LEFT TO THE AGUE.

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he thought he had me; but he had got the eel by the tail.'"

I trust that the insertion of this passage, to point my moral, will not be regarded as a piece of folly and presumption. I took Luther for a model in diplomacy, in the same sense that artists take Titian for a model as a painter; there has been but one Titian, and I "reckon" that Luther will not lose his identity; but if I should turn out a rival, my biographers-for, in that case, I shall have biographers—will attend to the whole matter, and see that I shall not suffer by the comparison!

Now, the end of the whole of this chapter is just simply this: I was permitted to remain on the Border, "closely watched," until the fever and ague took hold of me, and then it was wisely concluded that I could do but little harm, as I was unable to preach!

CHAPTER XXII.

BEN. STRINGFELLOW LAYS ASIDE HIS PIPE, AND GETS ON HIS HIGH HORSE,

THE subject of this chapter has had more "honors thrust upon him," than generally falls to the lot of individuals. He has been designated General Stringfellow, Lawyer Stringfellow, Doctor Stringfellow, "Speaker of the House of Delegates of the Missouri-Kansas-Legislature-Stringfellow," "Vestryman Stringfellow." He has also been invested with something like ubiquity;-some make him reside in Missouri-some, in Kansas. Now, I wish to say to the world, that this is not fair. It is utterly impossible that B. F. S. could attend to all these matters, and whip Gov. Reeder into the bargain. There are two brothers by the name of Stringfellow. "Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations." I presume that the confusion of the two personages in one, arises from the fact that the principal calling of both is sufficient to make them lose their identity! They are both disposed to do all they can for the "goose," and more than most men would do, or would dare to do, unless they had good backers.

But let us divide the honors. B. F. Stringfellow is a lawyer-he is called General by courtesy, I believe;

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he was a vestryman, and perhaps is now in that office, in a parish, founded by myself, at Weston, Mo. He resides at Weston, Mo.

J. H. Stringfellow, brother of B. F. S., is a Doctor and an Editor, and was the Speaker of the House of Delegates in Kansas. He resides at Atchison, K. T. The Doctor is a member of the M. E. Church, South.

Neither of these gentlemen ever offered me violence. This is saying a great deal. I once received a personal introduction to the Doctor, in days long past, before the science of "gooseology" came into fashion; but, since that time,

"A glance from his eye,

Shun danger, and fly,"

was the rule with me.

B. F. S. I knew much better than I did his brother, though no person would ever do me the favor to present me to him. He did not reside at Weston, during my first stay in the country. When I returned, he was then settled at this point. The "goose" interposed--I wore no "hemp" in my button-hole; consequently, I was never presented. But B. F. S. and myself often talked, in a mixed company.

Gen. Stringfellow is, perhaps, forty-seven years of age; he is five feet six inches high, florid complexion, yellow hair.

It was always my impression that he was a goodtempered man. Every morning he would pass down by the door of the house at which I at one time resided, leisurely and slowly, and meditatively, with his pipe

in his mouth; his head would become enveloped in a cloud of smoke. You see, he did not walk fast enough to leave one puff behind him, ere another puff came; "and a-puffing he would go," until he got down to the door of the "St. George Hotel," directly opposite his own. office; and there would be found a chair, and there would be clients, and there would be "squatter sovereigns," and there would be couriers from the Territory, and there would be editors of "Platte Arguses" and "Leavenworth Heralds ;" and, occasionally, the voice of "Davy" would discourse the "Music of the Border," coming down the street, on his way from Platte City. Davy would throw the reins on the neck of his steed, and the black boy would take him to the stable. Davy would say: "Well, Ben, what's the news?" If he received an answer, he would have to go quite close to Ben, to learn its nature. Ben was very much indisposed to exertion. He talked very much at his easehe did everything at his ease; he published a pamphlet very much at his ease, entitled, "Negro Slavery no Evil." I compared its statistics with those in the Census Reports, but they did not agree; and I agreed not to state my discoveries. I had private reasons. I merely concluded that Ben had consulted his ease more than the Census, in making out his case. I never was more surprised, than when I heard that B. F. S. was going to shoot Gov. Reeder. I may not understand the character of B. F. S., but if I am mistaken, the most of his friends have the same opinion of him that I have. For instance, he has a distant relative, living at Kickapoo City, who was a member of the Kansas Legislature

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at the time; well, I never saw, or heard, man laugh more heartily than did this man, at the idea of B. F. S. fighting with Gov. Reeder. I do not mean to say that B. F. S. is not good in council. He has shown himself good in giving bad counsel, more than once; but it may be relied on, that he will leave the execution to others.

There was once, however, a time when the General, in obedience to the advice of Mr. Toots, "made an effort."

The nomination of a candidate to represent the people of Kansas, was appointed to take place, once upon a time. The people of Missouri where I lived, showed a lively interest in the matter. They felt disposed to lend a helping hand on such occasions. This meeting was to be held at Leavenworth City. It was the time when Whitfield was re-nominated.

Many were the men at Weston this day, on horseback, having on their dragoon coats. There was something in the wind, I was sure. I took a careless walk down past the "St. George." Ben was just tapping the ashes out of his pipe-making his thumb-nail the anvil on which he smote the instrument. He had his dragoon coat on, and the horse was standing at the door. The Statesman mounted, sat. An irregular cavalcade went down to the ferry-boat, lying about a mile below the town. I walked down towards the boat, and as I walked, James Burns, Esq., of Weston, whom I liked, overtook me on horseback. He addressed me, and asked me to take a notice, which he handed me, and put it up in a public place, on board