him not a little.  In truth, such little things belonged entirely to polite society, and required a grace and diction rarely attained by politicians.  Indeed, he regretted much that he was not where he could obtain the services of one of those New York critics, who, being the sons and grandsons of poor bishops, write learned book notices by the yard, and get up addresses for distinguished actresses, who deliver them on occasions of receiving bracelets and necklaces from their admiring friends.  “Remember, young man,” he resumed, “that the path of honor is open to you as well as me.  I say this, because it has just struck me, that we can best fulfill our obligations to one another, by your writing the speeches and me delivering them.  Heaven forbid that I should want to wrong you; but we must take up the fruit as it falls.  Now surely you will write me a neat reply to this fellow-say much about what I have sacrificed, making it, at the same time, so easy that they shall not have a suspicion of the authorship.  And above all, endeavor to make me speak like a sensible gentleman.”

Having taken great pains to aid the major in all his exploits, I was more than anxious that he should deport himself properly on this occasion, and hence readily consented to accept the task of preparing his reply, selecting for the service all the choice words I could find in an old speech of Thomas Benton’s, delivered by him many years ago, in reply to an address in compliment of his thirty years’ services in the United States Senate, and presented by a committee of the Young Men’s Missionary Society for distributing bibles to indigent authors.  It must here be said of these young gentlemen, that they had no masked motive in thus complimenting the venerable senator, which they did simply from hearing that his compassions had taken a new turn.

I soon arranged the method of my important task, and was teaching the major how to deliver the speech, when a barge was seen along side of the commodore’s yacht.  Then a salute of seven guns announced the embarkation, and when the smoke rolled away, the barge, rowed by eight sturdy fellows, was seen skimming over the sea, and making for the Two Marys with all speed.  “Upon my soul they are coming, and a merry party they are,” said the major, settling himself in his strange uniform.  The barge pulled alongside, as the portly figure of the commodore, his chapeau raised, stood up in the stern for a moment, and then mounting over the rail was on the deck of the Two Marys in a trice.  The major now came forward with an air of pomp and circumstance it would not be easy for the reader to paint in his imagination, unless indeed he had seen General Webb on his way to a tea party.  The commodore now elongated his body and bowed, and the major elongated his body and bowed; after which they approached one another as men so distinguished ought to do, when he of the tall figure, who accompanied the commodore, came forward, and with great deference of manner did the honors