t they'll do more for the law than any other folks known!"

"Vell, dat isn't vhat dey says of der Americans in Europe; nein, nein,
dey might not say dat."

"Why, don't you think it is so? Don't you think this the greatest
country on airth, and the most lawful?"

"Vell, I don'ts know. Das coontry ist das coontry, and it ist vhat it
ist, you might see."

"Yes; I thought you would be of my way of thinking, when we got to
understand each other." Nothing is easier than to mislead an American on
the estimate foreigners place on them: in this respect they are the most
deluded people living, though, in other matters, certainly among the
shrewdest. "That's the way with acquaintances, at first; they don't
always understand one another: and then you talk a little thick, like.
But now, friend, I'll come to the p'int--but first swear you'll not
betray me."

"Ja, ja--I oonderstandst; I most schwear I won't bedray you: das ist
goot."

"But, hold up your hand. Stop; of what religion be you?"

"Gristian, to be sure. I might not be a Chew. Nein, nein; I am a ferry
bat Gristian."

"We are all bad enough, for that matter; but I lay no stress on _that_.
A little of the devil in a man helps him along, in this business of
ourn. But you must be suthin' more than a Christian, I s'pose, as we
don't call _that_ bein' of any religion at all, in this country. Of what
_supportin'_ religion be you?"

"Soobortin'; vell, I might not oonderstands dat. Vhat ist soobortin'
religion? Coomes dat vrom Melanchton and Luther?--or coomes it vrom der
Pope? Vhat ist dat soobortin' religion?"

"Why, what religion do you _patronize_? Do you patronize the standin'
order, or the kneelin' order?--or do you patronize neither? Some folks
thinks its best to lie down at prayer, as the least likely to divert the
thoughts."

"I might not oonderstand. But nefer mindt der religion, and coome to der
p'int dat you mentioned."

"Well, that p'int is this. You're a Jarman, and can't like aristocrats,
and so I'll trust you; though, if you do betray me, you'll never play on
another bit of music in this country, or any other! If you want to be an
Injin, as good an opportunity will offer to-morrow as ever fell in a
man's way!"

"An Injin! Vhat goot vill it do to be an Injin? I dought it might be
better to be a vhite man, in America?"

"Oh! I mean only an anti-rent Injin. We've got matters so nicely fixed
now, that a chap can be an Injin without any paint at all, or