Monday, July 11, 2011

Amanuensis Monday - A Sprig of Elegant Puppyism

I was searching for mention of my 2nd Great Grandmother Margaret Casey (1814-1892) in the Tasmanian Newspapers of 1835 when I came across this florid description of an armed confrontation.

"A young sprig of elegant puppyism - a mere boy, with the down upon his chin, fancied that he was in love; and one evening, lately seeing his charmer walking under the protection of two gentlemen, who were conducting the lady home, with a cowardice scarcely to be equalled, went up to the young lady and presented a pistol at her head, and ordered her to immediately quit their company and join his - what a hero! to present a pistol at the head of a timid female. The insulting - the cowardly little puppy, should have had a broomstick applied to his head, or a rod, perhaps, would have been more proper for the child. We shall allow this sprig of fashion to pass this time without mentioning his name; but we shall be less tender with him the next time we hear of his outrages. In the mean while, we recommend the police to take cognizance of the affair, as the young fool may, perhaps, unintentially, some time or other, seriously injure some of His Majesty's leige subjects - children should not be allowed to play with fire arms; and, as the father of the child has not sense enough to punish the boy, the authorities ought to be compelled to so so!"
Domestic Intelligence. (1835, February 17). Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828-1857), p. 6. Retrieved July 10, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8648066
I still haven't found Margaret Casey!

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