cut & paste using mouse

[mao jud]

hi all !
  i would like to know what special tricks i need to do so that i can
convince my mouse device to do copy, cut, paste for me while in X.  also, i
remember in my slackware days that by highlighting some text (click & drag)
is already like copying, and right clicking will act as pasting.
  any help (or pointers to the right HOWTO's to read) will be very much
appreciated.
thanks,
mao