nt
that the remainder would follow the next trip. An explanation soon
ensued, but the customer insisted that the Cincinnati house should
have written _by_ Simmons and not _per_ Simmons. Who paid the loss
history doth not record.

One more of Mr. Clay's stories which he used to tell with dramatic
effect: As he was coming here one November the stage stopped for
the passengers to get supper at a little town on the mountain side,
where there had been a militia muster that afternoon. When the
stage was ready to start, the Colonel, in full regimentals, but
somewhat inebriated, insisted on riding with the driver, thinking,
doubtless, that the fresh air would restore him. It was not long,
though, before he fell off into the mud. The coach stopped, of
course, for the Colonel to regain his seat. He soon gathered up,
when the following colloquy ensued: "Well, driver (hic), we've
had quite a turn (hic) over, haint we?" "No, we have not turned
over at all." "I say (hic) we have." "No, you are mistaken, you
only fell off." "I say we (hic) _have;_ I'll leave it (hic) to
the com-(hic)-pany. Haven't we (hic) had a turn (hic) over,
gentlemen?" Being assured they had not, "Well, driver (hic)," said
he, "if I'd known that (hic) I wouldn't a got out."

The automaton chess-player and other pieces of mechanism exhibited
by Monsieur Maelzel were very popular at Washington. The chess-
player was the figure of a Turk of the natural size, sitting behind
a chest three feet and a-half in height, to which was attached the
wooden seat on which the figure sat. On the top of the chest was
an immovable chess-board, upon which the eyes of the figure were
fixed. Its right hand and arm were extended on the chest, and its
left, somewhat raised, held a pipe. Several doors in the chest
and in the body of the figure having been opened, and a candle held
within the cavities thus displayed, the doors were closed, the
exhibitor wound up the works, placed a cushion under the arm of
the figure, and challenged any individual of the company present
to play.

In playing, the automaton always made choice of the first move and
the white pieces. It also played with the left arm--the inventor,
as it was said, not having perceived the mistake till his work was
too far advanced to alter it. The hand and fingers opened on
touching the piece, which it grasped and conveyed to the proper
square. After a move made by its antagonist, the automaton paused