text:  Of a man with a stiff back black beard short hair loud voice and buff waistcoat people of fashion on the contrary stand in continual awe; his tongue is to them a rattlesnake's tail wagging only as a signal for them to get out of his way; they quiver like an aspen at the sound of his voice and for their own particular would rather hear the sharpening of a saw: if such a one courts their acquaintance they are hopelessly despairingly polite; if as is usual he then waxes insolent and as the fast fellows would call it _slangs_ them they are delighted with the opportunity of displaying that placid indifference upon which they pride themselves as one of their exclusive accomplishments