A FEW SPECIMEN BRICKS.

273

history; for he had just been assassinated by an agent of the Governor
of Missouri, and was in consequence occupying a good deal of space
in the newspapers. Cheap histories of him were for sale by train
boys. According to these, he was the most marvellous creature of his
kind that had ever existed. It was a mistake. IMurel was his equal
in boldness; in pluck ; in rapacity; in cruelty, brutality, heartileBs-
ness, treachery, and in general and comprehensive vileness and shame-
lessness; and very much his superior in some larger aspects. James
was a retail rascal ;
Mnrel, wholesale.
James's modest genius
dreamed of no loftier
flight than the plan-
ning of raids upon cars,
coaches, and country
banks* Murel projected
negro insurrections and
the capture of !N"ew
Orleans ; and further-
more, on occasion, this
Murel could go into a
pulpit and edify the con-
gregation. What are
James and his half-dozen
vulgar rascals compared
with this stately old-
time criminal, with his
sermons, his meditated
insurrections and city-
captures, and his majestic following of ten hundred men, sworn to
do his evil will!

Here is a paragraph or two concerning this big operator, from a
now forgotten book which was published half a century ago—

He appears to have been a most dexterous as well as consummate villain.
When he travelled, his usual disguise was that of an itinerant preacher; and
it is said that his discourses were very * soul-moving '—interesting the hearers
so much that they forgot to jlookj after Jtheir horses, which were carried away

A SOTTL-MOVIXG VIL.LAIX