Saturday, October 22, 2011

1877 Unprincipled, Drunk, Destructive

Three articles, found in issues of The Fowlerville Review, caught my attention that showed some of the unsavory underbelly of the village. Although it would be better to always show the good side of something, it is also important to see that even those "innocent" times of the late 1800s maybe weren't quite so much.

A low-lived, unprincipled wretch, whose name we could give to the public if we chose, attempted an indecent assault upon the person of a young lady with whom he was out riding on Saturday evening last near the "Hogback." The cries of the young lady attracted the attention of some parties who were passing near by and he was thus prevented. No arrests have been made but it is hoped there will be and that he may be made to suffer the full penalty of the law.

It is not etiquette nowadays when one sees an intoxicated person to say that he is "drunk." You must say that he is suffering from the evil effects of an over-libation of an exhilarating beverage. We would prefer to say that he was suffering from the evil effects of an over potation of kill-at-forty rod old rye.

It is remarkable how the spirit of vandalism pervades the minds of some people. Last Sunday evening, just before the opening of the temperance meeting at the tent, two men shocked the sensibilities of those around them by showing their ill-bred bringing (cragging would be better) up. Immediately on sittingn down, their hands went into their trouser pockets and out came their jack knives, and they commenced cutting away at the seats with a zest that was worthy of a better cause. It is high time these individuals were sent to school and taught how to behave themselves.

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