, 1872-12-26

The spnniards and the Gascons have been the
greatest praoticera OF the art Of hyperbole In the
seventeenth century a little book was published
with the title "A-man-sir, or Rhodomontades
Captain Sir Frederick Fightau." This contains
many Of the gasoondes quoted in more modern
iest-books. Here is one OF these that has under
gone various alterations "If come to thee
with my foot l will kick thee go high into the
air that, hadst thou ten cart loads OF bread thou
shouldst be in greater fear OF starving than Of
falling" Another is an elaborate description OF
tho gaporers furniture I" My bedstead is made
OF the ribs of giants, the ticking Of my
ssrs nsa rs f o h h 19 9sahSs of tha Of the
Turk" and 80 on The mora modern rersiona
OF these stories gain much in form, as in the
following instances: A Gascon, while skating,
#as pushed down by an acquaintance hs got
ST. that don't diaEe falling" An y ofcer tDt hes4. seq
ing some one celebrating the exploits Of Prince
who, in two assaults upon town, had killed SIX
men with his own hand, cried out. II Bah, I
would hareyou to know that the very mattresses
whiskers Of those whom hava sent to alumber
in the other world" Another Gascon. in proof
of hia nobility, asserted that " in bis fathers
castle they used no other hre-wood than the
bis family" soldier said he bad baen i in so 50
i basts S'G list hs "0 ~oqe so SesGsa S with
mine OF lead in his inside" The Greeks we're
great inventors Of these aayings. On Dieneces,
army was so great that when they shot forth
their arrows the sun would be- darkened BY their
multitude, he answered, II the Medes da1ken
the Sun, re shall have our fight in the shade.'
Tho American humor partakes slightly OF this
same character and extravaganza, but it is, nev-
ertheless, the growth OF the soil. The vastness
OF the country, which is said to be bounded On
the east BY the Atlantic Ocean, on the north by
the aurora borealis, on the West By the aetting
au an aad e on ptsq shs SGa y ns aas Of
the people, are placed, can be traced in
most Of these stories The hyperbo1ical
or tall species Of American humor,
vas much IN vogue some years ago, and such
mon: man was 80 tall that he had to go
up q, ladder to shave himaelf = "another was
so strong that his sneeze would kill buffalo
across the Mississippi River" IA Massachu-
knot in bis tail to prevent it getting through
the chincks Of the paling." "An American
artist painted a Bnow-storm go naturally that he
caught bad cold by sitting near it with his coat
OIL" "Some land Eas 50 rich that squash
yine, in its rapid growth, overlook 8 drove Of
milk has risen so high the cream can't reach the
top" There is 8 capital story, in which It is |
related that " coach drove through the country |
SO fast and the mile-stones passed so quickly !
chusch-yard." This coach, however, was beaten |
BY the 'shpper. which went so tarnation fast,
that in calling round Long 1eland she left her |
shadow three and half miles behind her."
Majo- NJ, when asked whether he was serious- |
y injured BY the explosion OF the boiler Of the
st. Leonard steamer, replied "that he Was 80
used to be blown up by bis wife that mere
steamer had no effect upon him." The evidence
II q witness in Gfe-insurance case, involved in !
he blowing up OF steamer On the Ohio, is droll,
Just because it is characteristic. The witneas
snew the missing man, and saw him on the deck
II the steamer before the explosion, When
'sked by the lawyer, "What vas the last time
1ou saw him?' be answered, s'The very last
ime I ever set eyes on him was when the biler
moke-pipe coming down" It is not far that
he foreigners should have all the lies to them
elves; go We will let the Englshman put
n an appearance. A commercial traveller,
'oasting that his firm spent $500 year
or writing-ink alone was answered, 'Dur-
ng- the last twelve months ne have saved
q that article alone $4,000, by merely omit
ing the dots to our ia and the CROSSES to our