5° 



MARK TWAIN'S SKETCHES. 



the window, Thompson tears all my clothes off, and an entire stranger takes my 

 scalp with the easy freedom of an old acquaintance ; and in less than five minutes 

 all the blackguards in the country arrive in their war-paint, and proceed to scare 

 the rest of me to death with their tomahawks. Take it altogether, I never had 

 such a spirited time in all my life as I have had to-day. No ; I like you, and I like 

 your calm unruffled way of explaining things to the customers,, but you see I am 

 not used to it. The Southern heart is too impulsive ; Southern hospitality is too 

 lavish with the stranger. The paragraphs which I have written to-day, and into 

 whose cold sentences your masterly hand has infused the fervent spirit of Tennes- 

 sean journalism, will wake up another nest of hornets. All that mob of editors 

 will come — and they will come hungry, too, and want somebody for breakfast. I 

 shall have to bid you adieu. I decline to be present at these festivities. I came 

 South for my health, I will go back on the same errand, and suddenly. Tennesseear> 

 journalism is too stirring for me." 



After which we parted with mutual regret, and I took apartments at the hospital. 



