A TEMPLE OF BACCHUS IN INVERCARGILL.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 76, 28 July 1863, Page 2

A TEMPLE OF BACCHUS IN INVERCARGILL.

BY GAMMA.

(Concl :ded from InvercargiU Tones, 10th inst,

Yes — we went forward. Through a short narrow passage, dark and angular; then a sharp turn to tho right, and we found ourselves in a bright Iv lighted room, glaring with kerosene and stifling with a smoke so dense, that we might on it have written, not only our name, but half a dozen names — nay, a three-volume novel. In one corner of fche room was a cottage piano, in another a young lady in black silk, smiling upon six frantic young men at one and the same time Iv the centre was a tablo, once mahogany, but now cigar-ash and, dilapidated — not pipe-clay but — ehvy-pipe. Round the table in various attitudes, some winking at the lamp, others at the black sil k young lady, lounged a crowd of gay young fellows, of many sizes and different patterns they were; but one distinguishing feature had they in common — tho right band of one and all brandished a crystal cup, whence steamed a cloud of aromatic warmth, the perfume of which penetrated far and near, oven as of the spice gardens of Ceylon. On a sofa, that formed a peninsula i n the room, perched aloft on cushions, Sultan like, sat a dark haired son of the stranger. He seomed sad ; there was a sorrowfulness in the eyeglance turned upon the kettle, hissing on the hob; there was melancholy in the very turn of his waist, as he gently raised, what we understand is called a pewter to his lips. It was he of the guitar • against hia left arm reposed the instrument, banded troubadour-like, with bright colored ribbon. Ifc lay fondly, and the rm of the musician caressed it, as if it were a child. ■ Our entrance — the entrance of a stranger — caused a temporary silence; the gay fellows looked at un with a suspicious ferocity, as if we wero a policeman in plain clothes; and the young lady in black, glanced us over with tluit critical oeiilade, which is vidg'u-c termed "taking stock." [ Nothing daunted, we marched boldly towards a I vacant chair in tho neighborhood of the piano, ' puffed a bad cujar (why do they cell such exe-

-o»l>Le?p*r]t^d * ,'«in Inverai^Hfyirtiolenlly into j >|%£icc|^the worl* it^agw^^called in* J manner | SmM AqJi&vM «hich|a nipnM|ii^tlie»bud waiter I , Our P |^^ .a&diinorp esjieciai'ly^^r^ider, broke the I p^klMl^hich tfie^plilejsgol^niistrust hadJg Imn'pg'giaaa the company. It was clear we ditft i^^^loj^|tO sf the force. Who ever heard of I Pleeceman X tailing publicly or rather in al «%ablk&fcx^^ethm dence was restored ; Mr and hia family. | jyewK vreConciledjithe. gkyi t young | fellows clashed 1 glasses— the young lady^iil black --with a sweet | .sjmper turned to wardian unoccupied chair in ber | immediate^neishborhood;^and~^tbo - romantic | minstrel atrikinga wild chori, t ooce more at the | fc^M'liis i^ in gene. _ ral and the ceiling in pMticular, that thej | " missed him at home, at morn and at noon and at % ihightf 'At the ; cl&/e^6f each r s^niw the assem. | -blage^kindly impirovisM^^chorj^ >#hiich^' though P .adK^HD'g"^ the pngih^?woi^s,' yet inejuded at | least ten' different aira.^trulypleasing by reason h of tfia^" vittiety" ronsideml " charm- 1 injg.'*:: Tho: termination of the ; song was greeted I by-the chorus with -tbe Ibiidest cbefers, and su> h I iex^r^pnsriu^fjro^n^pjyi £f Doc>ce<ipretty !" S ''BrayToS'Vwhilotbe: black silk oho wh^pered to 3 lis (we«h£^, ;curioiiw£to jttuvat^ -under the a jesvOT^pf^Jitlie,.-. smoke,., gradually .approached), S "■Mn't it sublime ?'?^ **-If say so, then we 8 , '~we'''*'fe^M/ r^tj^;tibii^'' : courtesy for fl l which woeverhiye been distinguished. " Ohfl you quiz," aaid she^witUfa clasping of'the hands, J and a fa-jcinating wriggle. a magniß- 1 cent 'opening a desirable- 'young man to com. ■ nience a|flirtatiOn ; }but whether St .w^:i_hp siaokr, ■ or wlietherthe.hotjWater, with lemon, or^jrhether a dark bearded mau scowling savagely through his tumbler at us— our well known fascinating powera completely jforsoolc us, andvall that we could stam< roer fprth „was,, . " Do, have, something tQ. drint.'*' 'We -had ■^]^i^\& T ii^'^t , A\^ii^ n wst tho angry reply, andthe dark man . becoming at • solutely black as a rain cloud, made a rush at th« piano .arid 'vented his feelings in'" thb Perfect Cure" played violently out 7of tuiie.i''*iyeiye|r^iind old fellow, we'll havo something { to drink;" said halfardozon voices' at once, "and^before we had time to recover that calm" jfas^ries of look,. whieh. out satirical : friends say we affect, the countenance oi the , dark-eyed dhoi appeared _ with- pantomimic ■celerity,* framed iri *a trap-door in thb wall, aad het persuasive ivoice' Bounded' * "through the room, " What's the' order, sir ?" '*" Twelve of tbe same, only stronger,'.? replied a fair-haired Scandinavian looking man in* long 'boots l'irid a .pilot coat, and tho whole company haid tlieri iihd there |he kinf. ness to invita themselves to drink with us. Even the dark manrelaxedjhis.sternnes^of demeanor leit him, and quitting the piano be grasped our hand, and, apparently consideering himself in tbo witness boXi declare;! upon oath that we and he and every body else wore, jolly goodi feliows... At this stage, the young l^dy'iri blabk,' regarding us somewhat more kindly, said that *she must say good night. " Oh, fly not yeti" cried a sentimental "boy with slight whiskers and a fiill.m'oon face. " Bother !" rejoined the fair > one, and she wont from out "ga-ie through a side. door, with* a' bound that re. minded us of Columbine in mourning. ' Her departure was, followed by fresh calls foi the' cup that cheers, but sometimes inebriate. The atmosphere became denser and denser. He of, the guitar was seized with so ..violent a fit ol sneezing as to, preclude the possibilityviof their continuing to mis 3 him at home. One of the company kindly voted himself to the piano and sang songs for half an hour, to which nobodj • listened. Wo were growing weary. There was nothing classic about this Temple of Uacchusnothing biit sriioke and whisky. f Kindlj bright eyed Bacchus iif' the old days, with merry jest and Catullus song, was not there. We rose and went quietly forth; oufc through the narrow passage! into tho dark streets and ceasless drizzling rain;! away midst muddy ponds and fallen trunks ou trees ; and as tho night side of nature came deeper! and deeper" upon us,*ifc 'was' no longer a pain, bul relief in its quiet from the song and the smoke vii the Temple ot Bacchus. §8