He had a splendid sense of humor. This, as might be expected, was often rough, noisy, and boisterous, and did him damage; but it had its charm, nevertheless. He enjoyed practical jokes, like a great boy, as when, at Taylor's suggestion, he switched off in the dark a train- load of Governor Brown's pet state troops for a fight in South Carolina. 23 He used a shrewd and savage wit in assailing his political adversaries. "You have heard what the gentleman says about my coming home to practice law. He promises, if elected to Congress, he will not leave his seat. I leave you to judge, fellow-citizens, whether your interests in Washington will be best protected by his continued presence or his occasional absence." 24 Some one urged that an antagonist had made at least one good appointment. "That may be," answered Toombs, "but that was not the reason it was made. Bacon was not accused of selling injustice. He was eternally damned for selling justice." 25
The same shining vivacity of repartee seems to have been always ready, in private society as in public gatherings. That keen and passionate tongue must indeed have been somewhat dreaded. How bitter is the story of the red-headed man ! Toombs was dining with Scott and told of a woman who rushed about in a steamer explosion, crying, "Save the red-headed man, save the red-headed man." The red-headed man was saved, but the woman appeared quite indifferent. " He owes me ten thousand dollars," she explained. "General," said
