But the wust of it is,
when galls come on the carpet, I could talk all day; for the dear little
critters, I _do_ love 'em, that's a fact. Lick! it sets me crazy a'most.
Well, where was we? for petticoats always puts every thing out o' my
head. Whereabouts was we?"

"You were saying that there were more things to be seen in London than
in the country."

"Exactly; now I have it. I've got the thread agin. So there is.

"There's England's Queen, and England's Prince, and Hanover's King, and
the old Swordbelt that whopped Bony; and he is better worth seem' than
any man now livin' on the face of the univarsal airth, let t'other one
be where he will, that's a fact. He is a great man, all through the
piece, and no mistake. If there was--what do you call that word, when
one man's breath pops into 'nother man's body, changin' lodgins, like?"

"Do you mean transmigration?"

"Yes; if there was such a thing as that, I should say it was old Liveoak
himself, Mr. Washington, that was transmigrated into him, and that's no
mean thing to say of him, I tell you.

"Well now, there's none o' these things to the country; and it's so
everlastin' stupid, it's only a Britisher and a nigger that could live
in an English country-house. A nigger don't like movin', and it would
jist suit him, if it warn't so awful wet and cold.

"Oh if I was President of these here United States,
I'd suck sugar candy and swing upon de gates;
And them I didn't like, I'd strike 'em off de docket,
And the way we'd go ahead, would be akin to Davy Crockit.
With my zippy dooden, dooden dooden, dooden dooden dey,
With my zippy dooden, dooden dooden, dooden dooden dey.

"It might do for a nigger, suckin' sugar candy and drinkin' mint-julep;
but it won't do for a free and enlightened citizen like me. A country
house--oh goody gracious! the Lord presarve me from it, I say. If ever
any soul ever catches me there agin, I'll give 'em leave to tell me of
it, that's all. Oh go, Squire, by all means; you will find it monstrous
pleasant, I know you will. Go and spend a week there; it will make you
feel up in the stirrups, I know. Pr'aps nothin' can exceed it. It takes
the rag off the bush quite. It caps all, that's a fact, does 'Life in
the Country.'"

CHAPTER VIII. BUNKUM.

I am not surprised at the views expressed by Mr. Slick in the previous
chapter. He has led too active a life, and his habits and thoughts are
too business-like to admit of hi