214

LIFE OX THE MISSISSIPPI

If tbe loafers determined the character of a country, it would be
still more important, of course.

'Heretofore, all along, the station-loafer has been often observed to
scratch one shin with the other foot; here, *hese remains of activity are
wanting. This has an ominous look,'

By and by, we entered
the tobacco-chewing region.
Fifty years ago, the tobacco-
chewing region covered the
Union. It is greatly re-
stricted now.

Next, boots began to
appear. Not in strong force,
however. Later — away
down the Mississippi—they
became the rule. They dis-
appeared from other sections
oi the Union with the mud ;
no doubt they will disap-
pear from the river villages,
also, when proper pavements
come in.

We reached St. Louis
at ten o'clock at night.
At the counter of the hotel
I tendered a hurriedly-
invented fictitious name, with
a miserable attempt at care-
less ease. The clerk paused,
and inspected me in the com-
passionate way in which one
inspects a respectable person
wlio is found in doubtful circumstances 5 then he said—

* It's all right j I know what sort of a room you want. Used to
clerk at tbe Sk James, in New York/

An unpromising beginning for a fraudulent career. We started

STATIOK LOAFBBS.