on the gallus. Tabloo—Old Brown on a platform, pintin upards, the
staige lited up with red fire. Goddis of Liberty also on platform,
pintin upards. A dutchman in the orkestry warbles on a base drum.
Curtin falls. Moosic by the Band.

   Dear Sirs:

   I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am in a state of great
bliss, and trust these lines will find you injoyin the same
blessins. I'm reguvinated. I've found the immortal waters of
yooth, so to speak, and am as limber and frisky as a two-year-old
steer, and in the futur them boys which sez to me "go up, old Bawld
hed," will do so at the peril of their hazard, individooally. I'm
very happy. My house is full of joy, and I have to git up nights
and larf! Sumtimes I ax myself "is it not a dream?" & suthin
withinto me sez "it air;" but when I look at them sweet little
critters and hear 'em squawk, I know it is a reality—2 realitys, I
may say—and I feel gay.

   I returnd from the Summer Campane with my unparaleld show of wax
works and livin wild Beests of Pray in the early part of this
munth. The peple of Baldinsville met me cordully and I immejitly
commenst restin myself with my famerly. The other nite while I was
down to the tavurn tostin my shins agin the bar room fire & amuzin
the krowd with sum of my adventurs, who shood cum in bare heded &
terrible excited but Bill Stokes, who sez, sez he, "Old Ward,
there's grate doins up to your house."

   Sez I "William, how so?"

   Sez he, "Bust my gizzud but it's grate doins," & then he larfed as
if he'd kill hisself.

   Sez I, risin and puttin on a austeer look, "William, I woodunt be a
fool if I had common cents."

   But he kept on larfin till he was black in the face, when he fell
over on to the bunk where the hostler sleeps, and in a still small
voice sed, "Twins!"  I ashure you gents that the grass didn't grow
under my feet on my way home, & I was follered by a enthoosiastic

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