[figure description] Page 228.[end figure description]

Laughing is strikly an amuzement, altho some
folks make a bizzness ov it. It haz bin considered
an index ov karakter, and thare iz sum, so
close at reasoning, that they say, they kan tell
what a man had for dinner, by seeing him laff. I
never saw two laff alike. While thare are some,
who dont make enny noise, thare are sum, who dont
make ennything but noise; and sum agin, who
hav musik in their laff, and others, who laff just az
a rat duz, who haz caught a steel trap, with his tale.
Thare is no mistake in the assershun, that it is a
cumfert tew hear sum laffs, that cum rompin out ov
a man's mouth, just like a distrik school ov yung
girls, let out tew play. Then agin thare iz sum
laffs, that are az kold and meaningless az a yesterday's
bukwheat pancake, — that cum out ov the
mouth twisted, and gritty, az a 2 inch auger,

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drawed out ov a hemlok board. One ov these kind
ov laffs haz no more cumfert in it than the — stummuk
ake haz, and makes yu feel, when yu hear it,
az though yu waz being shaved bi a dull razer,
without the benefit ov soap, or klergy. Men who
never laff, may have good hearts, but they are deep
seated, — like sum springs, they hav their inlet and
outlet from below, and show no sparkling bubble on
the brim. I don't like a gigler, this kind ov laff
iz like the dandylion, a feeble yeller, and not a bit
ov good smell about it. It iz true that enny kind
ov a laff iz better than none, — but giv me the laff
that looks out ov a man's eyes fust, to see if the
coast is clear, then steals down into the dimple ov
his cheek, and rides in an eddy thare awhile, then
waltzes a spell, at the korners ov his mouth, like a
thing ov life, then busts its bonds ov buty, and fills
the air for a moment with a shower ov silvery
tongued sparks, — then steals bak, with a smile, to
its lair, in the harte, tew watch agin for its prey, —
this it is the kind ov laff that i luv, and aint afrade
ov.

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