ickled the risibilities of the sympathizing friends, and for a few
moments the woods echoed to their responsive mirth.

The laugh did them good. The poet perceived instantly he had a theme
upon which to build his verse, and hastily bidding BOB "good-by," he
flew exultingly to his paternal abode, rushed up the garret stairs,
seized his goose-quill, and amid the tumultuous beatings of his
over-charged heart and throbbing brain jotted down on the instant, in
all the enthusiasm of poetic fervor, the incident that had fallen under
his inspired observation. Not to be too personal, and still to preserve
the truthfulness of the history, he dropped a few letters from BOB
PEEPER'S name, while, with a wonderful accuracy unknown to modern
writers, he keeps to the subject of his verse, its misery, the remedy
and result, and facetiously gives to the world the same cause for
laughter and inspiration that he received so gratefully.

* * * * *

THE POLITEST NATION IN THE WORLD.

We had always considered JOHNNY CRAPAUD as the pink of politeness. But
we are now satisfied that JOHNNY BULL goes ever so far ahead of him. We
have never known that Frenchman yet, who would oblige his enemies by
killing himself. But the recent loss of the _Captain_ shows that the
noble Englishmen are prepared to do this by wholesale. One could wish
our enemies no worse luck than to have a few such _Captains_ given them.
And how lavish the expenditure! It takes no end of money to get up one
of those big iron-plated coffins. It is certainly a dramatic,
_auto-da-fe_ and a most obliging act, considered with reference to one's
possible enemies. No Frenchman ever thought of such a thing. In fact,
they go no further than positively declining to do anything bad with
their navy.

* * * * *

[Illustration: FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.

"THERE WAS A SURPRISE PARTY AT No. 9,999 TWENTY-THIRD STREET LAST
EVENING. UPON RETURNING FROM THE OPERA, THE PROPRIETORS FOUND THEIR
MANSION FULL, OF GUESTS."]

* * * * *

A DRY SETTLEMENT.

There is a little young village in Denver which rejoices in the name of
Greeley. To this place came a benevolent bar-keeper, bringing a cheerful
stock of whiskey. Down upon his grocery came the enraged Greeleyites,
and to prevent their own stomachs from being burned, they burned the
building. We can imagine these very particular pioneers passing a grea