he would see that my name was duly chronicled in the newspapers, not a few of which he assured me he had full control over.  In fine, nothing that could serve the interests of one who had made himself so famous during the late campaign was to be left undone.  He knew every speech I had made by heart, as he said; and he had the name of every town I had been in at his fingers’ ends.  Indeed, so varied were his accomplishments, that I at once set him down for one of those great men, in the possession of whom New York is more fortunate than her sister cities, and of whose merits strangers, for divers reasons, have had occasion to speak with great confidence.

“When the newspapers had faithfully recorded my arrival and given an undoubted history of my doings in politics, I was to be introduced to the Collector and Postmaster, both of whom, though differing with me on great national questions, would receive me as became gentle-men.  The Mayor, too, would receive me at the City Hall, in presence of the Common Council, and review the police, which body of men had become, under the new order of things, more devoted to beards and brandy than the good order of the city.  He said I must be careful not to accept the invitations of councilmen to drink, for they were sure to saddle the payment upon their guest, to say nothing of their lately adopted art of making invitations a means of supplying their own wants in the article of liquor.  And as drinking had become their most distinguishing characteristic, perhaps it would not be amiss to defend myself, he said, after the fashion of our smaller politicians, who, as a general thing, invited councilmen to confer with them at the bar, and left the settlement to be arranged between them and the host.

“On finishing our tea, the General was kind enough to say he would show me over the city.  He could not, however, introduce me to the Coon-club that night, seeing that it had adjourned and gone on a frolic.  Only too glad to accept the services of a companion so valuable, I joined him, and we were soon at the door of the Broadway Theater, where the General, to his great surprise, discovered that in the change of his vest that evening (he had foregone the pleasure of a very fashionable party in the Fifth Avenue to do me ample honor) he had omitted to replace his purse.  I begged he would not mention it, drawing forth the required sum.  With great apparent mortification he begged me to disburse the trifle and consider it all right in the morning.  This I was only too glad to have the honor of doing.

“An highly colored melodrama, in four acts, one of which was laid in each of the four quarters of the globe, (and if there had been a fifth, the cunning author would have had an act for it,) was proceeding at a stormy pace, the principal character being personated by a gentleman of color, the audience, I thought, were trying to emulate in loudness of talking.  My new companion seemed to have an extensive acquaintance,