him, and no allusions was ever
made, when a company was in, to his property. He got wiser every day;
his views of Society and the Public was luminous, bewilderin, awful; and
his Ed got bigger and bigger as his Wisdom expanded it.

He took well, and pulled 'em in most excellent for nine weeks. At the
expiration of that period, when his Ed was a sight, he expressed one
evenin, the last Company havin been turned out, and the door shut, a wish
to have a little music.

"Mr. Chops," I said (I never dropped the "Mr." with him; the world might
do it, but not me); "Mr. Chops, are you sure as you are in a state of
mind and body to sit upon the organ?"

His answer was this: "Toby, when next met with on the tramp, I forgive
her and the Indian. And I am."

It was with fear and trembling that I began to turn the handle; but he
sat like a lamb. I will be my belief to my dying day, that I see his Ed
expand as he sat; you may therefore judge how great his thoughts was. He
sat out all the changes, and then he come off.

"Toby," he says, with a quiet smile, "the little man will now walk three
times round the Cairawan, and retire behind the curtain."

When we called him in the morning, we found him gone into a much better
Society than mine or Pall Mall's. I giv Mr. Chops as comfortable a
funeral as lay in my power, followed myself as Chief, and had the George
the Fourth canvass carried first, in the form of a banner. But, the
House was so dismal arterwards, that I giv it up, and took to the Wan
again.

* * * * *

"I don't triumph," said Jarber, folding up the second manuscript, and
looking hard at Trottle. "I don't triumph over this worthy creature. I
merely ask him if he is satisfied now?"

"How can he be anything else?" I said, answering for Trottle, who sat
obstinately silent. "This time, Jarber, you have not only read us a
delightfully amusing story, but you have also answered the question about
the House. Of course it stands empty now. Who would think of taking it
after it had been turned into a caravan?" I looked at Trottle, as I said
those last words, and Jarber waved his hand indulgently in the same
direction.

"Let this excellent person speak," said Jarber. "You were about to say,
my good man?"--

"I only wished to ask, sir," said Trottle doggedly, "if you could kindly
oblige me with a date or two in connection with that last story?"

"A date!" repeated Jarber. "What does the man want with dates!"