to a remark of his
friend General Jackson.

"And I surely need not add that it would be the first and most sacred
point of honor with this candidate to serve his party in every thing, to
be the unswerving advocate of all its measures, and implicitly obedient
to all its behests," said General Belch.

"Which behests are to be learned by him from the authorized leaders of
the party," said Mr. Enos Slugby.

"Certainly," said half of the gentlemen.

"Of course," said the other half.

During the remarks that General Belch had been making his eyes were fixed
upon Abel Newt, who understood that this was a political examination, in
which the questions asked included the answers that were to be given.
When the General had ended, the company sat intently smoking for some
time, and filling and emptying their glasses.

"Mr. Bat," said General Belch, "what is your view?"

Mr. Bat removed his eyes from General Jackson's portrait, and cleared his
throat.

"I think," he said, closing his eyes, and rubbing his fingers along his
eyebrows, "that the party holding to the only constitutional policy is
to be supported at all hazards, and I think the great party to which
we belong is that party. Our principles are all true, and our measures
are all just. Speculative persons and dreamers talk about independent
political action. But politics always beget parties. Governments are
always managed by parties, and parties are always managed by--"

The dried-apple complexion at this point assumed an ashy hue, as if
something very indiscreet had been almost uttered. Mr. Bat's eyes opened
and saw Abel's fixed upon him with a peculiar intelligence. The whole
party looked a little alarmed at Mr. Bat, and apprehensively at the
new-comer. Mr. Ele frowned at General Belch,

"What does he mean?"

But Abel relieved the embarrassment by quietly completing Mr. Bat's
sentence--

--"by the managers."

His black eyes glittered around the table, and Mr. Ele remembered a
remark of General Belch's about Mr. Newt's riding upon the shoulders
of his fellow-laborers.

"Exactly, by the managers," said every body.

"And now," said General Belch, cheerfully, "whom had we better propose to
our fellow-citizens as a proper candidate for their suffrages to succeed
the Honorable Mr. Bodley?"

He leaned back and puffed. Mr. Ele, who had had a little previous
conversation with the host, here rose and said, that, if he might
venture, he would say, although it