to the street to stare at
Moggs, all whiskers and glory--and plenty of pay, to make the glory
shine, and to set it off. I wouldn't mind, besides, if I did have a
nice little wound or two, if they've got any that don't hurt much, so
that I might have my arm in a sling, or a black patch on my
countenance. But if I was only one of the rank and file, I'm very much
afraid I might have considerable more of knocks that would hurt a
great deal, than I should of either the pay or the glory--that's what
troubles me in the milentary way. But make me a gineral, and then,
I'll talk to you about the matter--make me a gineral ossifer, with the
commission, and the feathers, and the cocked-hat--plenty of pay, and a
large slice of rations--there's nothing like rations--and then I'll
talk to you like a book. Then I'll pledge you my lives, and my
fortunes, and my sacred honors--all of 'em--that I will furnish the
genus whenever it is wanted--genus in great big gloves, monstrous long
boots, and astride of a hoss that scatters the little boys like
Boston, whenever I touch the critter with my long spurs, to astonish
the ladies. Oh, get out!--do you think I couldn't play gineral and
look black as thunder, for such pay as ginerals get? I'd do it for
half the money, and I'd not only do it cheaper, but considerable
better than you ever see it done the best Fourth of July you ever met
with. At present, I know I've not much rations, and no money at
all--money's skurse--but as for genus--look at my eye--isn't genus
there?--observation my nose--isn't it a Boneyparte?--aint I sevagerous
about the mouth?--I tell you, Quiggens, there's whole lots of a hero
in this little gentleman. I've so much genus that I can't work. When a
man's genus is a workin' in his upper story, and mine always is, then
his hands has to be idle, so's not to interrupt his genus."

"Yes," responded Quiggens, who is rather of the satirical turn, as one
is likely to be who has driven the "Black Maria," and has thus found
out that the world is all a fleeting show; "yes, you've got so much
genus in your upper story that it has made a hole in the crown of your
hat, so it can see what sort of weather is going on out of doors--and
it's your genus, I reckon, that's peeping out of your elbows. Why
don't you ask your genus to patch your knees, and to mend the holes in
your boots?"

"Quiggens, go 'way, Quiggens--you're of the common natur', Quiggens--a
vulgar fraction, Quiggens; and you ca