'"
"And pray, Sir," said he, lookin' thunder-squalls at me, "where did
you learn them?"
"From Major Zeb Vidito," said I.
"Major Zeb Vidito," he replied, "is the greatest reprobate in the
army. He is the wretch who boasts that he fears neither God, man, nor
devil. Go, my son, gather up your books, and go home. You can return
to your father. My poor house has no room in it for Major Zeb Vidito,
or his pupil, Sam Slick, or any such profane wicked people, and may
the Lord have mercy on you."
Well, to make a long story short, it brought me to my bearings that. I
had to heave to, lower a boat, send a white flag to him, beg pardon,
and so on, and we knocked up a treaty of peace, and made friends
again.
"I won't say no more about it, Sam," said he, "but mind my words, and
apply your experience to it afterwards in life, and see if I ain't
right. Crime has but two travelling companions. It commences its
journey with the scoffer, and ends it with the blasphemer: not that
talking irreverently ain't very improper in itself, but it destroys
the sense of right and wrong, and prepares the way for sin."
Now, I won't call these commandments, for the old man was right, it's
no way to talk, I'll call them maxims. Now, we won't expect too much,
nor fret over trifles, will we, Sophy? It takes a great deal to make
happiness, for everything must be in tune like a piano; but it takes
very little to spoil it.
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