a burning desire to visit
the Mammoth Cave, let me advise him to slake the said flame with the
waters of Patience, and take for his motto--"I bide my time." Snoring
has been the order of the day in these parts for many years; but the
kettle-screaming roads of the North have at last disturbed the Southern
slumberers, and, like giants refreshed, they are now working vigorously
at their own kettle, which will soon hiss all the way from Louisville to
Nashville. Till then, I say, Patience.--One of our companions in the
stage very kindly offered to take us to the club, which is newly formed
here, and which, if not large, is very comfortable. I mention this as
one among the many instances which have occurred to me while travelling
in this country, of the desire exhibited by the better classes to show
civility and attention to any gentleman who they observe is a stranger
among them.

The following morning we were obliged to continue our route, for which
purpose it was necessary to embark two miles below the town, as the
river was not high enough to allow the steamers to pass over a kind of
bar called "The Falls." The road was one continuous bog of foot-deep
mud, but that difficulty concerned the horses, and they got over it with
perfect ease, despite the heavy drag. Once more we were floating down
the Ohio, and, curiously enough, in, another "Franklin;" but she could
not boast of such a massive cylindrical stewardess as her sister
possessed. A host of people, as usual, were gathered round the bar,
drinking, smoking, and arguing. Jonathan is "first-chop" at an argument.
Two of them were hard at it as I walked up.

Says the Colonel--"I tell you, Major, it is more than a hundred miles."

Major--"Well, but I tell you, Colonel, it aint not no such thing."

Colonel--"But, sir'ree, I know it is."

Judge--"Well, Colonel, I tell you what it is; I reckon you're wrong."

Colonel--getting evidently excited--"No, sir'ree, I aint, and,"--holding
out a brawny hand capable of scrunching a nine-pound shot into infant
pap--"darned if I wont lay you, or any other gentleman, six Kentucky
niggers to a julep I'm right."

After offering these tremendous odds, he travelled his fiery eagle eyes
from the major to the judge, and from the judge to the major, to
ascertain which of them would have it; and as they were silent, he
extended the radius of his glance to the company around, chucking his
head, and looking out of the corner of his eye, from