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THE COUNTRYMAN.
TURNWOLD, GA., AUGUST 23, 1864.
Macon Manners and “Society.”
The City man, of the Telegraph, is un
dertaking to give his readers some lessons
in ‘Etiquette and Good Breeding.’ We
regret exceedingly to find that good breed
ing is at such a low ebb in the City of the
Hills, as appears by the articles of the
Telegraph. Let us present some speci
mens :
4 Ladies,’ says the Telegraph, ‘ have ta
ken up the practice of snuff-dipping.’
May *iot our cotemporary be mistaken
in the specimens he. has seen engaged in
the practice?
What are the Macon ‘ladies’ coming
to ?—Another one of our Macon dailies,
not long since, through a correspondent,
accused the ‘ ladies’ of that city of snuff
dipping. The editor, however, Capt.
Plash, denied the soft impeachment. But
what are we to think of this repeated tes-
timony against the Macon ‘ladies?’
We propose, now, to give a few elegant
extracts from the writer under considera
tion:
4 Ladies, now-a-days, have taken up
the practice of snuff-dipping, and we de*
sire to enter one protest against this very
disagreeable habit, fn our estimation,
snuff-dipping is decidedly unlady-like,
and very revolting to a person of fine
tastes. The picture a ladt presents, when
performing the very elegant operation of
using the snuff, is decidedly striking.
With a stick half a yard long, and chew-
ed into a brush at the end, the fair per
former sets vigorously to work, scrubbing
her gums, as if life and death were de
pending on the proper performance of
such operation. After it is over, in
stead of benefitting her, in the slightest
degree,, odor of the odious snuff remains
in the mouth, to sicken everyone who ap
proaches her. Another style of using
snuffy is placing a handful, or more, on the
lower gums, between the lips, and the
heeth. The mouth is then closed, and the
lower lip wears the appearance of having
a bile growing inside of it. There is then
great difficulty of speaking : for the mo
ment the jaws are moved, the snuff flies
out, and the luckless mortal, near hy, is.
thrown in. an ungovernable fit ofteneez-
mg.’
We would enquire why the ‘lady,’ who
uses the snuffy does not so far moisten it
jn her mouth, as to prevent it from flying
about so? And.what is the size of her
mouth, that it can. hold, a 4 handful., ox;
more??
We present another extract;-,
4 We were once acquainted with a
young lady who aipped snuff. She was a
very beautiful girl, amiable, and accom
plished, while her conversational powers
were such as to fascinate, the listener.
One day, we called upon her very unex
pectedly, and were somewhat surprised at
her answering us in monosyllables. It
was ‘yes’ and ‘no,’ to all our ques
tions, and remarks. At last,, we req.uest-
nd her. to sing. She. declined, and, on
9ur. still pressing her to do so, she was
compelled to reply, at length, and then,
oh ye gods! out came the snuff, like the
dust in the streets, when a strong wind is
prevailing. Our face became covered
with particles of the disagreeable matter,
and we commenced sneezing to such an
extent, that we were compelled to bid
adieu to our fair hostess. The re ollec-
tion of this affair, almost makes us sneeze
again. Well, what was the upshot of
this discovery ? Why, we did not again
call on that lady, and never will, for fear
of another dose of snuff.’
Is it not remarkable that this snuff
could have been so dry—as dry as dust—
after being in .contact with the saliva so
long ?
We now present another specimen of the
delicacy, and refinement of Macon ‘ladies.’
We quote from the writer under consider
ation—we know it is not brother Glisby :
‘Quite a Mistake.—A young lady of
the city, sends to ask if we are not a per
fect ‘old granny,’ as she believes we are,
after reading our remarks on ‘ etiquette,
and polite breeding.’ The fair querist is
mistaken. We are not even a middle-ag
ed man—in fact, we are very young—and
if she doubts it, we will prove her mista
ken, by a call in person. That’s about
the best we can do,’
Does this 4 young lady of the city ' and
does this 4 very young ’ man^we believe
him—he must be 4 very young—do they
know what an 4 old granny ’ is ? Is she
a proper topic for convei-sation between a
‘ very young ’ man, and a ‘ young lady—
of the oity ?'—Perhaps she may be.
We give another extract:
4 We are on a visit to Mrs. Rigid, and,
find there Mr. Pompus, sitting in the bal
cony, with his feet on the balustrade..
This is a truly American habit, and decid
edly vulgar. With his feet a half yard
above bis head, and his two hands be
hind his neck, to support the head from
falling backwards, the bear sits down,
looking as if he had over-eaten himself,
and was trying to become comfortable.
We have .no objection to his hoisting his
legs as high as the Tower of Babel, at
home, or out of the presence ^f ladies,
but to be, caught in , the performance of
so vulgar an act, is decidedly refreshing—
very! Mrs. Rigid, of course, says noth
ing, and we sit down,. looking on him, as
he keeps wi'iggling.in his chair, and.trans-.
ferring ope Leg over the other, every few
minutes. This gentleman is the true type
of, a. well-bred person—exceedingly !’
Is this a true picture of Macon ‘society ? t
Why does.not the, writer keep better.com
pany? Is it not to be found in Mncon?
The writer gives a picture of the way
they do at the theatre in Macon. He be
gins by saying, ‘ We visit the theatre, and
.our lady escort is seated next to a well-
dressed individual,’ &c., &c. Is that indi
vidual the writer himself?—In this we have
another evidence of the advancement made
in Macon ‘ society.’ Do the gentlemen
tUere have lady escorts. to the theatre ?
Then, indeed, womans’ rights have trav
eled even beyond the mop of the snuff-
dipper, in the gojdly city on the Ocm al~
gen-.
What a fine school of morals, and man
ners, the theatre in Macon must be ! No
wonder the theme inspires the Addisonian
pen of 4 Grafton,’ in the Confederate. No
wonder Steele comes to the rescue—not
in the Spectator—but the Intelligencer.
But let us present another extract;
‘Wanted A Wife.’—“In another col
umn, some individual publishes an adver
tisement, under the above heading, and
requests us to call attention to it. We do
so, with much pleasure. He wants a wife!
well, who does not? and his method of
obtaining -one is very public, and gives
many females a chance. Now, we are
speaking .to ladies, when we 'advise them
not to answer the impudent advertismenL
In these war times, when there are so few
gentlemen, and so many ladies, the man
who cannot get a wife, without advertis
ing, must either be a fool or a blackguards
But we notice that the young lady,.among
other charms, must have money ! Ah !
the argent is the thing most desired, we,
expect, and his after piece of possessing.::
plenty of the needful, is, we believe, all
trash. Well we want a wife, and; here
goes the advertisement:
Wanted—A Wife.—The. greatest essen- -
tiai she must possess, is at least one hun
dred thousand doll ars—old issue taken af a
discount of one-third; no one hundred
dollar bills wanted.. The age of the lovely
creature must be between ninety and one
hundred. She must be in a ‘galloping con
sumption,’ and prepared to die two weeks
after the ceremony is performed, which
makes two loving (?) hearts united. Per-,
sonal appearance not a matter of any in
terest, nor respectability either. For fur
ther particulars address, care of this of-
fice, ' Tkes Valliant.
i here, now, we have offered to sell our
selves, as the advertiser in another cplumig
does, cniy we are more explicit of the obi
ject of our desire.
But seriously speaking, we trust that,
the fair readers of the Telegraph will not
notice this advertisement. The man who
is compelled to advertise for a wife, is not.
worth having. For a lady to buy a hus
band, is degrading to herself, for she can.
never respect him after marriage, and the
advertiser in to-day’s paper evidently wants
to sell himself.—Rather than any fair lady
should throw herself away on any design
ing scamp, we offer to marry a dozen of
them ourself. There now!
We trust the advertiser of ‘Wanted a
Wife’is satisfied with-our notice of his
advertisement.’’
Here we are tempted to enquire if the
Telegraph has so much contempt for ad
vertising for-a wife, why does it publish
the advertisment ? ‘Adi the argent As the .
thing most desired.’
In the foregoing extract, we find anoth
er evidence of advancment in Macon ‘soci
ety.’ The ‘ladies’ of that city, and vicin
ity, have to be cautioned against marriage m
advertisements! And again: the writer
proposes, under certain contingencies, to ,
marry a dozen ‘ladies’ himself. Certainly .
Monnonism.must be making rapid prog*
ress in Macon; and the winter, under no
tice, should sign himself Brigham Young