FAST DAY SEKMON REVIEWED. 7 



knavery, etc., while you contend that you would prefer that 

 a son of yours should occupy an apartment " in the alms- 

 house, and be buried without a cofl5n," rather than he 

 should succeed in life by means of selling live stock at 

 fancy prices, etc. In so far as your own family or children 

 are concerned, I have no possible objection to offer to this 

 singularly avowed choice on your part. But I have a right 

 to object to your unchristian language at my expense, and 

 I claim that you have no more right, socially, morally or 

 religiously, thus to assail me in public, than you have to 

 steal my watch, or to rob me of my purse. 



I tacitly permit no man to abuse or to malign me, or 

 mine, sir, without resenting it. I regret, exceedingly, the 

 cause which prompts me to address a note of this character 

 to a gentleman of your profession and position. But, when 

 you step out of your province, evidently to your neigh- 

 bor's injury, you cannot hope to escape censure. 



In all candor, permit me to ask in what manner I have 

 ever crossed your path, sir, that you should thus do me 

 personal wrong. My business, and my humble "record" 

 thereof, did not come legitimately within the range of your 

 notice, in any way whatever. The volume you thus at- 

 tacked is but a frank and simple exposi of a huge bubble, 

 of which I (not you) had been long an unconscious vic- 

 tim. The effect of my history of this mania will be to 

 cripple and crush a delusion that has hurt the community 



