A Young Ethan Ladd: A "Good Time Charlie"

The journals and writings of Ethan Ladd are a gem of a historical find. They cast a clear and precise light on the life of a young as he grows and ages in the 19th Century. The breadth and consistency of the journals indicate a very studious and dedicated man. However, the writings of this man also cast light on a more care-free side of the young Ladd. He was a man who was able to take time away from his studious and serious side and engage in social activities with a smile and a glint in his eyes. He was, at times, a Good Time Charlie.

Ethan Ladd was a young man who, as happens to every young man, became interested in the finer aspects of life. He had many interests, none less than the pursuit of the opposite sex. Much of his thought and time was aimed at courting his female acquaintances. He apparently became highly aware of a very subtle but defined manner of communicating with female friends. His understanding of this secretive language is contained a pieced titled Handkerchief Flirtations.

Although his understanding of the technique and his attention to the pursuit were of unquestionable caliber, he seemed to have less than auspicious results. He seemed to long for a emotionally intimate relationship with a woman, as his poem on Good Advice illustrates.