continued the other, "but I have,
perhaps, a little more experience than you. We old men, you know, always
plume ourselves upon experience, which we make do duty for all the
virtues and talents."

"And it is trained for that service by being merely a synonym for a
knowledge of all the sins and rascalities," said Abel, smiling, as he
blew rings of smoke and passed the decanter to General Belch.

"True," replied the other; "very true. I see, my dear Newt, that you
have had your eyes and your mind open. And since we are going to act
together--since, in fact, we are interested in the same plans--"

"And principles," interrupted Abel, laying his head back, and looking
with half-closed eyes at the vanishing smoke.

"Oh yes, I was coming to that--in the same plans and principles, it is
well that we should understand each other perfectly."

General Belch paused, looked at Abel, and took snuff.

"I think we do already," replied Abel.

"Still there are one or two points to which I would call your attention.
One is, that you can not be too careful of what you say, in regard to its
bearing upon the party; and the other is, a general rule that the Public
is an ass, but you must never let it know you think so. If there is one
thing which the party has practically proved, it is that the people have
no will of their own, but are sheep in the hands of the shepherd."

The General took snuff again.

"The Public, then, is an ass and a sheep?" inquired Abel.

"Yes," said the General, "an ass in capacity, and in preference of a
thistle diet; a sheep in gregarious and stupid following. You say 'Ca,
ca, ca,' when you want a cow to follow you; and you say 'Glorious old
party,' and 'Intelligence of the people,' and 'Preference of truth to
victory,' and so forth, when you want the people to follow you."

"An ass, a sheep, and a cow," said Abel. "To what other departments of
natural history do the people belong, General?"

"Adders," returned Belch, sententiously.

"How so?" asked Abel, amused.

"Because they are so cold and ungrateful," said the General.

"As when, for instance," returned Abel, "the Honorable Watkins Bodley,
having faithfully served his constituency, is turned adrift by--by--the
people."

He looked at Belch and laughed. The fat nose of the General glistened.

"No, no," said he, "your illustration is at fault. He did not faithfully
serve his constituency. He was not sound upon the great Grant question."

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