? These members are jist like the
rooks, too, fond of old houses, old woods, old trees, and old harnts.
And they are jist as proud, too, as they be. Cuss 'em, they won't visit
a new man, or new plantation. They are too aristocratic for that. They
have a circle of their own. Like the rooks, too, they are privileged to
scour over the farmers' fields all round home, and play the very devil.

"And then a fellow can't hear himself speak for 'em; divide, divide,
divide, question, question, question; cau, cau, cau, cau, cau, cau. Oh!
we must go there again. I want you to see Peel, Stanley, Graham, Shiel,
Russell, Macauley, Old Joe, and so on. These men are all upper crust
here. Fust of all, I want to hear your opinion of 'em. I take you to be
a considerable of a good judge in these matters."

"No Bunkum, Mr. Slick."

"D---- that word Bunkum! If you say that 'ere agin, I won't say another
syllable, so come now. Don't I know who you are? You know every mite,
and morsel as well as I do, that you be a considerable of a judge of
these critters, though you are nothin' but an outlandish colonist; and
are an everlastin' sight better judge, too, if you come to that, than
them that judge _you_. Cuss 'em, the state would be a nation sight
better sarved, if one o' these old rooks was sent out to try trover for
a goose, and larceny for an old hat, to Nova Scotia, and you was sent
for to take the ribbons o' the state coach here; hang me if it wouldn't.
You know that, and feel your oats, too, as well as any one. So don't be
so infarnal mealy-mouthed, with your mock modesty face, a turnin' up
of the whites of your eyes as if you was a chokin', and savin' 'No
_Bun-kum_, Mr. Slick.' Cuss that word Bunkum! I am sorry I ever told you
that are story, you will be for everlastinly a throwin' up of that are,
to me now.

"Do you think if I warnted to soft sawder you, I'd take the white-wash
brush to you, and slobber it, on, as a nigger wench does to a board
fence, or a kitchen wall to home, and put your eyes out with the lime?
No, not I; but I could tickel you though, and have done it afore now,
jist for practice, and you warn't a bit the wiser. Lord, I'd take a
camel's-hair brush to you, knowin' how skittish and ticklesome you are,
and do it so it would feel good. I'd make you feel kinder pleasant, I
know, and you'd jist bend your face over to it, and take it as kindly as
a gall does a whisper, when your lips keep jist a brushin' of the cheek
whi