good a Christian gentleman as any of them, I would have you remember that he was brought up in the care of the clergy, and can cut pranks enough if you let him have his way, though, from what I have seen, I should judge he had no love for the vulgar politics they delight to meddle with.  Another favor I have to ask is this-that you will not whisper the ownership, lest the matter between us get to the ears of the editors, who would make much of it to the damage of my reputation as a politician.  There is, also,” he continued, in a whisper, “a little affair or two outstanding, which might make it extremely inconvenient.”

No sooner had the showman taken his departure, than three distinguished generals entered, saying they had come to pay their respects to a fellow in arms, whom it was the pleasure of the city to honor.  Each approached him with great gravity of manner, and, after shaking him warmly by the hand, presented him with sundry congratulations in what are called neat and appropriate speeches.  To which the major replied, thanking heaven that with clean hands and various gifts of the head, he had served his country like a man; and, as his mission was not yet filled, he hoped (if the devil interposed no obstacles) yet to render his country a service such as historians would write of.  He now bade them be seated, and ordered an abundance of good wine, of which they partook without objection, and were soon as merry a set of fellows as ever bivouacked; for in truth they readily discovered the mental deficiencies of the major, and, to make up for the deception of which they were made victims by the newspapers, resolved to enjoy the diversion afforded them by the quaintness of the major, who, though he had never put foot in Mexico, at once inquired of them the brigade they belonged to, and what service they had seen in that country.  The spokesman of the party, whose bearing bespoke him a man acquainted with arms, and who was as great a wag as Tim Bobbin, immediately answered by saying that they were in the hottest of the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Metamoras, and Buena Vista.  And not to say too much of their bravery, he might mention that they were within smell of the gunpowder that stormed the heights of Cerro Gordo.  Indeed, they were in so many battles, and bore away so many scars, that it was impossible to remember them all.

“Faith, gentlemen, that is exactly the case with me,” interrupted the major, “for I was in so many, that if I had the memory of a Sampson I could not keep them all at my tongue’s end, though I remember well enough what a buffeting we got at the storming of San Juan de Ulloa.  As to the brigade I was in, that’s neither here nor there; and whether it was the first or second will not be set down against a man when he is dead.  But if you will have proof that I also was in the hottest of it, pray let your eyes not deceive you.”  Here the major gave his head a significant toss, and waddled across the floor to his wardrobe, from which