“‘That’s right good advice, Uncle,’ said I, (interrupting him), but it would be better it did not smack so strong of that fogyism whose obstinate policy won’t let the progress of those United States come out.  Anyhow, Jacob, seeing that you have got such a nice stock of territory, dotted with fascinating hills and plains, upon which good speculations can be made in starting a speculation in churches, as has become the fashion, doing a little in the tin business, laying a few railroads, and building up factory villages, we must have a treaty of commerce—­at all events!’

“’No! no! no!  You’ve large inards, Jonathan; and your youngest son,—­Young America,—­has got such a pair of eyes!  I’m afraid of him.  No objection to joining in three cheers for Hail Columbia, almost any time; but save me from your claws.  You’re both great pirates:  pray be merciful to your neighbors, and spare me my Independence.  Your little place down there is become troubled with wars and rumours of wars;—­the shedding of innocent blood in streams at the caprice of imbecile princes, who make the bones and blood of their subjects the waste material with which to serve their incarnate ambition, tells me to beware.  Beware of ambitious princes; the world would be well rid of them!’

“’Like to hear you talk so, Uncle Jacob.  Reckon how you’ve studied in a New England school!  There the greatest power springs from the humble people.  Anyhow, Jacob, since we can’t strike a trade, nor do a thing or two in the way of speculation, s’pose we take a drop of whiskey punch?’

“‘Can’t object to that,’ he returned.

“So, Littlejohn and me set about it, and in a very few minutes had a first-class punch brewed, of which old Jacob supped most lavishly.  In fact, he liked it so well that I reckoned he had forgotten to stop drinking; and Littlejohn felt somewhat nervous lest the old fellow get fuddled and turn everything over.  John reckoned I’d better give him a cold julep to wipe down with; but Jacob said he much preferred hot things, that his profession was quite cold enough.  So, after we put the punches down, and smoked some cigars, and received some good advice about being careful how I proceeded, we loosened the strings and bid him good morning:  it was coming faint daylight, and Jacob had to be jogging.  Just as I was leaving, my heart felt kind a down-pressed to think what gorgeous territory he had spread out to a feller’s eyes, without the slightest chance of making an operation for a small portion of it—­say just enough to get a foothold.

“Westward we went with breathless speed, soon losing sight of Jacob and his luminary.  ’You better reef down, Mr. Smooth.  Should anything give way, and you tumble out and break your neck, the democracy would go into mourning,’ said Littlejohn, who had kept very quiet up to this time.

“‘Not a bit of it!’ I answered, ’our democracy is like Parr’s Life Pills, enervating and elasticating.  You may break its head, but you cannot kill;—­it belongs to the heart, and springs from the laws of right.’  At this Littlejohn began to get dogged,—­to shows signs of very bad nature.  Knowing this was most unprofitable to him I yielded indulgence.  To be good-natured in cases of Emergency is a most valuable trait; and to whip a man for being ill-tempered, when nothing can be made at it, is most absurd.