按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
under seprit headins； arter the stile of those Emblems of Trooth
and Poority； the Washinton correspongdents！
COPP'S HILL。
The winder of my room commands a exileratin view of Copps' Hill；
where Cotton Mather； the father of the Reformers and sich； lies
berrid。 There is men even now who worship Cotton； and there is
wimin who wear him next their harts。 But I do not weep for him。
He's bin ded too lengthy。 I ain't going to be absurd； like old Mr。
Skillins； in our naberhood； who is ninety…six years of age； and
gets drunk every 'lection day； and weeps Bitturly because he haint
got no Parents。 He's a nice Orphan； HE is。
BUNKER HILL。
Bunker Hill is over yonder in Charleston。 In 1776 a thrillin dramy
was acted out over there； in which the 〃Warren Combination〃 played
star parts。
MR。 FANUEL。
Old Mr。 Fanuel is ded； but his Hall is still into full blarst。
This is the Cradle in which the Goddess of Liberty was rocked； my
Dear。 The Goddess hasn't bin very well durin' the past few years；
and the num'ris quack doctors she called in didn't help her any；
but the old gal's physicians now are men who understand their
bizness； Major…generally speakin'； and I think the day is near when
she'll be able to take her three meals a day； and sleep nights as
comf'bly as in the old time。
THE COMMON。
It is here； as ushil； and the low cuss who called it a Wacant Lot；
and wanted to know why they didn't ornament it with sum Bildins'；
is a onhappy Outcast in Naponsit。
THE LEGISLATUR。
The State House is filled with Statesmen； but sum of 'em wear queer
hats。 They buy 'em； I take it； of hatters who carry on hat stores
down…stairs in Dock Square； and whose hats is either ten years
ahead of the prevailin' stile； or ten years behind itjest as a
intellectooal person sees fit to think about it。 I had the
pleasure of talkin' with sevril members of the legislatur。 I told
'em the Eye of 1000 ages was onto we American peple of to…day。
They seemed deeply impressed by the remark； and wantid to know if I
had seen the Grate Orgin？
HARVARD COLLEGE。
This celebrated institootion of learnin is pleasantly situated in
the Bar…room of Parker's in School street； and has poopils from all
over the country。
I had a letter yes'd'y； by the way； from our mootual son； Artemus；
Jr。； who is at Bowdoin College in Maine。 He writes that he's a
Bowdoin Arab。 & is it cum to this？ Is this Boy as I nurtered with
a Parent's care into his childhood's houris he goin' to be a
Grate American humorist？ Alars！ I fear it is too troo。 Why
didn't I bind him out to the Patent Travellin Vegetable Pill Man；
as was struck with his appearance at our last County Fair； & wanted
him to go with him and be a Pillist？ Ar； these Boysthey little
know how the old folks worrit about 'em。 But my father he never
had no occasion to worrit about me。 You know； Betsy； that when I
fust commenced my career as a moral exhibitor with a six…legged cat
and a Bass drum； I was only a simple peasant childskurce 15
Summers had flow'd over my yoothful hed。 But I had sum mind of my
own。 My father understood this。 〃Go；〃 he sed〃go； my son； and hog
the public！〃 （he ment； 〃knock em；〃 but the old man was allus a
little given to slang）。 He put his withered han' tremblinly onto
my hed； and went sadly into the house。 I thought I saw tears
tricklin down his venerable chin； but it might hav been tobacker
jooce。 He chaw'd。
LITERATOOR。
The 〃Atlantic Monthly；〃 Betsy； is a reg'lar visitor to our westun
home。 I like it because it has got sense。 It don't print stories
with piruts and honist young men into 'em； makin' the piruts
splendid fellers and the honist young men dis'gree'ble idiotsso
that our darters very nat'rally prefer the piruts to the honist
young idiots； but it gives us good square American literatoor。 The
chaps that write for the 〃Atlantic；〃 Betsy； understand their
bizness。 They can sling ink； they can。 I went in and saw 'em。 I
told 'em that theirs was a high and holy mission。 They seemed
quite gratified； and asked me if I had seen the Grate Orgin。
WHERE THE FUST BLUD WAS SPILT。
I went over to Lexington yes'd'y。 My Boozum hove with sollum
emotions。 〃& this；〃 I sed to a man who was drivin' a yoke of oxen；
〃this is where our revolutionary forefathers asserted their
independence and spilt their Blud。 Classic ground！〃
〃Wall；〃 the man sed； 〃it's good for white beans and potatoes； but
was regards raisin' wheat； t'ain't worth a damn。 But hav' you seen
the Grate Orgin？〃
THE POOTY GIRL IN SPECTACLES。
I returned in the Hoss Cars； part way。 A pooty girl in spectacles
sot near me； and was tellin' a young man how much he reminded her
of a man she used to know in Walthan。 Pooty soon the young man got
out； and； smilin' in a seductive manner； I said to the girl in
spectacles； 〃Don't _I_ remind you of somebody you used to know？〃
〃Yes；〃 she sed； 〃you do remind me of one man； but he was sent to
the penitentiary for stealin' a Bar'l of mackrilhe died there； so
I conclood you ain't HIM。〃 I didn't pursoo the conversation。 I
only heard her silvery voice once more durin' the remainder of the
jerney。 Turnin' to a respectable lookin' female of advanced
summers； she asked her if she had seen the Grate Orgin。
We old chaps； my dear； air apt to forget that it is sum time since
we was infants； and et lite food。 Nothin' of further int'rist took
place on the cars excep' a colored gentleman； a total stranger to
me； asked if I'd lend him my diamond Brestpin to wear to a funeral
in South Boston。 I told him I wouldn'tnot a PURPUSS。
WILD GAME
Altho' fur from the prahayries； there is abundans of wild game in
Boston； such as quails； snipes； plover； ans Props。 （The game of
〃props；〃 played with cowrie shells is； I believe； peculiar to the
city of Boston。）
COMMON SKOOLS。
A excellent skool sistim is in vogy here。 John Slurk； my old
pardner； has a little son who has only bin to skool two months； and
yet he exhibertid his father's performin' Bear in the show all last
summer。 I hope they pay partic'lar 'tention to Spelin in these
Skools； because if a man can't Spel wel he's of no 'kount。
SUMMIN' UP。
I ment to have allooded to the Grate Orgin in this letter； but I
haven't seen it。 Mr。 Reveer； whose tavern I stop at； informed me
that it can be distinctly heard through a smoked glass in his nativ
town in New Hampshire； any clear day。 But settin' the Grate Orgin
aside （and indeed； I don't think I heard it mentioned all the time
I was there）； Boston is one of the grandest； sure…footedest； clear
headedest； comfortablest cities on the globe。 Onlike ev'ry other
large city I was ever in； the most of the hackmen don't seem to
hav' bin speshully intended by natur for the Burglery perfession；
and it's about the only large city I know of where you don't enjoy
a brilliant opportunity of bein swindled in sum way； from the Risin
of the sun to the goin down thereof。 There4 I say； loud and
continnered applaus' for Boston！
DOMESTIC MATTERS。
Kiss the children for me。 What you tell me 'bout the Twins greeves
me sorely。 When I sent 'em that Toy Enjine I had not
contempyulated that they would