," I replied.

But he would admit of no explanation. "Oh yes, quite parvarted; not a
word of truth in it; there never is when England is consarned. There is
no beam in an Englishman's eye; no not a smell of one; he has pulled it
out long ago; that's the reason he can see the mote in other folks's
so plain. Oh, of course it ain't true; it's a Yankee invention; it's a
hickory ham and a wooden nutmeg.

"Well, then, there was another feller got bagged t'other day, as
innocent as could be, for givin' his opinion when folks was a talkin'
about matters and things in gineral, and this here one in partikilar. I
can't tell the words, for I don't know 'em, nor care about 'em; and if I
did, I couldn't carry 'em about so long; but it was for sayin' it
hadn't ought to have been taken notice of, considerin' it jist popt out
permiscuous like with the bottle-cork. If he hadn't a had the clear
grit in him, and showed teeth and claws, they'd a nullified him so, you
wouldn't have see'd a grease spot of him no more. What do you call that,
now? Do you call that liberty? Do you call that old English? Do you call
it pretty, say now? Thank God, it tante Yankee."

"I see you have no prejudice, Mr. Slick," I replied.

"Not one mite or morsel," he replied. "Tho' I was born in Connecticut, I
have travelled all over the thirteen united univarsal worlds of ourn and
am a citizen at large. No, I have no prejudice. You say I am mistaken;
p'raps I am, I hope I be, and a stranger may get hold of the wrong eend
of a thing sometimes, that's a fact. But I don't think I be wrong, or
else the papers don't tell the truth; and I read it in all the jarnals;
I did, upon my soul. Why man, it's history now, if such nasty mean doins
is worth puttin' into a book.

"What makes this Spy System to England wuss, is that these
eaves-droppers are obliged to hear all that's said, or lose what
commission they hold; at least so folks tell me. I recollect when I was
there last, for it's some years since Government first sot up the Spy
System; there was a great feed given to a Mr. Robe, or Robie, or some
such name, an out and out Tory. Well, sunthin' or another was said over
their cups, that might as well have been let alone, I do suppose, tho'
dear me, what is the use of wine but to onloosen the tongue, and what
is the use of the tongue, but to talk. Oh, cuss 'em, I have no patience
with them. Well, there was an officer of a marchin' regiment there, who
it seems ought to h