at's not bad. Ha!
ha! very good--you infernal Black Republican you!"

He left me, as a cloud might leave the sun with which it had vainly
attempted to cut up shines, and I felt for a moment, like one lost in
the Wood. With the best intentions in the world, I had only succeeded
in adding Fuel to the flames of treason.

It pleases me to say that Herr Suvchork, one of those eminent foreign
strategists of war who have visited our distracted country for the
truly benignant purpose of teaching us how we may win battles only
recently lost, has honored me with a great metaphysical criticism upon
the recent reconnoissance and triangular proceeding of the New General
of the Mackerel Brigade against the well-known Southern Confederacies
on the other side of Duck Lake. We may all learn a valuable lesson, my
boy, from this able _critique_, which reads thus:

"SOMEDINGS ABOUT ODDERDINGS.

"I have notice in der bapers that der Genral Fighting Cok cross
Dook Lake in two parts, the odder day, when he assaulted the Rebel
Army von Lee, which was strongly post in entrenchment built
especial for dees purpose. Das was vare wrong, and oppose to all
the princeeples von der Great Napoleon. Das vas der great troubles
with Fritz Magnus von Prussia, at Kunersdorf, where he had dirty
dousand pick troops, and lost seventeen dousand, in sooch way.
Genral Fighting Cok was adopting der princeeple of der Duke von
Cumberland at Fontenoy, when he should adopt sooch plan as that of
Marechal Saxe, und keep his troops all togedder, und not cross Dook
Lake in two parts. To attack sooch Rebel Army in entrenchment built
especial for dees purpose, it was necessaire as he should do
everydings togedder; keep his troops altogedder, und fight them
altogedder.

"I have not known Genral Fighting Cok in Germany, and I knows not
as he is as good Genral as Sigel; so I cannot say as he is sooch
goot Genral as Sigel und me. But _merk auf_!--_merk auf_--he has
not so large militaire mind as

A. P. SUVCHORK."

While you will join with me, my boy, in acknowledging the soundness of
this criticism from our able German critic, I am sure that we must both
perceive something like cruelty to animals in the very common practice
of giving the exact directions for gaining a victory so soon after the
battle has terminated in defeat. It is like telling a patient who has
just taken a dose of salts, h