_Order 8th._ The _Peace-Sappers_.--These, like the underground artists, after whom I have ventured in part to name them, always work _secretly_; but whereas, the sappers employed in war, confine their humane labors solely to the immediate destruction of walls, fortifications and houses, with all their inhabitants, thereby putting the latter out of their misery at once; the _peace-sappers_ make the excellence of _their art_ to consist in causing the sufferings which they inflict to be protracted--even to the end of life, be that long or short. The master spirits of this order view with ineffable scorn such of their formidable sisterhood as are incapable, from actual stupidity, of exciting any other kind of family and neighborhood quarrels, than those plain, common-place matters which soon come to an explanation, and end in a renewal of friendly intercourse and a reciprocation of good offices. _They_ despise--utterly despise--such petty game; and never attempt sapping but with a confident belief--not only that its authors will escape all suspicion, but that its effects will be deeply and most painfully felt--probably during the entire lives of all its devoted victims. Their powers of flattery and skill in every species of gossipping, gain them an easy admittance, before they are found out, into most families wherein they have set their hearts upon becoming visiters. There they are always eager listeners to every thing that may be said in the careless, innocent hours of domestic intercourse; and being entirely unsuspected plotters of mischief, they treasure up as a miser would his gold, every single word or expression that can possibly be so tortured as to embroil their confiding hosts with some one or all of their neighbors. If no word nor expression has been heard during a long intercourse which can either fairly or falsely be imputed to envy, jealousy or ill-will towards others; absolute falsehoods will most artfully be fabricated to attain their never-forgotten, never-neglected purpose: for they sicken at the very sight of family peace--of neighborhood-harmony; and "the gall of bitterness," that incessantly rankles in their bosoms can find no other vent--no other alleviation--than in laboring to destroy every thing of the kind. Their communications being always conveyed under the strongest injunctions of secrecy--the most solemn protestations of particular regard and friendship for the depositaries of these secrets, it often happens that entire neighborhoods are set in a flame, and most of the families in it rendered bitter enemies to each other, without a single one knowing, or even suspecting what has made them so.