Chapter XVII: Letter VIII

_Alexandria, Red River_, ----, _Louisiana_.

_Dear Sir_,--Your polite letter of the -- is before me, and the view which you present of the estimation in which you hold my poor labors is every way gratifying. It would afford me great pleasure to send you a few trifles for the Hum-drum, which I have no doubt will prove a very useful periodical if its design is well carried out--but the truth is my time is entirely occupied.

Yours,

JOSEPH H. MILLER, ESQ.

The writing in this letter has a _fidgetty_ appearance, and would seem to indicate a mind without settled aims--restless and full of activity. Few of the characters are written twice in the same manner, and their _direction_ varies continually. Sometimes the words lie perpendicularly on the page--then slope to the right--then, with a jerk, fly off in an opposite way. The thickness, also, of the MS. is changeable--sometimes the letters are very light and fine--sometimes excessively heavy. Upon a casual glance at Mr. F.'s epistle, one might mistake it for an imitation of a written letter by a child. The paper is bad--and wafered.