called to preside. The company was large and embraced a few guests, who were invited for appropriate reasons. Hardly ever, anywhere, has there been, for the same length of time (and the session was not a short one), such a continuous flow of eloquence, wit, repartee, guying, story-telling and song. The menu included good wine and other potables. The absence of George D. Prentice was much regretted: his Courier was represented by its manager, who, though he enjoyed the fun, did not contribute to it as Prentice would have done. The editor first met Mr. Prentice in Richmond. He once tried to see him and some other friends of the Messenger in Louisville, for which he came very near being separated from his family, by the greedy haste of a steamboat captain, who started off with them, without their protector, in violation of his own agreement. Fortunately, he was hailed, "rounded to" and took on board his fuming passenger. To have shot him might not have been in self-defence, but would have been a just retribution for his scoundrelism.
From Memphis the editor went up to St. Louis, in company with some old friends who had settled there and some new ones he had made. The boat which bore them was not large, because of the low stage of the river, and had to be kept "trimmed." On board were the editors of the
