Letters of Major Jack Downing, of the Downingville militia ...

Front matter

ill y

/ fiAf\/\A7in>

LETTERS

Letter I

The Major Announces that he " Still Lives" — The Reason why he has not Spoken before — Writes to " President Linkin," who at once Sends for him — How Lincoln Shakes Hands — His Troubles —The Major's Advice— Lincoln to get an " Appintment on Gineral McClellan's Staff"— A Story About Old Rye, from Mr. Lincoln 15

Letter II

Deacon Jenkins, of Downingville, Sent for to Cut and Make the President's Uniform— 1 Provoking Accident— Mr. Lincoln Tells a Story— The Major as a ' ■ Commentater" on the Constitution — Mrs. Lincoln's Party — "Insine Stebbins, of the Downingville Insensible?, Writes a Paradox for the Occasion" — The Major gets Angry — Lincoln Tells a Story About Virginia Mud 23

Letter III

The Major has an Attack of the .Ague and Fever— Begins to get the Hang of Matters at Washington— Mr. Lincoln's Improvement in " Military Nollege"— Studying " Stratygims"* for Gen. McClellan— The Major Suggests a Difficulty— Mr. Stanton Called on— The Negroes at Port Royal— ' The Nigger-Tcachin Fever" — Deacon Jenkins' Daughter goes to Port Royal to Teach the Negroes 32

Letter IV

A Delegation Calls upon the President— The Major Indignant — Mr. Lincoln Tells a Story — Curious Composition of the Republican Party— Difficulty of Keeping it Together— The

IV CONTENTS.

PAGE.

President Hopes to do it by " Sloshin About" — Deacon Jenkins Again — He is a Temperance Man, but Takes a Glass of Old Eye 40

LETTER Y.

A Blue Time— The Major Wins a Hat of the President— The Richmond Expedition of Gen. McClellan — Mr Lincoln's Trick on the Major — A Letter from Jerusha Matilda Jenkins — She gives her Experience in Negro-Teaching — Priscella Huggins and Elder Sniffles — Cloe, the Negro Girl who "Could not be Good unle3sshe was Licked" — A Negro Meeting — Dancing and Singing — The Unpleasant Odor — Negroes Steal Miss Huggins' Clothes — They Purloin Jerusha's Petticoat — It is Thought that their Religion is not "Very Deep" — Mr. Lincoln Hears the Letter Read — He Declares that Port Royal is a " Cussed Hole" — Deacon Jenkins Shocked — He Proves it by the Scriptures 48

Letter VI

The Question of the "Contrybands"— Lincoln and the Major Discuss it — The Major tells a Story — Shows Mr. Lincoln That the Government is out of Order — Says it's a " Dimmycratic Machine," and that Seward and Chase don't know How to Run it — They are Like Old Jim Dumbutter and the Thrashing Machine— The Major Tells Another Story —"The Kernel" Gets a Joke on Seward— Tel Is a St;>ry about the " Giascutis." 59

Letter VII

War " Noose" — The President's Anxiety — Mr. Lincoln Determines to Apply "the Principle" — The Story of Zenas Homespun — The Major's Views on Negroes — Poetry— The Emancipation Ball — The Major going to " Cifer" on the Finances. 67

LETTER VIII. Matters get Confused — The " Kernel and the Major" Com

CONTENTS. V

PAGE.

pelled to go to Fortress Monroe to Straighten Things Out — Mi\ Lincoln takes his Revolver — The Major Sticks to His Hickory — Arrival at Fort Monroe — They go on a "Tippergraphical Rekonnisanze" — A Night Alarm — Secretary Stanton tries to get on the President's Pantaloons *5

Letter IX

The Major Figures on the "Nashinal Debt" — Horse Contracts and "Abolishin Preechers" — Banks Defeated — The Major Suggests a New-Fashioned Shield, expressly for Retreats — A Wheelbarrow for every Soldier ! — Excitement in Washington — The President not Scared " a Hooter." 82

Letter X

The Major Troubled with his Old Complaint, the '•Rumatics" — He Examines the Finances — Mr. Chase Frightened — The Major Figures up the Accounts on His Slate — Returns and Shows the Result to Mr. Lincoln — He is Astounded — The ''Kernel and the Major" take some Old Rye — The Major Proposes to Return to Downingville to Spend the Fourth of July 88

Letter XI

The Major does not go to Downingville — Loses His Hickory — Gets a Bottle of Whiskey by Adams Express Co. — The Major declines to Sign the Receipt at First — Whiskey and the Constitution — "The Constitushinal Teliskope" — A Magical Change — Mr. Seward's Trick — The Major discovers it— A Negro in It 99

Letter XII

The Major Disappointed — Meets the President at West Point — Sees Gen. Scott — They Talk over Strategy — Returns to Philadelphia with the President — Makes a Speech at Jersey City — Mr Lincoln also Speaks — Meets Seward at the Astor House — A Wheel within a Wheel — Mr. Seward Caught. . . . 108

VI CONTENTS.

PAGE.

Letter XIII

The Major Returns to Washington — Things Get Mixed Up — Lincoln and the Panther — Splitting Rails and the Union — The Major and the President Visit Gen. McClellan's Army — Going up James River — Alarm of the Rebels — Exciting Scene on Board the Boat — Nobody hurt — The President Reviews the Troops at Harrison's Landing — The Return Trip — The President and Party Bathe in the Potomac — Almost a Catastrophe — The Major's Life-Preserver — The Joral of it — The President Proposes a Conundrum, 116

Letter XIV

The President has an Attack of Fever and Ague — The Major Prescribes Elder-Bark Tea — A Fearful Mistake — The Bark Scraped the Wrong Way — Mr. Lincoln has to be Rolled — Stanton, Seward and the Major — A Ludicrous Scene — The "Kernel" comes to and Begins to Joke — The Moral of taking the wrong Medicine — " The Irrepressible Conflict.". . . . 125

Letter XV

Gen. McClellan's Change of Base — A Bear Story — A Delegation of Clergymen — The Major's Opinion on Negroes and " Edecated Peepel" — How General Jackson Saw Through Them — How the War is to End — Mr. Lincoln tells Another Story 133

Letter XVI

The Science of " Military Strategy" — The Major's Opinion upon it — A Call from the Secretary of the American and Foreign Benevolent Society for Ameliorating the Condition of the Colored Race — His Speech — The President's Reply — A Curious Prayer — The Major's Opinion on Slavery— The Critical Condition of Affairs — Mr. Lincoln Tells a Story. . . 141

LETTER XVII. A Cabinet Meeting — The President Calls for the Opinion of

CONTENTS. Vll

PAGE.

Each Member — Speeches of Seward, Chase, Stanton, Blair, Welles, Smith and Bates — The Major Called on for an Opinion — The Peperage Log Story — The Major Proposes an Armistice — No Conclusion Arrived at 150

Letter XVIII

The Major not 111— The President has "the Gripes 1 '— The Witch-Hazel Medicine — Going to the bottom of a Subject — The Democrats and the War — The Emancipation Proclamation — A Visit to Gen. McClellan's Army — The Soldiers Cool —Mr. Lincoln tells a Story—" Sloshing About." 159

Letter XIX

The President Nervous — The State Elections — Mr. Lincoln Astonished — He takes Cordial — Mr. Seward Turns Democrat — The Major tells a Story — Mr. Seward and the Major Take a Drink — How John Van Buren got Gen. Scott's Letter — Mr. Stanton on the Elections 168

Letter XX

The New York Election — Mr. Lincoln tells a Story — Cannot do Justice to the Subject — Mr. Lincoln Feels Bad — The Major Amuses him by a Joke — How to get up a Message — Keeping a Party Together — The Excelsior Political Prepared Glue — The Different Stripes of Abolitionists — Boating on the Mississippi River — Poleing Along 175

Letter XXI

The Message — A Cabinet Council — Speeches of Seward, Chase, Stanton, Welles, Blair and Bates — Mr Lincoln tells a Story — The Major gives His Opinion — Mr. Chase Accuses Him of Disloyalty — The Major Demands a Retraction — It is Given 182

Letter XXII

The Message Finished— Mr. Sumner says it is not Grammatical — The Major's Excuse — Mr. Sumner Finds Fault with the viii CONTENTS.

PAGE

Major's Spelling — The Major Stumps Him — He Gives His Views on *' Edication" — Mr. Lincoln Proposes a Conundrum — The Major tells a Story — Mr. Seward's Opinion on the War 191

Letter XXIII

The Major Goes to See the Postmaster-General about Stopping p a p Crs — Mr. Blair Promises to Release Them — The President Again in Trouble — A Change in the Cabinet Demanded— The Major Suggests a Remedy for " the Crysis." 199

Letter XXIV

The Emancipation Proclamation — The Way to Get to Richmond — Splitting the Union — The Major tells a Story about Splitting — The President Gets Indignant — Seizes the Boot-jack — The Major Pacifies Him — A Dream — The Major Returns to Downingville 207

Letter XXV

The Major Feels Sorrowful over the Fate of nis Country — The Story of the Black Heifer— The Man who Made a "Siss" — The Union — " Insine' Stebbins Again — His Reception at Downingville — u The Insensibles " — A Provoking Accident. 214

Letter XXVI

The Democratic Party Whipped — Tilings as bad as they can be — A Story in Point — Mr Lincoln sends for the Major again — The Major writes him a Letter — The Return of " Kernel" Stebbins, formerly " Insine" — His Reception at Downingville — " Kernel " Doolittle's Speech — " Kernel " Stebbins' Reply — Elder Sniffles' Preaches a Sermon 221

Letter XXVII

The Major starts for Washington — Takes his Axe with Him — Mr. Lincoln Glad to see Him — The Cabinet in Session — The opinion of Seward, Chase, Stanton wd others — The Major

CONTEXTS. IX

PAGE.

called on for an opinion — The Story of Old Sam Odum — Mr. Stanton gets Excited 228

Letter XXVIII

The Major and the " Kernel" at work on the Message — The Major visits Mr. Chase again — Sees the Machines for Printing Greenbacks — A Machine for every General — The Accounts mixed Up — Mr. Lincoln gets Flighty over them — The Major Puts him to bed, and applies a mustard-plaster — He Revives, and proposes a Conundrum — The Major also proposes one 235

Letter XXIX

The Trouble about the Message — Chase and Seward Find Fault with it — The Story of Old Deacon Grimes' Oven — Mr. Lincoln Overrun with Visitors — The Major Suggests a Way to Get Rid of Them— The Small Pox dodge— The Message Finished — Mr. Lincoln tells a Story 242

Letter XXX

The Major visits Parson Blair — The Loyal Leaguers of the White House — A Wonderful Dream — The Grave of the Union — The President Don't Like It — About Leather — How the Capital Looks 248

Introduction

Downingville, July 15, 18G4.

To the Editors of the Da-Book:

Surs : I got your letter tellin me that Mister Bromley and Kumpany wanted to print my letters in book form, and as you seem to think they understand such kind of work, and are proper persons to do it, I ain't got eny perticaler objecshins. It is now jest thirty years sence my first Book of Letters was printed by Harper and Kumpany, but I hear that they have turned Abolishinists sence then, and if that is so, I wouldn't let 'em print a book of mine for love nor money.

After I got your letter, I sot down and writ the Kernel, askin his opinion as to printin the Letters in book form, and he wrote back to me rite off, saying I must do it without fale. The Kernel has got 'em all cut out of the papers and put in a scrap book, but it's kinder onhandy, and he wants to get 'em in better shape. I've promised him that you would send him a copy jest as soon as it was out, and you must not fale to tell Bromley and Kumpany to do so. I also writ the Kernel that I thought it would be a good idee to issue a Proclamashin, ordering all the people to buy the book, espeshilly the Loyal Leegers, the soldiers in the army, all the Tax- Collectors, Custom-House Officers, Provo-Marshalls, Postmasters, Copperheads, War Dimmecrats, Abolishinists, Black Republikins, etc., etc The Kernel sed it was a capital idee, and he told me to write it for him. He sed Seward had wrote most all of his Proclamashins, but he would trust me to write this. He sed he looked upon my letters as " Pub. Doc," and hence Congrissmen ought to frank 'em, and reed 'em, too. He said he didn't mind the little joke3 in 'em on him, for ef there was anything on arth he could forgive a

Xll INTRODUCTION.

man for, it was for makin a joke. He didn't see how eny one who knew enuf to make one could help doin it.

So I have writ a Proclamashin, which you will find at the bottom of this letter, which you can print with it. I think when Ginneral Banks, and Rosykrans, and all them Ginnerafo who sometimes stop books and papers, read it, they will understand that it will not answer to interfere with my book.

There is one thing that makes me a little bashful about publishin a book. My eddicashin was not very well taken keer of when I was a boy, and the consequence is, I ain't quite so smart in grammer and spellin as sum peepil. But one thing is certain, I allera make myself understood, and that, after all, -is the main thing. I want Bromley an d Kumpany to fix up the spellin a leetle, and then I think the book will pass muster.

I don't ever expect to live to write anuther book ; in fact, I don't want to. I have labored as hard for the good of my kentry as any man in it, and yet I've lived to see it all go to rack and ruin. I don't raly know whether I shall write anuther letter, for a man of my years don't feel like such work. But there is one thing I feel sure of. Though the clouds look dark and black now, and though I don't expect to live to see everything all rite again, yet the Dimmocracy will triumph in the end. There is no blot tin that out. It is in the natur of things. Peepel are naterally Dimmocrats, so old Ginneral Jackson used to say, and it takes a good deal of hard lying to make 'em enything else. Sometimes the liars get the upper-hand for a time, jest as they have now, but it can't last always.

I don't want you to put any preface to my book, for I have most always found that prefaces are filled full of falsehoods. I jest want my book to go on its merits, if it has eny. I've tried to tell the truth about politics, as I understand it, and ef Linkiu had only taken my advice, the kentry would now be nigh about as good as new. But he wouldn't do it, and so I've left him to get out of the scrape he is in the best way lie can. The Kernel, however, don't think any the less of me because I've been plane with

INTRODUCTION. XIU

him. lie thinks my idees of niggers are allrong, and I think his are all rong, and there is jest where we split, for turn this question upside down or inside out, and, after all, the nigger is at the bottom of it. Jest as a man's idees run on niggers, jest about in that style will be his views on the war. Take an out-an-out Abolishinist, who thinks niggers are a little better than white folks, and he is for subjugashin, confiskashin, and exterminashin to the bitter end. Ef he thinks niggers are jest as good as white folks, but no better, then he is a little milder on the South ; and so on down through every grade of a war man, the bitterness agin the South runs jest about even with the ignorince about niggers. Finally, the man who knows jest what niggers are fit for and what they need to make 'em useful and happy, is the strongest opponent of the war. So you see this proves that the nigger is at the bottom of the hull war.

There are, however, a good many things that make matters worse. Greenbacks, offices, &c. are terribul upon corruptin the peepul. Almost every other man has an office now-a-days, and them that ain't got office are interested in greenbacks. It will take a hard pull to get the present party out of power ; but ef the Dimmocrats will only be honest and plucky, they can do it. I want to live long enuff to vote the Dimmocratic ticket this fall,

and help do it.

"a. linkin's proclamasiiin concerning majer jack downing's

BOOK.

"Washington, July 13, 1864.

"Whereas, my friend, Majer Jack Downing, of the D wningville Milisha, has issued a Book of Letters, containing his views on rublie Affairs, the War, &c, &c.

" Now, therefore, I do hereby issue this my Proclamasiiin, enjoyning upon every loyal as well as disloyal citisen, includin Loyal Leegers,

XIV INTRODUCTION.

Abolishinists, Rcpublikans, War Dimmocrats, Copperheads, Clay Banks, Charcoals, &c, to buy this book and to read the same, under penalty of the confiscation of all their property, including niggers of every decripshin. Furthermore, all officers under me, whether civil, military, or otherwise, are hereby ordered, under penalty of court marshal, to purchase the sed book and read it. This order . applies to all Postmasters and their clerks (who are also ordered to assist in the sale of the book), to all Custom-House officials, to all Provo-Marshalls, to all Tax Collectors, Assessors, Recruteing officers, Runners, Brokers, Bounty Jumpers, and espeshally to all Government Swindlers, Contractors, Defaulters, &c, to all Furrin Ambassadors, Ministers Penetentiaries, and their Secretaries of Litigation, also to Ministers of the Gospil, Tract Distributers, Nigger Missionaries, male and female, &c, &c. Furthermore, Ginnerals Grant, Sherman, and all other Ginnerals, includin Ginneral Banks, will see to it that the Majer's letters are widely circulated in their armies, as the menny good stories of mine, as well as the Majer's, in the book, will keep the sojers in good sperits.

" Furthermore, if eny disloyal edditer shall presume to say enything against this book, or advise eny person not to sell or circulate the same, or aid and abet them in so doing, he shall at once be arrested and his paper stopped.

" Further, if eny person, in order to avoid the penalties mentioned above, shall borrow said book, he shall, if it be proved, be fined $1000 in gold. If there be no proof, he shall be sent to Fort La Fayette.

"Finally, every person purchasing a copy of the Majer's Letters shall be exempt from the draft. All others are at once to be seized and sent to the front.

" Done in this my city of Washington, in the fourth year of my reign.

" A. LlNKIN."

LETTERS OF MAJOR JACK DOWNING.

Letter I

The Major Announces that he " Still Lives' 7 — Tlie Reason why lie has not Spoken before — Writes to " President Linkin 77 who at once Sends for him — How Lincoln Shakes Hands — His Troubles — Tlie Major's Advice — Lincoln to get an " Appintment on Gineral McClellan's Staff 77 — A Story About Old Bye, from Mr. Lincoln.

Washington, Feb. 4th, 1862.

To the Editers of the Cawcashin, New York :

Surs : I 'spose eenamost everybody believed I wus ded, 'cause they 'aint seen any letters of mine in the papers for a good while. But it taint so. I'me alive, and though I can't kick quite as spry as I used to, yet I kin ride a hossback about as good as I could twenty year ago. I am now nigh on eighty years old, and yet, except getting tuckered out easier than I used to, I believe I 1 feel jest about as smart as I did when I was a boy. The last letters I writ fer the papers was about ten years ago, when I went all around the country with Kossoot, and showed him the sights. Sence then I've been livin 5 in Downingville, county of Penobscot, State of Maine, and enjoyin' in gineral a good state of helth. But if the public haint heard from me it taint because I wasn't keepin' a close eye on matters and things. But the sartin truth is jest here : I seen, a good while ago, how things was shapin'. I told Kossoot that the pesky Abolishunests would ruin him, and thay did, and I've knowed for a long time that thay would run this country off the Dimokratic track and smash it all to flinders. Wall, they've done it. You may wunder why I haint spoke and told the country all this before. Wall, the reason is jest here: I saw that the breechin' was broke some years ago, and there is no use of talkin or hollerin " whoa !" " whoa !" after that. I've seen the laziest old hoss that ever lived kick and run like all possessed as soon as the shafts tetched his heels, and that's jest the condishun we've been in in this country for some time. We've been kickin' and runnin' and raisin' the old scratch ginerally for ten years, all about these darned kinky-heded niggers. As there is no use of tryin' to stop a runaway hoss after the breechin' brakes until he gets to the bottom of the hill, so there is no use of talkin' to a country while it is goin' in the same direcshun. Didn't Noah preech to a hull generashim of aunty-Deluvens, and it warn't any use. They lafed him rite in the face ; and cum round him and axed what he intended to do with a boat full of chicken coops, hoss stables, and so on. ; And at last, when the rain begun to cum down like all possessed, they swore it " warn't much of a freshet arter all." Wall, jest so it is with this generashuD. I spect themznfy-slaveryites are sum relashun to the aunty-Deluvens, and that accounts for their simelur behaveyur.

But I think that we've got most to the bottom of the hill now, and it is about time to get things rited up in some sort of shape. Havin come to this conclushin, about ten days ago I wrote a letter to President Linkin, tellin him how that Gineral Jackson's old friend was yet alive, and that if he wanted my sarvices or advice I would come on to Washington and help him thro'. Wall, I got a letter rite back, in which Linkin said he " was tickled all into a heap to hear that Gineral Jackson's old friend, Major Jack Downing, was still alive, and that he wanted me to cum on to Washington rite off." So I put off, like shot off a shovel, and dident even stop in York a clay, or 1 should have called to see you. The truth is, l'me darned glad I cum. I went rite up to the White House, which looks as nateral as when

Gineral Jackson and I lived there, and sent in my keerd. In a minnit the sarvent cam back, and ses he, "walk up." I went up-stairs, and tnen into Linkin's room, and you never seed a feller gladder to see a man than he was to see me. He got hold of my hand, and ses he, " Major, you are a brick. I've thought a thousand times that if I only had such a friend as Gineral Jackson had in you, that I could git along as easy as snuff. But ye see, Major, all these pollyticens are a set of tarnel hyppercrits, and I hate 'em." And he kept talkin and shakin my hand until I thot hed sprain my rist. So I ses, "Mr. Lmkin, I can't stand hard squeezin as well as I used to, so don't hold on quite so hard." Then he apologized, and said " how he was so anxus to see me that he was almost crazy." I told him that " I hed cum to see him through, jist as I did Gineral Jackson, and that I would stick by him as long as their was a shirt to his back, if he would only do rite."

"Wall," ses he, "Major, that is jist what I want to do. But its awful hard work to tell what is rite. Here 1 am pulled first one way and then tother."

Now, ses I, " Linkin, Fine goin to talk rite out to you. The fact is, there never was a President that had such a party at his back as you've got. You see its made up of old Whigs, Abolitionists and free sile Dimmycrats. Now, there ain't any more rale mixture to this conglommyrate than there is to ile and water. The truth is, I'd as soon take Illinoy muck, and Jersey mud, and Massachusetts cobble stuns to make a fine coat mortar of, as I would to get such materials to put into a pollytical party. You can't never make them gee." *

" Wal," ses he, « Major, I've began to think that way myself. The truth is, I've been trying all summer to please everybody, and the more I try to do it the more I don't succeed. When I am conservative, then the aunty-slaveryites come down on me like all possessed, with old Harass Gveelie at their hed. When I go a little t'other way, then the conservatives and my old neighbors, the Kentuckians, they come down upon me, and that takes me right off the handle. I can't stand it. So you see, Major, I'm in hot water all the time."

^ " I see your troubles," ses I, - Mr. Linkin, and I'll have to look about some days afore I can get the exact hang of things, but as soon as I do, Til make matters as clear as a pipe stem."

" Wal," ses he, - Major, I want you to make yourself to hum, and jist call for anything you want."

I told him there warn't but two things (hat, keered for except victuals, and that was a pipe aud tobacco, and jist a little old rye, now and then. That gave him the hint, and Linkin rang a bell, and a sneakin lookin feller, in putty bad clothes, made his appearance. Linkin told him to get some : tobacco and the black bottle. The feller soon fetched them in, and Linkin said that that " old rye " was twenty years old, and jist about the best licker he ever drank. He said he found it very good to quiet his nerves after a hard day's work. 1 told him that that was jist what Giueral Jackson always said — " Did he?" ses Linkin; " Wal," ses he, " I only want to imitate Jackson. That would be glory enough for me."

" Wal, now," ses I, " Linkin, the first thing you must do, in order to be poplar, is to be a military man. That was the way Jackson got up in the world, and if I had never been a Major, I really believe I'de never been heerd of out of Downingville. Now, jist as soon as the people believe you are an officer, with epaulettes on, they'll think you are the greatest man that ever lived."

" Wal," ses Linkin, " I think that is a first chop idea. How can it be carried out ?"

" Wal," ses I, " you must get an appintment on Gin. McCkllan's staff' ! with the rank of Kernel. Nothing short of that will answer at all. Then get a splendid uniform and a fine boss, and have the papers describe them, and get up pictures, and the shop-keepers will have their windows full of lithographs, and in six months you will be the most poplar man in the country, and sure to be next President."

When I sed that, he jumped right up, and ses he, " Major, you're worth your weight in gold. You have hit the nail right on the head. I'll do it ; by the Eternal, I'll settle this trouble yet."

" That's the talk," ses I. *" Just put your foot down, and let it stay down, and you may be sure it will all come out right."

Then Linkin sed to me, ses he, " Major, take a good swig of this old rye. If you feel sick, have got a cold, or looseness in the bowells, or need physic, or have got the rheumatiz, or pane in the back, or the headache, there's nothen like old rye to set you on your pins just as good as new. Why, Major, let me tell you a story : — There was a feller out West, who got a splinter in his foot. He was splittin' rails one day, and the axe glanced off, and sent a piece of chestnut timber in his heel about as big as an axe-handle. Wal, he tried everything on 'arih. Finally, he came to me, and I gave him some old rye, and the splinter came out in five minutes afterwards."

" Wal," ses I, " Linkin, " that is a purty good story, and old rye is a capital drink, but as for medicin', giv' me my old stuff, elderberry bark tea. It's handy to use. Scrape it downwards, and it makes a fust rate fisic, and scrape it upwards it is a capital emetic. The only danger is that you scrape it round-about-ways, when it stirs up a young earthquake in a man's bowclls equal to Mount Vesuvius on a bust. Kossoot made a mistake of this kind once, and I had to hed him up in a flour barrel, and roll him round the room afore he cum to."