ver the weaknesses of others than to see our own!

But to resume the story.

"'You have been a good deal in the colonies, haven't you?' said he.

"'Considerable sum,' sais I. Now, sais I to myself, this is the rael
object he sent for me for; but I won't tell him nothin'. If he'd a up
and askt me right off the reel, like a man, he'd a found me up to the
notch; but he thort to play me off. Now I'll sarve him out his own way;
so here goes.

"'Your long acquaintance with the provinces, and familiar intercourse
with the people,' sais he, 'must have made you quite at home on all
colonial topics.'

"'I thought so once,' sais I; 'but I don't think so now no more, Sir.'

"'Why how is that?' sais he.

"'Why, Sir,' sais I, 'you can hold a book so near your eyes as not to be
able to read a word of it; hold it off further, and get the right focus,
and you can read beautiful. Now the right distance to see a colony, and
know all about it, is England. Three thousand miles is the right focus
for a political spy-glass. A man livin' here, and who never was out of
England, knows twice as much about the provinces as I do.'

"'Oh, you are joking,' sais he.

"Not a bit,' sais I. 'I find folks here that not only know every thing
about them countries, but have no doubts upon any matter, and ask no
questions; in fact, they not only know more than me, but more than the
people themselves do, what they want. It's curious, but it's a fact. A
colonist is the most beautiful crittur in natur to try experiments on,
you ever see; for he is so simple and good-natured he don't know no
better; and so weak, he couldn't help himself if he did. There's great
fun in making these experiments, too. It puts me in mind of "Gander
Pulling;" you know what this is, don't you?'

"'No,' he said. 'I never heard of it. Is it an American sport?'

"'Yes,' sais I, 'it is; and the most excitin' thing, too, you ever see.'

"'You are a very droll man. Mr Slick,' said he, 'a very droll man
indeed. In all your books there is a great deal of fun; but in all
your fun, there is a meanin'. Your jokes hit, and hit pretty hard, too,
sometimes. They make a man think as well as laugh. But, describe this
Gander Pulling.'

"'Well, I'll tell you how it is,' sais I. 'First and foremost, a
ring-road is formed, like a small race-course; then, two great long
posts is fixed into the ground, one on each side of the road, and a rope
made fast by the eends to each post, leavin' the m