dumbfounded, like at times we see a disconsolate individual, who nipped in a hail-storm, mourns the loss of his umbrella.  Like death, it was necessary to keep close, tell the honor-saving committee to maintain their usual spirits, and call again, when in respect to their ancient character, they would get a listening for their grievances.  With this valuable solace, condescendingly bestowed by the ancient gentlemen aforesaid did the committee go away happy, promise to be very good, and keep Finsbury before the world.

“The gentlemen having been respectfully bowed out of Downing street, a loud call was made to commence again at the dough-nuts.  ’I say, bring ‘em on,’ rejoined I; Smooth ’ll help (I’d been seated a little back, watching the while) play at that or any other game, provided there be a rule of honor and economy to work out.’

“‘Be a little more modest, Smooth—­if you please!’ spoke up my most intimate friend, Palm, who until then had seemed viewing the whole conclave with measured contempt.  Indeed my friend Palm was a regular brick in his way, which fact was most happily illustrated in the manner he now and then threw the hard tokens at the head of his parliamentary brother Bright.  It was as unfortunate as notorious, however, that in his dealings with the United States, his conduct was as dishonorable as uncertain.  ‘Smooth, you are a large youth,’ said he; ’but your reforming principles have too great a resemblance to innovations to go down without scratching, in this aged atmosphere of ours!  Nor must you be so lavish of your manifest destiny policy; that, to me, is the medium by which you intend to come on this side of the big pond and stick your fingers into everybody’s mess.’

“I interrupted him just then; and in reply to a question I put, he acknowledged his conviction to be that we did things well and simply; but he made one little reservation, and that was that we did not do so well when we permitted the little State of South Carolina to imprison Uncle John’s nigger sailors.  Then he said South Carolina was the Empire State of Nigger Slavery; and was not aware of his mistake, until such I happily removed by convincing him that she was the only Don Quixote of the Union; and as it was necessary for every nation to have such an inhabitant in its compact, merely for the purpose of keeping alive the humorous, so Carolina filled the void in America, where happily her little exploits were viewed as very harmless.

“Well, peace again being preserved, we drew up to have a feast of the hot dough-nuts, when a terrible thundering came at the great door.  Then the figure standing guard, who resembled a flour-barrel in frills, announced the reporter of the Times; who said he must come in, for his folks, too, held a large stake in the game.  And the individual did come in; and a right jolly-looking fellow he was, too; and in contrast with the fudgy old conclave, seemed bright, fresh, and ready to go ahead; and then he