The Professor jumped at the explosion as if he had sat down on one of those small CALTHROPS our grandfathers used to sow round in the grass when there were Indians about,--iron stars, each ray a rusty thorn an inch and a half long,--stick through moccasins into feet,--cripple 'em on the spot, and give 'em lockjaw in a day or two.
At the same time he let off one of those big words which lie at the bottom of the best man's vocabulary, but perhaps never turn up in his life,--just as every man's hair MAY stand on end, but in most men it never does.
After he had got calm, he pulled out a sheet or two of manuscript, together with a smaller scrap, on which, as he said, he had just been writing an introduction or prelude to the main performance.

A certain suspicion had come into my mind that the Professor was not quite right, which was confirmed by the way he talked; but I let him begin.

This is the way he read it:- Prelude.
I'm the fellah that tole one day The tale of the won'erful one-hoss-shay.
Wan' to hear another?
Say.
-- Funny, wasn'it?
Made ME laugh,-- I'm too modest, I am, by half,-- Made me laugh'S THOUGH I SH'D SPLIT,-- Cahn' a fellah like fellah's own wit ?-- -- Fellahs keep sayin',--"Well, now that's nice; Did it once, but cahn' do it twice."-- Don' you b'lieve the'z no more fat; Lots in the kitch'n 'z good 'z that.
Fus'-rate throw, 'n' no mistake,-- Han' us the props for another shake;-- Know I'll try, 'n' guess I'll win; Here sh' goes for hit 'm ag'in! Here I thought it necessary to interpose .-- Professor,--I said,--you are inebriated.

The style of what you call your "Prelude" shows that it was written under cerebral excitement.

Your articulation is confused.