and ever on the alert, looking out upon every
quarter of the political sky, listening to the rising thunder, watching
the gathering storm. There could hardly have been any one more
completely engrossed by it. If there was, it was his book-keeper. It
wasn't so much the Constitution that enlisted Narcisse's concern; nor
yet the Union, which seemed to him safe enough; much less did the desire
to see the enforcement of the laws consume him. Nor was it altogether
the "'oman candles" and the "'ockets"; but the rhetoric.

Ah, the "'eto'ic"! He bathed, he paddled, dove, splashed, in a surf of
it.

"Doctah,"--shaking his finely turned shoulders into his coat and lifting
his hat toward his head,--"I had the honah, and at the same time the
pleasu', to yeh you make a shawt speech lass evening. I was p'oud to
yeh yo' bunning eloquence, Doctah,--if you'll allow. Yesseh. Eve'ybody
said 'twas the moze bilious effo't of the o'-casion."

Dr. Sevier actually looked up and smiled, and thanked the happy young
man for the compliment.

"Yesseh," continued his admirer, "I nevveh flatteh. I give me'-it where
the me'-it lies. Well, seh, we juz make the welkin 'ing faw joy when you
finally stop' at the en'. Pehchance you heard my voice among that sea of
head'? But I doubt--in 'such a vas' up'ising--so many imposing pageant',
in fact,--and those 'ocket' exploding in the staw-y heaven', as they
say. I think I like that exp'ession I saw on the noozpapeh, wheh it
says: 'Long biffo the appointed owwa, thousan' of flashing tawches and
tas'eful t'anspa'encies with divuz devices whose blazing effulgence
turn' day into night.' Thass a ve'y talented style, in fact. Well, _au
'evoi'_, Doctah. I'm going ad the--an' thass anotheh thing I like--'tis
faw the ladies to 'ing bells that way on the balconies. Because Mr. Bell
and Eve'et is name _bell_, and so is the _bells_ name' juz the same way,
and so they 'ing the _bells_ to signify. I had to elucidate that to my
hant. Well, _au 'evoi'_, Doctah."

The Doctor raised his eyes from his letter-writing. The young man had
turned, and was actually going out without another word. What perversity
moved the physician no one will ever know; but he sternly called:--

"Narcisse?"

The Creole wheeled about on the threshold.

"Yesseh?"

The Doctor held him with a firm, grave eye, and slowly said:--

"I suppose before you return you will go to the post office." He said
nothing more,--only that, just in his jocose w