Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ADVERTISEMENT. Richard Hurdis was held to be objectionable by many, if I may believe the language of the press, as too stern, gloomy and even savage of character. I know not how this may be, but I know that it was truthful, and drawn from the life. The story which succeeds, and which, in respect to the general mn- teriel, is its proper sequel, may be held censurable as in the other extreme. But it is no less truthful. The history upon which it is founded, is beyond question, and I can confidently affirm that all the leading characters are drawn from the life. Even my actor, absurd as such a character may seem, emanating from the wild woods of Mississippi, is no less real as a personage than any of the rest. The levity is his. not mine. 1 can no more answer for his absurdities than I can excuse the gravity of the preceding work. Let the extremes nentralize each other. I am very sure that the anomalies and contradictions are none of mine. Nature has her sports, no less than Art, and it is in her extravagancies that Art must find her justification. chapter{Section 4BORDER BEAGLES. CHAPTER I. COURT SEASON. -I have got A seat to git t ease here, in mine inn, To see the comedy; and laugh and chuck At the variety and throng of humors, And dispositions that come jostling in And out? Ben Johgon.? The New Inn. The little town of Raymond, in the state of Mississippi, was m the utmost commotion. Court-day was at hand, and nothing as to be heard but the hum of preparation for that most important of all days in the history of a country-village ? that of general muster alone excepted. Strange faces and strange dresses began to show themselves in the main street; lawyers were entering from all quarters?saddlebag and sulky lawyers ? men who cumber themselves with no ...