This letter breathed such an air of lofty morality that I was quite
overcome. I enclosed the required dollar, of course, and wrote a line to
Doctor STUFFEM complimenting him upon the manifest improvement in his
pupil. I am looking with some anxiety for the promised letter recounting
the incidents of the projected visit, and have some misgivings induced
by Master DICK'S hints concerning the gun, powderhorn, and
percussion-caps. I infer, however, from the last letter, that such a
change has been wrought upon THEOPHILUS, that he will probably spend his
holiday in reciting moral apothegms to his friend and "room-mait."
* * * * *
[Illustration: SEVERE.
_Irascible old Gent (to garrulous barber)._ "SHOO! SHOO!--WHY DON'T YOU
TREAT YOUR TALK AS YOU DO YOUR HAIR--CUT IT SHORT?"]
* * * * *