e read your
speech, and I sez to ma, sez I, I'd no idee of it; none at all. Ma, sez
she, Law, pa! I allers knowed Mr. Abel Newt would turn up trumps. You
allers did have the women, Mr. Newt; and so I told ma."

"I am very glad, Sir, that I have at last done something to deserve your
approbation. I trust I shall not forfeit it. I have led rather a gay
life, and careless; and my poor father and I have met with misfortunes.
But they open a man's eyes, Sir; they are angels in disguise, as the poet
says. I don't doubt they have been good for me. At least I'm resolved
now to be steady and industrious; and I certainly should be a great fool
if I were not."

"Sartin, Sir, with your chances and prospects, yes, and your talents,
coz, I allers said to ma, sez I, he's got talent if he hain't nothin'
else. I suppose your Uncle Lawrence won't be so shy of you now, hey?
No, of course not. A man who has a smart nevy in Congress has a tap in a
good barrel."

And Mr. Van Boozenberg laughed loudly at his own humor.

"Why, yes. Sir. I think I may say that the pleasantest part of my new
life--if you will allow me to use the expression--is my return to the
friends best worth having. I think I have learned, Sir, that steady-going
business, with no nonsense about it, is the permanent thing. It isn't
flopdoddle, Sir, but it's solid food."

"Tonguey," thought old Jacob Van Boozenberg, "but vastly improved. Has
come to terms with Uncle Lawrence. Sensible fellow!"

"I think he takes it," said Abel to himself, with the feeling of an
angler, as he watched the other.

Just before they parted Abel took out his pocket-book and told Mr. Van
Boozenberg that he should like to negotiate a little piece of paper which
was not altogether worthless, he believed.

Smiling as he spoke, he handed a note for twenty-five thousand dollars,
with his uncle's indorsement, to the President. The old gentleman looked
at it carefully, smiled knowingly, "Yes, yes, I see. Sly dog, that Uncle
Lawrence. I allers sez so. This ere's for the public service, I suppose,
eh! Mr. Newt?" and the President chuckled over his confirmed conviction
that Lawrence Newt was "jes' like other folks."

He asked Abel to walk with him to the bank. They chatted as they passed
along, nodded to those they knew, while some bowed politely to the young
member whom they saw in such good company.

"Well, well," said Mr. Zephyr Wetherley as he skimmed up Wall Street from
the bank, where he had