The Project Gutenberg EBook of Off-Hand Sketches, by T. S. Arthur

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Title: Off-Hand Sketches
a Little Dashed with Humor

Author: T. S. Arthur

Posting Date: August 18, 2009 [EBook #4624]
Release Date: November, 2003
First Posted: February 20, 2002

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OFF-HAND SKETCHES ***

Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines.

OFF-HAND SKETCHES

A little dashed with humour

By

T. S. Arthur

PHILADELPHIA:

1851.

PREFACE.

THE reader cannot but smile at some of the phases of life presented
in this volume. Yet the smile will, in no case, the author thinks,
be at the expense of humanity, good feeling, or virtue. Many of the
incidents given, are facts embellished by a few touches of fancy. In
all, lessons may be read that some, at least, will do well to lay to
heart.

CONTENTS.

THE CIRCUIT-PREACHER
THE PROTEST
RETRENCHMENT; OR, WHAT A MAN SAVED BY STOPPING HIS NEWSPAPER
HUNTING UP A TESTIMONIAL
TRYING TO BE A GENTLEMAN
TAKING A PRESCRIPTION
THE YANKEE AND THE DUTCHMAN; OR, I'LL GIVE OR TAKE
A TIPSY PARSON
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING; OR, THE REASON WHY MRS. TODD DIDN'T SPEAK TO
MRS. JONES
ALMOST A TRAGEDY
THAT JOHN MASON
A NEW WAY TO COLLECT AN OLD DEBT
A SHOCKING BAD MEMORY
DRIVING A HARD BARGAIN
OUT OF THE FRYING-PAN INTO THE FIRE; OR, THE LOVE OF A HOUSE
MARRYING A COUNT
JOB'S COMFORTERS; OR, THE LADY WITH NERVES
THE CODE OF HONOUR
TREATING A CASE ACTIVELY

OFF-HAND SKETCHES.

THE CIRCUIT-PREACHER.

THE Methodist circuit-preacher is in the way of seeing human nature
in many rare and curious aspects. Under the itinerating system, the
United States are divided into conferences, districts, and circuits.
The conference usually embraces a State, the district a certain
division of the State or conference, and the circuit a portion of
the district. To every circuit is assigned a preacher, who is
expected to provide himself with a horse, and his duty is to pass
round his circuit regularly at appointed seasons through the year,
and meet