ow and obeyed. The crowd below, seeing the
opening blinds and the lights, shouted lustily.

"Now then," cried the General, "boost him up a moment and hold him
forward. Heave ho! all together."

They raised the inert body, and half-lifted, half-slid it forward upon
the narrow balcony.

"Here, Slugby, you prop him behind; and you, Ele and Condor, one on each
side. There! that's it! Now we have him. I'll speak to the people."

So saying, the General removed his hat and bowed very low to the crowd in
the street. There was a great shout, "Three cheers for Newt!" and the
three cheers rang loudly out.

"'Tain't Newt," cried a sharp voice: "it's Belch."

"Three cheers for Belch!" roared an enthusiastic somebody.

"D---- Belch," cried the sharp voice.

"Hi! hi!" roared the chorus; while the torches waved and the drums rolled
once more.

During all this time General Arcularius Belch had been bowing profoundly
and grimacing in dumb show to the crowd, pointing at Abel Newt, who
stood, ingeniously supported, his real state greatly concealed by the
friendly night.

"Gentlemen!" cried Belch, in a piercing voice.

"H'st! h'st! Down, down! Silence," in the crowd.

"Gentlemen, I am very sorry to have to inform you that our distinguished
fellow-citizen, Mr. Newt, to compliment whom you have assembled this
evening, is so severely unwell (oh! gum! from the sharp-voiced skeptic
below) that he is entirely unable to address you. But so profoundly
touched is he by your kindness in coming to compliment him by this call,
that he could not refuse to appear, though but for a moment, to look the
thanks he can not speak. At the earliest possible moment he promises
himself the pleasure of addressing you. Let me, in conclusion, propose
three cheers for our representative in the next Congress, the Honorable
Abel Newt. And now--" he whispered to his friends as the shouts began,
"now lug him in again."

The crowd cheered, the Honorable Mr. Newt was lugged in, the windows were
closed, and General Belch and his friends withdrew.

"I tell you what it is," said he, as they passed up the street at a
convenient distance behind the crowd, "Abel Newt is a man of very great
talent, but he must take care. By Jove! he must. He must understand times
and seasons. One thing can not be too often repeated," said he,
earnestly, "if a man expects to succeed in political life he must
understand when not to be drunk."

The merry company laughed, and went h