Flogging An Editor

Some yenra ego, a popuious town, located owards the interior of Mississippi, wás infefly a gang of blacklegs, who nraused themelvesnt time?, wlien ihey could find nobody Ise to pluck by preying upon each other. A ew importaiion of these sport ing gentry excied Borne alarm among the iiihabitanls, lest ïey should be completely overrun - they deermined therefore on their axpulsion. A )oor devil of a country editor, w!io was expcted by virtue of his vocation to tokeupon imself nll the responsib'lities from which othra might choose lo shrink, was peremptorily al led u pon by his '"patrons"-- that is, those vho paid him two dollars a year for his paper nd tt.ereforo presumed they owncd him, soul nd body - to make an eñort towards the ex emiinalicn of the enemy. The unfonunnie ditor, like most editor?, being gifted with ust nbout ns mnch brnins as money - skull and )rain both empty - said at once that he would ndile a "flasher," one that would nndoubtcdy drive the obnoxious vermin into some more jospitnble región. And when his paper apeared, it was a "flaeher," sure enongh. In he cou'rse of his observation?, he gave ihe nitiöls of several of the fraternity, whom hc advised to.leave town as eoon as possible, if hey had the elightest desire to save their bacon. The next morningf, whilo tho poor scribc was comfortably seatcd in his office, lisllessly fumhling over a meagre parcel of exchanges, he heard fooistepa on the btairs, and presently an individual, having accomplislied the nscent, made his appenrance. His first saiutaüon was slightly obrup' : 'VVhere's the editor of this dirly, ly'mg paperT' Now, aside from the rudeness of this opening interrogatory, there were other considera! ions to induce tho editor to believe that there was trouble on foot. The personage who addressed him bore a cowhide in his hand, and, mórepvér, secmed to be exceedingly enraged. Thia was not all - he recfgnzcd iií liim a disiinguished leader of the srjorting fralernity, wiih whose cognomen he htid taken irreverent liber ies. It was without the slightest hesitatiot!, llierefore, that he replied to tiie introduciory query : 'I don't know.' Do you belong to the concern]" 'No, indeed, but í presume the editor svill soon be in." "Woll said the visitor, "I wil) wait for him' and suiting tlie aclion lo the word, he composedly took a chair, picked up a papei, and rommenerd rei; ti'wg. 'ïf I meet him,' enid ihe frightened knight of ihe scissors and qniil, 'I will teil him there is a gentleman hcre wishes to eee him.' As he reached the foot of the staira, in his hasty retreaij he was accosted by another person, who (hus madeiiimself 'known: 'Can you téll me'where I can find the sneaking roscal wbo has charge of this vüluinous sheet?' producing the lust nurnber of 'Freedom's Echo and the Cattle Axe of Liberty.' "Yee,' replied the editor, "he is up there 'm the office now reading1, wi h his back to the door.' 'Thonk yo,' cxclaimed the 6tranger, as he boiinced tip stoirs. 'l've got yow, have I,' eJACulated he, as he made a graep ot bis brother in niqnity, and ihey carne crashing to the flnor together. As the cosnbainnts, notwithsvanding the similarity of their vocalion, happened tobe nnacqijaintí-d. with each other, 'a very pretty quarrel' ensued. First one was at the top. then the other - blow followed blow, kick followi-d kick,and oath folio wed oath, un'i! bruised, exhausted and bloody, with fuces a:id feature? resembling I)eaf Burkenffer a two hours' pugilistic encoonter, there was, by mutual consent, a cessation of hostihties. As the varriors sat on the Hoor contemplating each other, the lirst corner found breath enongh to fsk. - 'Wbo aro you, what d'td you attack me for?' 'You abused me in your paper, you sco'indrel.' 'Me! l'm not the editor, I carne here to. flog 'nim mysolf' l' Mutual explanalions nnd apolgies ensued, and the two misinken gentlemen retired to 'bind up their wound?.' As the story comea lo us, the distinguished individual whose vocatión it was. to enligJiten the worlá with Ihe id of Ihat great engin?, tho public press, e3r