lars, the daughter
of a clergyman, and a man of some little property. He had attracted
some attention by his powers of declamation, and was one of the
principal members of the Remus Debating Society. The various questions
then agitating Remus,--"Is the doctrine of immortality consistent with
an agricultural life?" and, "Are round dances morally wrong?"--afforded
him an opportunity of bringing himself prominently before the country
people. Perhaps I might have seen an extract copied from the "Remus
Sentinel" in the "Christian Recorder" of May 7, 1875? No? He would
get it for me. He had taken an active part in the last campaign. He
did not like to say it, but it had been universally acknowledged that
he had elected Gashwiler.

Who?

Gen. Pratt C. Gashwiler, member of Congress from our deestrict.

Oh!

A powerful man, sir--a very powerful man; a man whose influence will
presently be felt here, sir--HERE! Well, he had come on with
Gashwiler, and--well, he did not know why--Gashwiler did not know why
he should not, you know (a feeble, half-apologetic laugh here), receive
that reward, you know, for these services which, etc., etc.

I asked him if he had any particular or definite office in view.

Well, no. He had left that to Gashwiler. Gashwiler had said--he
remembered his very words: "Leave it all to me; I'll look through the
different departments, and see what can be done for a man of your
talents."

And--

He's looking. I'm expecting him back here every minute. He's gone
over to the Department of Tape, to see what can be done there. Ah!
here he comes.

A large man approached us. He was very heavy, very unwieldy, very
unctuous and oppressive. He affected the "honest farmer," but so badly
that the poorest husbandman would have resented it. There was a
suggestion of a cheap lawyer about him that would have justified any
self-respecting judge in throwing him over the bar at once. There was
a military suspicion about him that would have entitled him to a
court-martial on the spot. There was an introduction, from which I
learned that my office-seeking friend's name was Expectant Dobbs. And
then Gashwiler addressed me:--

"Our young friend here is waiting, waiting. Waiting, I may say, on the
affairs of State. Youth," continued the Hon. Mr. Gashwiler, addressing
an imaginary constituency, "is nothing but a season of waiting--of
preparation--ha, ha!"

As he laid his hand in a fatherly manner--a