Arkansas true Democrat., 1860-06-16
A Courtly Fling, and an Argumentative
 Response.

" Mir. Peek is a smashing logician, in fact he argues { like house fire;' listen to him as he elaborates upon the subject of the above counties, etc.-True Democrat, 9h.
 What kind of a logiciqn is a smashing one; and what mode of augmentation is that, which mly be lkened unto ''a house fre' are, we must confess, things that are new to us. We may be liable to the application of such epihets for aught we know to the contrary, but we would beg our sarcastic neigh bor, whenever in the future, he attempts to ridi- cule us, to do it in plain English and good gram mar, so that we may be enabled to understand and appreciate the kneenness of his thruss. While up- on this subject, we would also beg to be enlighten- ed as to the peculiar process of eaborating upon subject, The connection of the two words may be in accordance with some rule of the Cherokee Ian guage but we are aware of none in language that will sanction it.-OM Line Democrat.
 We shall certainly endeavor to gratify our couray neighbor by writing plain Eng fish and good grammar as far as we are able; but really, we have 80 recently crop ped our scalp lock, and laid down the toma- hawk for the pen, that an occasional gram nautical departure should be overlooked by generous press, or kindly pointed out by our neighbor who is entitled to so much admiration for his "courAy bearing and htgh- bred dignity."
 Mr. Peek says logicion who is smash ing one, anl augmentation that may be likened unto :" house fre' are things" entirely new to him.
 We are surprised at this declaration, for we really supposed he was familiar with such terms. A [" smashing logician' is a common place expression which we frequent ly heard used in Illinois about taCo gears ago, and signifed-if we remember correctly clustering would-be scholarly bully, who was ever Haunting his accomplishments be- fore less polished people, but who really pos sessed no argumentative stamina pedant who went sloshing (that's Cherokee word ] around subject, until foiled at every point, his only resource was to fall back upon his refined education.
 "Argues like House fire" is also trite phrase, which we picked up some years ago while in Bloomfield, Illinios, just after we commenced to learn the English Ian guage, and was used, (if our memory serves us, to designate the style of logic adopted by some people, who rave, rant, froth, and expatiate upon a subject who rage, and lick out their fiery tongues atan argument, but who finally simmer down into a quiet and ineffective smoke.
 Our polished and sensitive neighbor re- coils from the nonsensical term 'ela6orotes upon;" there is, we confess no rule in our guage--which justifes the use of the two words in the above connection; but in Mr. Peek's language, we are very confident such connection is eminemly proper.
 For example-.when an editor talks of using his gold headed cane'~ith "credu' to himsefan "honor " to Jackson county. it certainly is proper to say he "ela5orates upon" t.
 But while we are trying to learn Mir. Peek's language, we beg leave to introduce the following paragraph, clipped from his last paper:
 "A MIxTRY.-The Pocahontas Advertiser and Herald has the following congomerate ticket at its mast head {. S. A. Douglas, for President. T. B. Flournoy, for Vice President. R. H. Johnson for Governor. | T. c. Hindman, for Congressman. l If the Advertiser and Herald would only run up the name of Dr. Mitchell as Congressman for this district, its ticket would be- perhaps, the most complete thing of the kind ever before presented by any newspaper in this country. What medly." We ask with due respect and an anxious thirst after knowledge, in what connection it is proper to use the word MIXTRY? /? It | Is not to be found in our Cherokee or Eng fish dictionaries-perhaps it is word l peculiar to Illinois.