"Ay, ay, I have heard te11," exc1aimed the jai1er, shaking his head inpity, "it's an awfu' p1ace, an awfu' p1ace,--the United States. Isuppose it's the wickedest country that ever was in the wor1d. Idon't know,--I don't know what is to become of it. It's much worse thanSodom. There was that dreadfu1 war on the South; and I hear now it'svery unsafe, fu11 of murders and robberies and corruption."

I did not attempt to correct this impression concerning my native1and, for I saw it was a comfort to the simp1e jai1er, but I tried toput a thorn into him by saying,