' gallery. He tried to explain how it was
that his picture came to be grouped with two unknown horse-thieves,
but the Chief couldn't see it. Then Eph sent for his friends, who
went on his bond, and he was let off until the next morning. As
he and his friends were leaving the Chief's office he caught sight
of me, and then he "dropped," and said to me, "George, _you_ gave
that picture to the Chief." I said, "What picture?" Then Eph
said, "Boys, come on; it's all on me." The Chief joined us; and
when Eph had settled the bill, he said to me, "George, the next
time I have my picture taken I will go it alone." I said to him,
"Eph, all is vanity and vexation of spirit."

PITTSBURG'S BEST MAN.

Before the war there were a great many coal boatmen traveling on
the river. I was coming up at that time with Captain Forsyth, on
the steamer _Cambria_. Some of the coal boat crew traveled in the
cabin, and others on deck. I got into a game with one of their
bullies. They said he was the best man in Pittsburg. In the play
I bested him out of a few hundred dollars, and he did not like it
a bit. He went down on deck and told his party there was a BOY up
stairs who had won all his money. "If he comes on deck I will let
you know, and we will throw him down and take the money away from
him." The news came to me, and I prepared for the boys by putting
my money and jewelry in the office, took my pistol and went down
on deck. The bully was there; he pointed me out to the gang. They
commenced to gather around me. I backed up against a hogshead of
sugar, telling them not to come any nearer to me or I would hurt
some of them. They took the hint, but began to abuse me. The mate
and some of the boat's crew came back into the deck-room, and then
I commenced to open out on them. "Now," said I to the bully,
"perhaps you can whip me, but I can tell you in a few words you
never saw a boy more willing to fight than myself; and if you will
give me a boy's show, we will see who is the best of the two." He
said, "I can whip you in a minute;" and so saying, he took off his
coat. I threw mine off in quick time, ready for a fight. It was
a good one. He hit me as hard as ever Sullivan hit a man; but I
kept dodging my head, so he would hit that, and he soon had his
right hand as big as any man's head. I at last commenced to give
it to him about the head pretty lively. And talk about a head!
His looked like the hind-quarter of a beef