Winyah Observer

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PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY Sc S.\TURDAY AT FOUR^OLLARS PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE.
BY E. WATERMAN.
GEORGETOWN, S. C. SATURDAY, APRIL,  2,^42.
VOL. li NO, 85
Bizarre Fables.
BY THE AUTHOR OF "jF.ST AN'D E.IRXEST."
"Shiill rpiipfi, and .sentences, antl these paper bullets of the bruins aivc a man from the career of his humor?"—Shaks.
The Man qf Honor,—Tlie clolii was dravvn, rtie wine and desert were put on, and Federick Willis, sealed at the bead ofhis table, looked on as merry a set of lellow.s as ever wore gathered round ma¬ hogany.
The master of the feast was twenty- two years of age, and possessed twice as many thousand pounds as be numbered years. To be young is pleasant enough —but ot be bolh young and rich is ex- tieine happiness. The father of Feder¬ ick Willis not only gave his son life, but bequeathed him money enough to enjoy life.
Federick Willis had but lately hegun his career. So far he had proceeded with moderation and good sense ; but a dan¬ ger threatens him this evening. On his right band is seated Captain Filz Os¬ borne, a newly made acquaintanrc, and one not very creditable.
Captain Fitz Osborne was a lall • and stout man. His countenance was comi¬ cally ferocious. Nature bad intended him for a fool only—but be had succeed¬ ed, by much study and pains, in super¬ adding the bully. He had a loud voice, a swaggering gait, an imperious eye, and a large and well-dyed pair of black mus¬ tachios, whicb be bad a habit ol continu¬ ally twirling wilb his thumb and fd«B-fin- ger. He was a soldier by profession, and a gambler as an amateur. Hetould not live on his pay, and be thought dex¬ terity in play as easy and creditable a way of increasing bis income as any oth¬ er. The result proved his ji^geinent correct. His purse was always well stored, and be was receiyed ivilbout scru¬ ple into the best society.
Just about this time, liowevcr, suspi¬ cions were whispered aboiit, in a very low tone indeed, tbat the gallant Captain was more indebted to his finesse than to his dexterity or good fortune to bis suc¬ cess, and tbat in fact he was lillle better than a blackleg. As tliesc suspicions were whispered in so low a tone, the Captain of course was not obliged to benr tbem ; but though he betrayed no cogni¬ zance of such disagreeable reports, be was too well aware of their circulation, and felt that the time had come for a coup dc main, and retirement from play.
He marked out Frederick Willis as the viclim. Forty thousand pounds were in ihe bauds ofa veTy inexperienced keeper, and he hoped tbat it would be no difTicult matter lo transfer this snug forlune lo the custody of one who well knew its value—6ven Capt. Fitz Os¬ borne. He contrived to get introduced to young Willis, and soon afler he con¬ trived to lose to hihi no less a sum than three thousand pounds. It was af¬ ter dinner, and much champaigne, al llic
Caphiin's own loggings, that this artful loss took placo, and Fitz Osborne could scarcely forbear laughing as hesaw^V'il- lis depart in a deliruin of joy at his first successful stroke in gaming. The Cap lain was invited by Willis in return. Two or three friends, be said, would meet bim, but tbis would not prevent him from giving him bis revenge. Filz Os¬ borne assented to this arrangement cheer¬ fully. Hc made up his mind to lose again, but lo a small extent, so as not to excite attenlion in those preseni; then, with another quiet evening at bis own lodgings, he calculated on finishing the business.; It was essential to be prompt; lor though Willis, be trusted, bad not yet heai'd tbe reports to his prejudice there was every danger tliat ho would do so before long.
And now the second evening of this well-arranged series was in progress. Tbe cloth was drawn, the wine and des¬ sert were put on, and afler dinner had commenced.
Jest, laughter, and song followed. At last appeared coflTee, and Frederick knocking on a plain with a handle of a ii'uil-ktiife, by way ol obtaining silence, said:
" Gendcmen, ifyou please, wc will ad¬ journ lo tbe drawing-room, where you will find card-tables, chess-tables, and all olher sort of tables. My i'nend the Cap- lain Is so enamoured of tbe 'sound of a dice-box, that be is resolved lo hear ils music for half an hour or sj in company with me—though I assure you the ortier evening-tlie tune must have been any riling but pleasant Jo bim. So allons, and each to his vocaiion."
^ shout of approval was the answer. The host and guesis, deserting the di- nIn£r-rooin, in a few nibmenls were seal- ed at cartfti, of wjjatevcr other amuse- ment ihey preferred. Fitz Osborne and Willis took up their position at a small' tabic by themselves.
¦SThere were two things that caused the Captain some regret. He had taken ratber two much wine, and Willis had taken qnite enough. Still affairs went on prosperously. He lost and Willis won as he had inlciided ; but he could not ac¬ count for a quid, sarcastic sorf of smile, which he detected once or twice on tbe countenance o( his antagOni.st, and which semed very unlike the unieslrained ex¬ pression of triumph he had.evinced when they last played together. W^hilst he was throwing and cogitating Fredrick suddenly addressed him :
"How much have I«won, Captain.-"' nsked hc.
"Oh, my dear fellow, a trifle !" wpli- cd Filz Osborn. "Two hundred or ihereabiSuts ; but I mean to win it back I can tell you."
"I play no more," exclafftied Willis, throwing bimielf back in bis cliair, and folding his arms.
"Oh, as you please—as you please,
certainly,"   said  Fitz   Osborne.    "But f is said   lobe   on  tbe point of  marriage
why baulk your good fortune, when you have it all vour own way .''"
"I believe I won ibrco thousand pounds of you on Wednesday evening.''" said Federick, not attending to the Cap¬ tain's dislnlcicslcd inquiry.
"Yes, my dear friend, about ihat," said Fitz Osborne, looking rather dis¬ turbed.    "But what means all ibis.'"
"Tlicie is the money," said Federick, presenting three bank notes. "Tbe two hundred pounds, wbicli I have just won, I decline to receive."
"What does this mean, sir .>"' ex¬ claimed the Captain, in a tone whicii be¬ trayed the struggle betwixt fear and an¬ ger,
"It means, sir, that I have discovered your clever little plot," replied Feder¬ ick, smiling contemptuously. "The on¬ ly tiling required for success was, that I sliould be as great a fool as you tbouglit me. So you lost purposely, and no doubt, when fou had excited mc enough, 1 was to [lay at least a thousand per cont, for the loan. Sir, I had not been seated with you five minutes tbis evening, when I discovered plainly that you were cheat¬ ing me."
Capt. Filz Osborne rose slowly from his chair, twirled his left, and then his right, mustachio, looked fiercely and de- fyingly at the bystanders, and turning to Willis, exclaimed in a loud voice, "You shall repent this, sir. J am a rnan of honor, and whilst 1 have an arin^ no man shall question that honor with impunity. You shall hear from me sir."
"I am no duellist," replied Willis.
"What sir, are you a coward, «s vvell as a slanderer," exclaimed Fitz Osbonlte, strutting up to Willis and scowling fear¬ fully.    "I?o you refuse to meet mc sir."
I refuse eiiher to shoot you, or be shot by you," said Willis ; "tbougl* in¬ deed,jafter descending to be a gambler, I might well go a Kule lower, and become a duellist. Slill robbery is better tban murder, and whilst I swear to retrace the steps that may lead to the olher. A maa of honor, indeed!" exclaimed Willlg, losing his tone of calmness, -his cheek flushing "You are a nvindler, without honor, or mind or comprehend what honor liul^ is.. I know you now, sir,— and llie world sliall know you."
Wilh these words and before the by¬ standers could interfere or suspec! his intenlion, he threw himself on his burly antagonist and in an inalant had borne bim to the ground. Fitz Osborne made a desperate attempt to swallow sometbino- —but his band was arresled, torn open by main force, and Fecf(?rick Willis sltirt- ing to his feet held -up before the gaze of all a loaded die.
Captain Filz Osborne may now be met wilh at Boulogne. He wears a somewhat nvlitary costume, thougli be is no longer in tbe army. He attends all the billiard rooms and ball-rooms, and
with an heiress from filoonisbury pqtiare> who could nol resist his large black mus¬ tachios, knowledge of fasliouable socie¬ ty, and Strict observance   of tbe law of
honor.
MoEAL.—Tcogues    and   fools   gtiaii!
their honor by sleel-traps and spring- guns; men of character and iuiellect trust the lofty barrier of their good deeds.
Be Just bifore you are generouus.— Under this caption, we extract tbc fol¬ lowing very sensible remarks, from the Lafayette Chronicle of tbe 15th inst:—
"An ancient maxim sajs, 'Be kind to your neighbor, but take care of your own hedge.' Now when business matters are in a fit state lo frighten away the eagle on a fire dollar gold piece—when distress and debt, and the very deuce to pay, stares, every body in tbe face 'like a toad; ugly and venomous,' without a piecious jewel in his head'—vvhen duns atall cor¬ nels present tlicir long faces and their long bills—long enough to make a man feel queer before be gets to the end of it; in times like these it behooves every body to take especial care of their own hedge.
Nothing under the sun will bring this country out of the predicament in which it is placed, bnt industry, energy, econo-' my and honesty. Wc have bad enough of speculative enlerprlse—we want more of the substanclal arlicle, honest en¬ terprise, Bolh slates and individuals haie brought themselves into t^wcredit by obtaining much credit—and the bor¬ rowing of money by ceriain states for purposes of 'internal improvement,' suid then refusing to refund it, shows a great deal of self-denying generosily, with precious liltle iaslice. .
Somtbody has said that society is like an iiiveri.ed pyramid; and wc begin lo be¬ lieve It—for It is   clearly  upside down. Tbe farmer and   the mechanic   are the apex—the present   fouiKJatioo, who  as real   producers of   wealth   support tbe buyers and sellers, forming the mercan¬ tile inteiest; and they  in turn  support the great mass of bankers, brokers, bulls, boars and financiers, interpersed with an occasional forger, Jeremy  DIddlcr, and loafer.     Those are  lliey  who shave tJie producers of wealth,  and  wilh unexam¬ pled generosity treat all their friends, and themselves ofcourse, to all sorts o^uxu- ries.    Now, it vvould be well if some of those gently would exercise a little more honesty and justice, and come down to their proper  level in  society.    For by doing so, many of them   would  be   as poor as some of the poorest ainong  us, and find it necessary to cultivate the soil for a livelihood—who knows ?"
If some ofour young men were to lake care of their own hedge a Utile betler than ihey do, it vvould be quite an ira- provemont. The youth of this age are destined to be educated in a hard school, having before lliein a deal of furnace and folly, andiJic spectacle of men ofjiro-