, had the last for the carriage. But by force of caresses, reasoning, and bribes, everything was reconciled, and the only sufferer was poor Mrs. Adams herself. The first load was deposited at her door at five o'clock in the afternoon, a rather early hour for an evening party, but there was no alternative, the coach must go and return many times, to take all. The preparations were still going on, the furniture was rubbed, the sconces nailed to the wall, the carpet swept, and fires made as if they had not been there, Mrs. Adams in her working dress superintending the whole. Every hour brought a fresh load, and at midnight the tired horses stopped for the first time to rest. I was surprised in the middle of my toilet, by the arrival of the carriage for us in our turn. I had stiffened my hair with honey water, and brushed it staring from my face, and I do not know what other follies in dress I might have committed, if my mother had not called me imperatively to take my place in the carriage, scarcely giving me time to fasten the large bows in my shoes. I had hoped that on my first entrance, I should have been able to observe the sensation I was likely to produce on Miss Joanna, but we arrived just as they were forming a country dance, and all who hoped for partners, and all those who had gained them, were too much occupied with themselves to observe anything else. Large fires had been lighted in every fireplace, and the rooms were intolerably warm. It seemed that Mr. Adams thought he could not burn enough wood to show the pleasure he had in receiving his guests. You will find this to be true with regard to every occupation, each one displays the luxury belonging to his own avocation;-the mer chant, his finest cloths; the jeweller, his plate and jewels; and the lumber merchant roasted us in the guise of hospitality. convey it to a distant market, had in his employ a large number of bargemen, principally Irishmen. These he metamorphised into waiters by the aid of decent clothes and a napkin on the arm. There were nearly as many waiters as there were glasses of lemonade; and with such a crowded assemblage at such a temperature, the thirst of the company seemed never allayed, but ever on the increase. In the midst of the greatest festivity there was a cessation of refreshments. I glided from the room to see what could be the cause, was it the fault of the domestics? or was it economy? Under the influence of the heat which overcame me, I forgot my singular appearance, and for a time, Miss Joanna herself. At length, after persuading them to throw open two or three windows, I began to get a little acclimated to the temperature, and had leisure to look round me. The dance was just finished, and my father drew me towards his old friend and begged him to present me to his charming daughter."Joey! Joey! where are you?" called out Mr. Adams, without any ceremony, "here is the son of my old friend, Thorn, wishes to be acquainted with you, Mr. Alfred Thorn." Joanna approached quickly. At the first glance I had of her she pleased me, for with the first glance, I saw she ridiculed my attempt at singularity. Her eye passed from my head to my feet after the introduction, and with scarcely an effort to repress it, she laughed outright in good earnest, showing such beautiful teeth in so doing, that I could not be angry. Instead of the airs of a city lady of high fashion, she had an arch simplicity of manner perfectly charming. It must be confessed that the manners of Mr. Adams were destitute of polish, owing, doubtless, to the kind of life he had led for years, but his common appearance and awk-piano; but what execution! If noise were ward attempts at politeness did not cause any embarrassment to the young lady, she would not blush at her father's want of refinement, and I thought it a proof of her superior mind and goodness of heart. Her dress of simple white muslin, had already conciliated the village ladies, who had expected to see a display of finery that would leave their highest efforts at dress in the back-ground; her hair was simply braided in the plainest but most becoming manner, the coiffeur had had no call for his services there that evening. Lasked her of course to dance, and with a certain grace she accepted my arm. When we were in our places, I attempted to amuse her by criticising, in a half whisper, the people around us, but I might better have suffered red arms and large feet to rest unobserved, for my malicious attempt only recoiled on myself; my partner gave a well-bred stare at my absurd head and loaded feet, which conveyed a sharp reproof and which seemed to enjoin me to feel greater charity for others, since I needed so much for myself. The arrangements of Mr. and Mrs. Adams had been on a large scale, particularly with regard to attendants. Mr. Adams being the owner of eight or ten canal barges, that were loaded with lumber every month, to I found Mrs. Adams, who presided, almost at her wits end, her lemons and sugar were expended, and no possibility of procuring more; in her despair she turned to me for cousel. I begged her to send in plenty of water and not think of any other beverage. This was done, and Mrs. Adams thanked me from her heart, for giving her courage to do, what under the circumstances, she was obliged to do. Music was now proposed, and four young ladies, the renowned pianists of Thornton, awaited the honor of being led to the instrument; but all made the false excuse of being out of practice, voice, and music; but Joanna had the tact to perceive their real ambition to display, and persuaded each in turn to take their seat at her new the soul of music, it was aroused that evening. I would fain have retired to the refreshment room, to Mrs. Adams and her train of Irish waiters, but I lingered that I might hear the performance of Miss Joanna herself. She was on the point of yielding to my request, when her good heart prevailed; she did not wish to wound the vanity of any of her guests by the comparisons that would have been made in her favor, and she laughingly told me she was under a vow not to touch the keys of a piano for a month, and it wanted yet three days of the term. Her father scolded her loudly, and I tried to feel vexed, but I saw her motives and could not but approve them. At midnight our party was in its gayest train, all were disposed to be amused and to assist in the general entertainment; but I thought, to the eye of one coming from a refined circle of city society, it must have appeared ludicrous enough. What attempts at dancing, what shoving and pushing and teaching of figures, for with us thing was known beyond the sober quadrille and the old-fashioned country dance; no waltzing, no polkas, nor cachuchas had been heard of then; a dancing master had never visited Thornton, and those who made any pretensions to the knowledge of the art had come from far. It is different thus ended the first grand party at Thornton, now alas! for old-fashioned simplicity! and peace and domesticity reigned once Thornton has become noted; is a country more in the dwelling of Mr. Adams. At our town; and boasts as many churches and late breakfast the next morning, both my sects, odd-fellows' societies, and sons of father and mother were exceedingly anxious temperance, as any western city. To return to know how I liked Miss Joanna. I spoke to myself; my ridiculous style of hair found coldly enough in her favor, for I felt a little universal favor among the young men, and mortified to acknowledge my predilection at was immediately the vogue. I observed once, but I rejoiced when my mother rehalf the beaux endeavoring to set their marked, that in her time, it was the custom hair on an end, and before we separated that to call on a lady after a party to inquire evening, it might have been supposed that after her health, and observed that politeness some feeling of animosity actuated us, as is would lead me to ride over and call on Miss the case with some of the lower animals. Adams. I desired no pleasanter task, for I My shoes too, had their share of envy and really felt a great attraction to the fair admiration, and for six months large bows Joanna, and I flattered myself with the were in great fashion at Thornton, though I thought that she would form a more favoranever sported them except on that occasion. ble judgment of myself, upon further acAt two o'clock Mr. Adams was heard to quaintance, than she must have done from yawn audibly, and by this time, some of the my folly of the preceding evening. I found prudent ones of the company calculated that that order had been restored to the large there had been burnt six cords of wood, that parlor of Mrs. Adams, and Joanna the preten gallons of lemonade had been swallowed, siding genius of the place, among a little and tarts and cakes of every description in- crowd of brothers and sisters, while from numerable had been eaten; and it began the other rooms and offices, came the sound sagely to be whispered, that Mr. Adams of clattering dishes, jingling glasses, and would feel the effects of this party for loud scolding, mingled with specimens of a year to come. At three o'clock Mr. genuine Irish humor. How I sped with my Adams openly murmured at the stay of his wooing, what sentimental rides and walks I guests, and he threatened to clear the house had with Joanna, during that delightful of us, but now the same difficulty arose summer, what clouds flitted across our sunwhich had attended the arrivals. shine after we were engaged, what a sweet residence we planned and adorned, I had no intention to inform the reader; but as I began with my father's opinion upon travelling, I will finish with my own, that it is dangerous for a husband to travel with or without his wife; and that indifference to home is a sure mark of an unhappy marriage. We made a long and delightful wedding tour, yet I returned to Thornton with greater joy than I left it, and I have been too happy ever since to think there is any greater pleasure to be found abroad, and where I hope to remain the rest of my life, except the winters at Washington, where my fellow-citizens have insisted on banishing me for the ensuing season. The road had become no better during the night, and the old coach was again on duty, but it was a delicate matter to propose who should go first. It was suggested by those who came last, that those should leave who came first, but this could not be insisted on. My father again settled the difficulty by proposing that the youngest should be sent first, and it was astonishing to see how many claimed the privilege, youthful old maids, and blooming widows, being ready at once to go, leaving the decidedly young to their own enjoyments. I had no further opportunity however to engage the attention of Miss Joanna, for she was entirely occupied in the parting ceremonies of her numerous guests. And C. S. B. A NEW YORKER'S FOURTH OF JULY. LIKE Poor Pickwick with his unmanagea- | lor windows with their pistols and little ble horse, or like the man in the farce who cannons, instructing children in practical had won an elephant in a raffle, the majo-acoustics. Scarcely a church which did not rity of people have Fourth of July thrown resound with the fervor of patriotic eloupon their hands, with at the best loose and quence or the singing of Independence odes. indistinct ideas of what they shall do with it. It was not the soldiers alone who marched Some with an air of martyrdom stay at to honor the day. The societies with their their homes, and bury themselves out of aprons and stars and badges, and the firemen sight in some forlorn moth-frequented cup- with their glowing shirts and polished "maboard, and at dinner hour compensate them- chines," divided the applause of the multiselves by a good substantial round of stuff- tude as they threaded the crowded thoing-lamb and green peas patriotically roughfares. The railings of the Park were figuring as the most prominent article of hidden with the canvas of the booths! diet. Others resolve to run away from it; (Common Councilmen, ye were right in atand so hurry to steamboats apoplectic with tacking the demon of alcohol and routing humanity and bedizened in flags and steam- him from his trottoir retreats under the gay mers like a sacrificial calf of a religious feast sailcloth, but could ye not let remain the day. Others carry parasols and gooseberry oyster stands, the beer tables, the cake pyrapies into country meadows and groves, and mids, and the bazaar of penny fireworks, the there enjoy their patriotism of sentiment picturesquest ornaments all the city over?) with tired discontent. A few remain in Niblo's, Castle and Vauxhall Gardens, with town from pure unmitigated fondness for their colored stars of fairy lights around the the old-fashioned fun of the day; to whom entrance way and sparkling over every walk, the columns of military on the Battery or in were regarded as the very realization of the Park (invaded as they are by choking fairy magnificence, and on succeeding days omnibuses on the route of march, and by brought out again the various editions of death-daring cannonade and peanut women the Arabian Nights. No libellous pen or on the halt) are objects of intense admiration, slanderous sneer dared attack the fireworks and the little explosions prevalent at every of the Park or of Washington Parade Ground, square inch of pavement unmistakable music. or hint the word "expense." It was not It was not so in our boyhood's day. beneath aristocratic lips to smack over the Fourth of July was looked forward to in flavor of street ice cream. What will people wintry months, and marked in the almanac think if I do this or that? was not a queswith a red mark (suggestive of unexploded tion then; and in this question germinates crackers). Against its arrival five-pences much of the disrespect the "Glorious were hoarded up, in small but compact red Fourth" in various quarters receives. houses which everywhere were builded upon mantels and domestic shelves. He who hinted at leaving the city was looked upon as a traitor. The Battery, at sunrise, when the guns were fired towards New Jersey, was peopled with an unbreakfasted crowd, in which many a man jostled towards the polished cannon, firmly persuaded that each and every individual with the felt hat and red feather was an out and out Revolutioner, and had shot his scores of Britishers and Hessians in the fairest field fights. Not a stoop or window from Sir Henry Clinton's ancient mansion to Canal street but was warmed by patriotic eyes, and gay with the red and blue and white of patriotic ribbons. The lungs which cried hurra-a were stronger and of older life than those which fulfil such office now. Heads of families were not ashamed to be seen at par Much of the good old mode is lingering yet, and will never die. But city and country exchange cards. The cit has grown disrespectful of "the olden fashion," and turns his back upon it; the villager rushes to the rescue, and still the walks are red and brown with exploded crackers; still the windows warm and gay with beauty and pleasure; and still the soldiers heat their plumes in dusty Broadway and moisten their palates with perambulating punch under the very waving of Barnum's "Drunkard" flags. The booths are gone, and with them the shade and Long Island pies. If old 'uns load their pistols or cannons, it is in the yards" of dwellings with stealthy endeavor. The veterans on the Battery at early sunrise are few and far between; and so are units of the once bright and early crowd. Castle Garden has become in shape a cheese-box Of all the disrespects put upon Fourth of July by the disciples of this "Progress Age," we regard excursions as the greatest. And in consideration of the obstinacy of Knickerbocker blood, which will not run except in certain arteries, we may be excused a sort of savage delight in thinking over the sun-burnings, and crowd pressures, and shower-wettings, and gastric headaches, and rheumatic pains which invariably invade the ranks of excursionizers, who leave town to get rid of Fourth of July." True, some of them, like the backslider preserving his form of prayer, carry their orator and poet into the country, with their pigeon pie and ginger beer; and mayhap allow refractory youngsters who are born with an itching for gunpowder, to bring along a pet cannon or a few bunches of China crackers under solemn engagement to "let off" the same in some distant rocky retreat; but their possession of a few lumps of the olden leaven is by no means due to reverence. We were once victimized, under advice of a medical friend who prescribed the rest and quiet of an excursion (he hadn't crossed a ferry in a dozen years, and I had only read of them from jaundiced placards, with dropsical type, embellished with a steamboat of the Fulton model in full headway)-we were once victimized, we repeat, into becoming an excursioner; and therefore retain vivid impressions of the wrongs appertaining to the situation. It was a sweltering Fourth of July! The boys about had thrown away their "punk" and taken to "lenses." At early sunbeaming the muskets of the soldiery had radiated heat like the stove in a country court-house; and scores of yachts and sloops in the stream, advertised the week back for the Fishing banks or Throg's Neck, were becalmed into sullen lassitude, with their streamers hanging down like the ears of an elephant. I stood on the dock at the foot of Spring street, waiting for a Fort Lee steamboat in the midst of an angry crowd which shook fists at Clinton market (the Hudson cars had not got there yet to give it countenance, in the full belief that the fast sailing steamer, "Frank" had deluded their sixpences, and was never to steam in search of them. The crowd was principally divided into two sections of pick-nickers. One was headed by a ferocious looking elderly retired butcher, who had a bull dog in company, who was fully imbued with the spirit of the day, as far as "independence" went, for he glowered at the tarry water in the dock basin with gasping tongue, and terrified women and children as he "boused" through the collection. The other was seemingly presided over by a meek-faced lady, who was head of a Ward School, and having vowed vengeance to all juveniles, was hypocritically taking many of her young charges and their parents into the country, for a "good Fourth of July." The butcher's party was painfully harassed with sundry hampers and baskets of the steam laundry, or packing-warehouse samples, which were understood (as made known by sundry young gentlemen audibly inquiring on the subject) to contain meat pies and cold vegetables. The hampers were in charge of a colored gentleman, who turned eager ear back to the city as the sound of military music made itself heard through the bangbang of fire crackers. The provision of the party under superintendence of meek-faced pedagogueism, was distributed promiscuously among the party in samples of individual taste; every one acting out the maxim sometimes written in copy books with a capital flourish to the "G" of de gustibus, &c. I had quite fatigued my handkerchief with perspiratory rubbings, when the boat came to the dock and made fast. She was crowded with returning passengers (who had become wise before nightfall) eager to land. Those on dock were as eager to be off; and for fifteen minutes there was a scrambling fight with elbows, in the midst of which the bulldog was precipitated overboard, and was got on board very much cooled, and so subsided into a state of lolling quietude on a coil of rope. The boat was originally intended to carry a few market baskets and their owners, up and down the Hudson; and was evidently surprised at its capacity, when the dock emptied its burden into the gangways, cabins, and promenade-deck. The schoolboy party took possession of the promenadedeck, where there were the remnants of an awning which served as a sort of sieve to sift the sunbeams through upon the heads of passengers. And the butcher's company asserted sovereignty in the little cabin, barricading the entrance with the hampers and baskets. The promiscuous unsettled excursioners of the passengers grumbled in the narrow alleys of the boat, or steamed themselves at the little engineer's room, which smelt like an oven where they were baking whale oil puddings. |