The Wit and Humor of America, Volume X (of X)
I arrived here. It was from that abandoned profligate, the Unreliable, and I think it speaks for itself:

     Carson City

    , Thursday Morning.

    To the Unreliable:

    Sir

   —Observing the driver of the Virginia stage hunting after you this morning, in order to collect his fare, I infer you are in town.

   In the paper which you represent, I noticed an article which I took to be an effusion from your muddled brain, stating that I had "cabbaged" a number of valuable articles from you the night I took you out of the streets of Washoe City and permitted you to occupy my bed.

   I take this opportunity to inform you that I will compensate you at the rate of $20

    per head

   for every one of these

    valuable

   articles that I received from you, providing you will relieve me of their presence. This offer can be either accepted or rejected on your part: but providing you don't see proper to accept it, you had better procure enough lumber to make a box 4x8, and have it made

   as early as possible. Judge Dixon will arrange the preliminaries if you don't accede. An early reply is expected by

    Reliable

   .

   Not satisfied with wounding my feelings by making the most extraordinary reference to allusions in the above note, he even sent a challenge to fight, in the same envelop with it, hoping to work upon my fears and drive me from the country by intimidation. But I was not to be frightened; I shall remain in the Territory. I guessed his object at once, and determined to accept his challenge, choose weapons and things, and scare him, instead of being scared myself. I wrote a stern reply to him, and offered him mortal combat with boot-jacks at a hundred yards. The effect was more agreeable than I could have hoped for. His hair turned black in 
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