“Aye!” from everybody.

“And now,” said Mr. Bee, “as we wair all up late at the club last night, I propose we take a second julep, and as Reybold is coming in he will jine us.”

“I won’t give you a farthing!” cried Reybold at the door, speaking to some one.  “Chips, indeed!  What shall I give you money to gamble away for?  A gambling beggar is worse than an impostor!  No, sir!  Emphatically no!”

“A dollar for four chips for brave old Beau!” said the other voice.  “I’ve struck ’em all but you.  By the State Arms!  I’ve got rights in this distreek!  Everybody pays toll to brave old Beau!  Come down!”

The Northern Congressman retreated before this pertinacious mendicant into his committee-room, and his pesterer followed him closely, nothing abashed, even into the privileged cloisters of the committee.  The Southern members enjoyed the situation.

“Chips, Right Honorable!  Chips for old Beau.  Nobody this ten-year has run as long as you.  I’ve laid for you, and now I’ve fell on you.  Judge Bee, the fust business befo’ yo’ committee this mornin’ is a assessment for old Beau, who’s ‘way down!  Rheu-matiz, bettin’ on the black, failure of remittances from Fauqueeah, and other casualties by wind an’ flood, have put ole Beau away down.  He’s a institution of his country and must be sustained!”

The laughter was general and cordial among the Southerners, while the intruder pressed hard upon Mr. Reybold.  He was a singular object; tall, grim, half-comical, with a leer of low familiarity in his eyes, but his waxed mustache of military proportions, his patch of goatee just above the chin, his elaborately oiled hair and flaming necktie, set off his faded face with an odd gear of finery and impressiveness.  His skin was that of an old roue’s, patched up and chalked, but the features were those of a once handsome man of style and carriage.

He wore what appeared to be a cast-off spring overcoat, out of season and color on this blustering winter day, a rich buff waistcoat of an embossed pattern, such as few persons would care to assume, save, perhaps, a gambler, negro buyer, or fine “buck” barber.  The assumption of a large and flashy pin stood in his frilled shirt-bosom.  He wore watch-seals without the accompanying watch, and his pantaloons, though faded and threadbare, were once of fine material and cut in a style of extravagant elegance, and they covered his long, shrunken, but aristocratic limbs, and were strapped beneath his boots to keep them shapely.  The boots themselves had been once of varnished kid or fine calf, but they were cracked and cut, partly by use, partly for comfort; for it was plain that their wearer had the gout, by his aristocratic hobble upon a gold-mounted cane, which was not the least inconsistent garniture of mendicancy.

“Boys,” said Fitzchew Smy, “I s’pose we better come down early.  There’s a shillin’, Beau.  If I had one more such constituent as you, I should resign or die premachorely!”