loo MARK TWAIN'S SKETCHES. 



enters the door; to suffer through his anecdotes and die slowly to his reminis- 

 cences ; to feel always the fetters of his clogging presence ; to long hopelessly for 

 one single day's privacy ; to note with a shudder, by and by, that to contemplate 

 his funeral in fancy has ceased to soothe, to imagine him undergoing in strict 

 and fearful detail the tortures of the ancient Inquisition has lost its power to 

 satisfy the heart, and that even to wish him millions and millions and millions 

 of miles in Tophet is able to bring only a fitful gleam of joy; to have to endure 

 all this, day after day, and week after week, and month after month, is an afflic- 

 tion that transcends any other that men suffer. Physical pain is pastime to it, 

 and hanging a pleasure excursion. 



JOHNNY GREER. 



« ^Tp^HE church was densely crowded that lovely summer Sabbath," said 

 I the Sunday-school superintendent, "and all, as their eyes rested upon 

 the small coffin, seemed impressed , by the poor black boy's fate. 

 Above the stillness the pastor's voice rose, and chained the interest of every ear 

 as he told, with many an envied compliment, how that the brave, noble, daring 

 little Johnny Greer, when he saw the drowned body sweeping down toward the 

 deep part of the river whence the agonized parents never could have recovered 

 it in this world, gallantly sprang into the stream, and at the risk of his life 

 towed the corpse to shore, and held it fast till help came and secured it. Johnny 

 Greer was sitting just in front of me. A ragged street boy, with eager eye, 

 turned upon him instantly, and said in a hoarse whisperr— 



"'No ; but did you, though V 



" ' Yes.' 



"'Towed the carkiss ashore and saved it yo'selfi" 



« ' Yes.' 



" ' Cracky ! What did they give you .'' 



"'Nothing.' 



"'W-h-a-t! [with intense disgust.'] D'you know what I'd a done.? I'd a 

 anchored him out in the stream, and said, I^ive dollars, gents, or you carn't have yo' 

 tagger!" 



