cisse.

The young Creole was much pleased to be at length brought into actual
contact with a man of his own years, who, without visible effort, had
made an impression on Dr. Sevier.

Until the money had been paid and the bill receipted nothing more than
a formal business phrase or two passed between them. But as Narcisse
delivered the receipted bill, with an elaborate gesture of courtesy, and
Richling began to fold it for his pocket, the Creole remarked:--

"I 'ope you will excuse the 'an'-a-'iting."

Richling reopened the paper; the penmanship was beautiful.

"Do you ever write better than this?" he asked. "Why, I wish I could
write half as well!"

"No; I do not fine that well a-'itten. I cannot see 'ow that is,--I
nevva 'ite to the satizfagtion of my abil'ty soon in the mawnin's. I am
dest'oying my chi'og'aphy at that desk yeh."

"Indeed?" said Richling; "why, I should think"--

"Yesseh, 'tis the tooth. But consunning the chi'og'aphy, Mistoo Itchlin,
I 'ave descovvud one thing to a maul cettainty, and that is, if I 'ave
something to 'ite to a young lady, I always dizguise my chi'og'aphy.
Ha-ah! I 'ave learn that! You will be aztonizh' to see in 'ow many
diffe'n' fawm' I can make my 'an'-a-'iting to appeah. That paz thoo my
fam'ly, in fact, Mistoo Itchlin. My hant, she's got a honcle w'at use'
to be cluck in a bank, w'at could make the si'natu'e of the pwesiden',
as well as of the cashieh, with that so absolute puffegtion, that they
tu'n 'im out of the bank! Yesseh. In fact, I thing you ought to know 'ow
to 'ite a ve'y fine 'an', Mistoo Itchlin."

"N-not very," said Richling; "my hand is large and legible, but not well
adapted for--book-keeping; it's too heavy."

"You 'ave the 'ight physio'nomie, I am shu'. You will pe'haps believe me
with difficulty, Mistoo Itchlin, but I assu' you I can tell if a man 'as
a fine chi'og'aphy aw no, by juz lookin' upon his liniment. Do you know
that Benjamin Fwanklin 'ote a v'ey fine chi'og'aphy, in fact? Also,
Voltaire. Yesseh. An' Napoleon Bonaparte. Lawd By'on muz 'ave 'ad a
beaucheouz chi'og'aphy. 'Tis impossible not to be, with that face. He is
my favo'ite poet, that Lawd By'on. Moze people pwefeh 'im to Shakspere,
in fact. Well, you muz go? I am ve'y 'appy to meck yo' acquaintanze,
Mistoo Itchlin, seh. I am so'y Doctah Seveeah is not theh pwesently. The
negs time you call, Mistoo Itchlin, you muz not be too much aztonizh to
fine me gone from yeh. Yesseh. He's got to hau