34 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 



He found in me an attentive listener, and, therefore 

 went into details, until he talked every one but myself 

 asleep. 



From general remarks, he changed to addressing me 

 personally, and as I had every thing to learn, he went 

 from the elementary, to the most complex experience. 



" You are green in bar hunting," said he to me, in a 

 commiserating tone — " green as a jimson weed — but 

 don't get short-winded "bout it, case it's a thing like 

 readin-, to be Tarnt : — a man don't come it perfectly at 

 once, like a dog does ; and as for that, they Tarn a heap 

 in time ; — thar is a greater difference 'tween a pup and 

 an old dog on a bar hunt, than thar is "tween a militia 

 man and a regler. I remember when / coulcVnt bar 

 hunt^ though the thing seems onpossible now ; it only 

 takes time — a true eye and a steady hand, though I did 

 know a fellow that called himself a doctor, who said you 

 could'nt do it, if you was narvious. 



" I asked him if he meant by that, agee and 

 fever ! 



" He said, it was the agee without the fever. 



" Thar may be such a thing as narvious, stranger, 

 but nothing but a yarth quake, or the agee can shake me ; 

 and still bar hunting aint as easy as scearing a wild tur- 

 key, by a long shot. 



" The varmint aint a hog, to run with a — 

 w — h — e — w ; just corner one — cotch its cub, or cripple 

 it, and if you don't have to fight, or get out of the way, 



