The Knickerbocker Volume 52 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1858 Excerpt: ...thing, with exceeding relish. Ah bonami how well do I remember the first time I ever saw you. It was in St. Paul's Church, on a summer Sabbath morning, in a club-pew, with good Berrian in the pulpit. I had just returned from a visit to Philadelphia, made memorable by an introduction and pleasant conversation with your brother Willis, which I had greatly enjoyed only two evenings before. I was seated alone before you came in; and was fully satisfied that you were Willis himself. You returned my recognition; and after a while, exhibiting signs of impatience under the close and pungent appeals of the preacher, I was led to scribble some verses in the blank leaves of a prayer-book, descriptive somewhat, and deprecatory likewise, of conclusions too rapidly forming in the mind of a stranger, as I thought, derogatory to New-York pulpit eloquence; and wrote above them, 'To W. G. C Carefully you read them, smiled, and drew forth your visite; and under-scoring with a pencil the word 'Loui s' on one of the cards, handed the latter to me. I was amazed, and doubtless became very red in the face, as you tore the leaves, covered with my hasty rhymes, from the book, folded them together, and placed them in your pocket: an expressive compliment, and as characteristic, let me say, as any thing could well be. I saw you often afterward at ' Columbia Villa, ' where a club of lively bachelors kept house; and many a brilliant sally of wit have I listened to there, from such practitioners as D G M, Jr. (then;) T M N; S--S T; old G H T; J-T S Go; E S D, 'an' the lave, ' some of whom have faded from my remembrance: and many a frolic scene was there exhibited, when you were present to prick them on. 'I have a son now, who is about the age I was then, and he is a loyal reader of the K...