e lady of Cincinnati, who said it about the doctor of
the seasickness from which she suffered.

"Between you and me, boy--if anything, even an opinion, can be wedged
between us--I think the Governor is a great, overrated stupid,
encouraged in his denseness by the dear General whose ideas
have--have--er--rather solidified with age. I rather pity you for
having to have all of your opinions and policies of life moulded by
them. Yes, it is a pity." And she sighed very near to my cheek.

"Will you not mould me to some extent yourself, beautiful flower-eyed
Madam?" I asked of her with great gentleness, and did administer a
nice little pressure to her shoulders like I had adventured upon the
waist of the beautiful Belle in blue and silver dress which Madam
Whitworth had named a pinafore.

"You are a perfect dear, and I will help you all I can. Just come and
tell me all of your difficulties and I'll try and smooth them away for
you. I suppose you will find it easy to translate their French
documents for them about this very boring mule deal. I have had to do
it and I am glad to turn the burden of it all over to you. You may
have some trouble with the English technicalities and perhaps you had
best bring them in to me and I'll run over them to see that you get
them straight. Only don't let the General know that I am helping you,
for I verily believe the old dear thinks I am a nihilist ready to blow
the Governor or any of his other old mules into a thousand bits."

"I thank you, beautiful Madam Whitworth, for your offer of assistance,
and I will avail myself of it at the first opportunity. Is it at your
house that we can be alone?" I questioned with a daring smile that
would serve both for a purpose of coquetry and also to ascertain if I
would encounter in a call upon her that very disagreeable appearing
gentleman, Mr. Jefferson Whitworth, who is the husband to his very
beautiful wife.

"Come any afternoon at four o'clock and telephone me before you come
so that I can get rid of anybody who happens to be around. And be sure
to bring any work you have for me to help you with. That's the only
way I can excuse an ancient matron like myself for keeping you even
for a few minutes away from the pinafores." And she looked into my
eyes with a sigh for her antiquity. In the language of that Mr. Willie
Saint Louis I knew it was "up to me," and I "handed the dame one."

"In my country, beautiful Madam, the fruit is much more regarded