ound sitting room in a place that commanded a view of the
whole house. We were unfortunate. All the great speakers, Lord Stanley,
Sir Robert Peel, Sir James Graham, Shiel, and Lord John Russell, had
either already addressed the Chair, and were thereby precluded by the
rules of the House from coming forward again, or did not choose to
answer second-rate men. Those whom we did hear, made a most wretched
exhibition. About one o'clock, the adjournment took place, and we
returned, fatigued and disappointed.

"Did you ever see the beat of that, Squire?" said Mr. Slick. "Don't that
take the rag off quite? Cuss them fellers that spoke, they are wuss than
assembly men, hang me if they aint; and _they_ aint fit to tend a bear
trap, for they'd be sure to catch themselves, if they did, in their own
pit-fall.

"Did you hear that Irishman a latherin' away with both arms, as if he
was tryin' to thrash out wheat, and see how bothered he looked, as if
he couldn't find nothin' but dust and chaff in the straw? Well, that
critter was agin the Bill, in course, and Irish like, used every
argument in favour of it. Like a pig swimmin' agin stream, every time
he struck out, he was a cuttin' of his own throat. He then blob blob
blobbered, and gog gog goggled, till he choked with words and passion,
and then sot down.

"Then that English Radical feller, that spoke with great voice, and
little sense. Aint he a beauty, without paint, that critter? He know'd
he had to vote agin the Bill, 'cause it was a Government Bill, and be
know'd he had to speak for _Bunkum_, and therefore--"

"_Bunkum!_" I said, "pray, what is that?"

"Did you never hear of Bunkum?"

"No, never."

"Why, you don't mean to say you don't know what that is?"

"I do not indeed."

"Not Bunkum? Why, there is more of it to Nova Scotia every winter, than
would paper every room in Government House, and then curl the hair of
every gall in the town. Not heer of _Bunkum_? why how you talk!"

"No, never."

"Well, if that don't pass! I thought every body know'd that word. I'll
tell you then, what Bunkum is. All over America, every place likes to
hear of its members to Congress, and see their speeches, and if they
don't, they send a piece to the paper, enquirin' if their member died a
nateral death, or was skivered with a bowie knife, for they hante seen
his speeches lately, and his friends are anxious to know his fate. Our
free and enlightened citizens don't approbate silent memb