General Belch heard the news at his office.  He was sitting on the end of his back-bone, which was supported on the two hind legs of a wooden chair, while the two fore legs and his own were lifted in the air.  His own, however, went up at a more precipitate angle and rested with the feet apart upon the mantle.  By a skillful muscular process the General ejected tobacco juice from his mouth, between his legs, and usually lodged it in the grate before him.  It was evident, however, that many of his friends had not been so successful, for the grate, the hearth, and the neighboring floor were spotted with the fluid.

The Honorable Mr. Ele was engaged in conversation with his friend Belch, who was giving him instructions for the next Congressional session.

“You see, Ele, if we could only send something of the right stamp—­the right stamp, I say, in the place of Watkins Bodley from the third district, we should be all right.  Bodley is very uncertain.”

“I know,” returned the Honorable Mr. Ele, “Bodley is not sound.  He has not the true party feeling.  He is not willing to make sacrifices.  And yet I think that—­that—­perhaps—­”

He looked at General Belch inquiringly.  That gentleman turned, beamed approval, and squirted a copious cascade.

“Exactly,” said Mr. Ele, “I was saying that I think if Mr. Bodkins, who is a perfectly honorable man—­”

“Oh, perfectly; nothing against his character.  Besides, it’s a free country, and every body may have his opinions,” said General Belch.

“Precisely,” resumed Mr. Ele, “as I was saying; being a perfectly honorable man—­in fact, unusually honorable, I happen to know that he is in trouble—­ahem! ahem! pecuniary trouble.”

He paused a moment, while his friend of the military title looked hard at the grate, as if selecting a fair mark, then made a clucking noise, and drenched it completely.  He then said, musingly,

“Yes, yes—­ah yes—­I see.  It is a great pity.  The best men get into such trouble.  How much money did you say he wanted?”

“I said he was in pecuniary trouble,” returned Mr. Ele, with a slight tone of correction.

“I understand, Mr. Ele,” answered the other, a little pompously, and with an air of saying, “Know your place, Sir.”

“I understand, and I wish to know how large a sum would relieve Mr. Bodley from his immediate pressure.”

“I think about eight or nine thousand dollars.  Perhaps a thousand more.”

“I suppose,” said General Belch, slowly, still looking into the blank, dismal grate, and rubbing his fat nose steadily with his fat forefinger and thumb, “I suppose that a man situated as Mr. Bodley is finds it very detrimental to his business to be engaged in public life, and might possibly feel it to be his duty to his family and creditors to resign his place, if he saw a promising way of righting his business, without depending upon the chances of a Congressional career.”