“Local” Resolves to Commit Suicide

Mark Twain

Hannibal Journal/September 16, 1852

‘LOCAL,’ disconsolate from receiving no further notice from ‘A DOG-BE-DEVILED CITIZEN,’ contemplates Suicide. His ‘pocket-pistol’ (i. e. the bottle,) failing in the patriotic work of ridding the country of a nuisance, he resolves to ‘extinguish his chunk’ by feeding his carcass to the fishes of Bear Creek, while friend and foe are wrapt in sleep. Fearing, however, that he may get out of his depth, he sounds the stream with his walking-stick.

The artist has, you will perceive, Mr. Editor, caught the gentleman’s countenance as correctly as the thing could have been done with the real dog-gerytype apparatus. Ain’t he pretty? and don’t he step along through the mud with an air? ‘Peace to his re-manes.’

‘A DOG-BE-DEVILED CITIZEN.’

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