a perfect model of physical power and endurance-a Western flatboatman. The lawyer heeded not his presence, and started, as if from a dream, as the harsh tones of inquiry, grated upon his ear, of,

"Does a 'Squire live here?"

"They call me so," was the reply, as soon as he had recovered from his astonishment.

"Well, 'Squire," continued the intruder, "I have got a case for you, and I want jestess, if it costs the best load of produce that ever come from In-di-an."

The man of the law asked what was the difficulty.

"It 's this, 'Squire: I 'm bound for Orleans, and put in here for coffee and other little fixins; a chap with a face whiskered up like a prarie dog, says, says he,

"Stranger, I see you 've got cocks on board of your boat-bring one ashore, and I 'll pit one against him that 'll lick his legs off in less time than you could gaff him.' Well, 'Squire, 1 never take a dar. Says I, 'Stranger, I'm thar at wunce'; and in twenty minutes the cocks were on the levee, like parfect saints.

"We chucked them together, and my bird, 'Squire, now mind, 'Squire, my bird never

struck a lick, not a single blow, but tuck to his heels and run, and by thunder, threw up his feed, actewelly vomited. The stakeholder gave up the money agin me, and now I want jestess; as sure as fogs, my bird was physicked, or he 'd stood up to his business like a wild cat."

The lawyer heard the story with patience, but flatly refused to have any thing to do with the

matter.

"Prehaps," said the boatman, drawing out a corpulent pocket-book," prehaps you think I can't pay here's the money; help yourselfgive me jestess, and draw on my purse like an ox team."

To the astonishment of the flatboatman, the lawyer still refused, but unlike many of his profession, gave his would-be client, without charge, some general advice about going on board of his boat, shoving off for New Orleans, and abandoning the suit altogether.

The flatboatman stared with profound astonishment, and asked the lawyer, "if he was a sure enough 'Squire."

Receiving an affirmative reply, he pressed every argument he could use, to have him undertake his case and get him "jestess," but when he found that his efforts were unavailing,

he quietly seated himself for the first time, put his hat aside,-crossed his legs,-then looking up to the ceiling with an expression of great patience, he requested the "'Squire, to read to him the Louisiana laws on cock-fighting."

The lawyer said that he did not know of a single statute in the State upon the subject. The boatman started up as if he had been shot, exclaiming

"No laws in the State on cock-fighting? No, no, 'Squire, you can't possum me; give us the law."

The refusal again followed; the astonishment of the boatman increased, and throwing himself in a comico-heroic attitude, he waved his long fingers around the sides of the room, and asked,

"What all them thar books were about?" "All about the law."

"Well, then, 'Squire, am I to understand that not one of them thar books contain a single law on cock-fighting?"

"You are."

'And, 'Squire, am I to understand that thar ain't no laws in Louisiana on cock-fighting?" "You are."

"And am I to understand that you call your

self a 'Squire, and that you don't know any thing about cock-fighting?"

66 'You are."

The astonishment of the boatman at this reply for a moment was unbounded, and then suddenly ceased; the awe with which he looked upon "the 'Squire " also ceased, and resuming his natural awkward and familiar carriage, he took up his hat, and walking to the door, with a broad grin of supreme contempt in his face, he observed,

"That a 'Squire that did not know the laws of cock-fighting, in his opinion, was distinctly an infernal old chuckel-headed fool!"-The Hive of the Bee-hunter.

JOHN GODFREY SAXE.

(BORN, 1816-DIED, 1887.)

THE COQUETTE-A PORTRAIT.

YOU 'RE clever at drawing, I own,'

"You

Said my beautiful cousin Lisette,

As we sat by the window alone,

"But say, can you paint a Coquette?

"She's painted already," quoth I;

"

Nay, nay!" said the laughing Lisette, "Now none of your joking,—but try And paint me a thorough Coquette."

"Well, cousin," at once I began

In the ear of the eager Lisette, "I'll paint you as well as I can,

That wonderful thing, a Coquette.

"She wears a most beautiful face," ("Of course," said the pretty Lisette,)

"And is n't deficient in grace,

Or else she were not a Coquette.

1 See Biographical Sketch, p. xxxii.