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he quietly seated himself for the first time, put his hat aside,-crossed his legs,—then looking up to the ceiling with an expression of great patience, he requested the "'Squire, to read to him the Louisiana laws on cock-fighting.'

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The lawyer said that he did not know of a single statute in the State upon the subject. The boatman started up as if he had been shot, exclaiming

"No laws in the State on cock-fighting? No, no, 'Squire, you can't possum me; give us the law."

The refusal again followed; the astonishment of the boatman increased, and throwing himself in a comico-heroic attitude, he waved his long fingers around the sides of the room, and asked,

'What all them thar books were about?" "All about the law."

"Well, then, 'Squire, am I to understand that not one of them thar books contain a single law on cock-fighting?"

"You are."

"And, 'Squire, am I to understand that thar ain't no laws in Louisiana on cock-fighting?" "You are."

"And am I to understand that you call your

self a 'Squire, and that you don't know any thing about cock-fighting?"

"You are."

The astonishment of the boatman at this reply for a moment was unbounded, and then suddenly ceased; the awe with which he looked upon "the 'Squire" also ceased, and resuming his natural awkward and familiar carriage, he took up his hat, and walking to the door, with a broad grin of supreme contempt in his face, he observed,

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That a 'Squire that did not know the laws of cock-fighting, in his opinion, was distinctly an infernal old chuckel-headed fool!"--The Hive of the Bee-hunter.

JOHN GODFREY SAXE.

(BORN, 1816-DIED, 1887.)

THE COQUETTE-A PORTRAIT.

YOU 'RE clever at drawing, I own,'

"You

Said my beautiful cousin Lisette

As we sat by the window alone,

"But say, can you paint a Coquette?"

"She's painted already," quoth I;

66

Nay, nay!" said the laughing Lisette, "Now none of your joking,—but try And paint me a thorough Coquette."

"Well, cousin," at once I began

In the ear of the eager Lisette, "I'll paint you as well as I can,

That wonderful thing, a Coquette.

"She wears a most beautiful face," ("Of course," said the pretty Lisette,)

"And is n't deficient in grace,

Or else she were not a Coquette.

1 See Biographical Sketch, p. xxxii.

"And then she is daintily made "
(A smile from the dainty Lisette,)

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By people expert in the trade

Of forming a proper Coquette.

"She's the winningest ways with the beaux,"
("Go on!" said the winning Lisette,)
"But there is n't a man of them knows
The mind of the fickle Coquette!

"She knows how to weep and to sigh,"
(A sigh from the tender Lisette,)
"But her weeping is all in my eye,—
Not that of the cunning Coquette !

"In short, she's a creature of art,"
("O hush!" said the frowning Lisette,)
"With merely the ghost of a heart,-
Enough for a thorough Coquette.

“And yet I could easily prove"

("Now don't!" said the angry Lisette,) "The lady is always in love,—

In love with herself,-the Coquette!

"There,-do not be angry!—you know,
My dear little cousin Lisette,
You told me a moment ago,

To paint you-a thorough Coquette!"

JAMES THOMAS FIELDS.'

(BORN, 1817-DIED, 1881.)

MY

THE PETTIBONE LINEAGE.

Y name is Esek Pettibone, and I wish to affirm in the outset that it is a good thing to be well-born. In thus connecting the mention of my name with a positive state. ment, I am not unaware that a catastrophe lies coiled up in the juxtaposition. But I cannot help writing plainly that I am still in favor of a distinguished family-tree. ESTO PERPETUA ! To have had somebody for a great-grandfather that was somebody is exciting. To be able to look back on long lines of ancestry that were rich, but respectable, seems decorous and all right. The present Earl of Warwick, I think, must have an idea that strict justice has been done him in the way of being launched properly into the world. I saw the Duke of Newcastle once, and as the farmer in Conway described Mount Washington, I thought the Duke felt a ¡See Biographical Sketch, p. xxiv.

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