dwelling with emphasis upon every disparaging epithet:--

"Here I am in Red River settlement. What a paradise
of a place it is. The mud, which is a beautiful dusky
red, like the complexion of the Red River belles, does
not rise much beyond my knees; and resembling the
brown-skinned beauties in more than complexion, it
affectionately clings to me, and do what I will, I
cannot get rid of it."

"That is a very flattering description of our Red River
young women, I am sure, and from the pen of your great
friend's friend, too. Now is it not? But there is more
than this," and he proceeded to read further.

"The other evening they had a pow-wow in the settlement,
which they called a dance. I was invited, and being
considered such a great man here, of course--I do not
speak it boastingly--the hearts of all the
tallow-complexioned girls throbbed at a great rate
when I entered."

"Tallow complexioned girls!" reiterated the reader.
"Very complimentary, indeed, on the part of the friend
of your greatest friend."

"Monsieur will either please finish reading his slip,
since he wishes to do so, although, for my part, I am
not at all interested in it, or put it by. In any case,
I must ask that he will cease addressing me in this