curiosity as that--I expect the world don't contain the
beat of that; for a woman's tongue goes so slick of
itself, without water power or steam, and moves so easy
on its hinges, that its no easy matter to put a spring
stop on it, I tell you--it comes as natural as drinkin
mint julip.

I don't pretend to say the galls don't nullify the rule,
sometimes at intermission and arter hours, but when they
do, if they don't let go, then its a pity. You have heerd
a school come out, of little boys, Lord its no touch to
it; or a flock of geese at it, they are no more a match
for em than a pony is for a coach-horse. But when they
are at work, all's as still as sleep and no snoring. I
guess we have a right to brag o' that invention--we
trained the dear critters, so they don't think of striking
the minutes and seconds no longer.

Now the folks of Halifax take it all out in talking--
they talk of steamboats, whalers and rail roads--but they
all end where they begin--in talk. I don't think I'd be
out in my latitude, if I was to say they beat the women
kind at that. One feller says, I talk of going to
England--another says, I talk of going to the Country--
while a third says, I talk of going to sleep. If we happen
to speak of such things, we say: 'I'm right off down
East; or I'm away off South,' and away we go, jist like
a streak of lightning.

When we want folks to talk, we pay 'em for it, such as