n said
he would take my hat, and hoped I make myself quite at home. As
everything seemed so comfortable, I had not the slightest objection.
'Now, Smooth,' he reiterated, spreading his length on a magnificent
sofa, 'I am anxious to hear how the Young American party progresses
down your way; and you must tell me all about it. I intend to give you
a roving commission as my minister in general.'

"'I'll do that,' I replied, and just when I was getting the story
fixed square, he interrupted me by saying--'One moment, Mr. Smooth; we
are going to have a flounder breakfast--it's the same old fellow you
saw Uncle Jeff and Guth cooking yesterday morning,--they've got him
pretty well browned--You must join us.'

"'Well,--have no objection; but tell us, General, how is the missus?'

"'Right well, Smooth; she'll be delighted to see you.'

"'And so will I to see the missus; I know'd her when she warn't
bigger nor Cousin Obadiah's Jane, and didn't think no more about being
Mrs. President of these United States nor my missus.' In answer to
which, the General said a respectable man might as well be President
as anything else--we all know how to be. Here we joined arms, and like
jolly fellows of a stripe, took a few turns up and down the
apartment. 'Well! here's pure democracy,' thought I to myself. Taking
Mr. President Pierce's arm doubled my independence--made me feel that
I was the left wing of his brightest hope. Having talked over a few
small matters of foreign policy, we sauntered together into one of the
largest, and longest, and handsomest breakfast rooms this side of
Texas. A table of great length stretched across its centre, upon which
was arranged in profusion, Georgia potatoes, New Hampshire bacon,
Virginia oysters and fried eels, South Carolina rice cakes, and Cape
Cod fish balls--all strong incentives to the stomach of a hungry
politician. Trim waiters stood round, like statues tailored and
anxiously waiting a guest's nod. As I cast a bird's eye glance down
the scene, in popped the General's missus, all calm, and with an air
of motherly gentleness that inspired me with lofty reflections on
woman's mission. As she approached with her hand extended, and such a
sweet smile on her face, I could not resist a salutation thus earnest,
and grasping it, gave it a good, warm-hearted shake. She said great
was her joy at seeing Mr. Smooth--plain Solomon Smooth. She could not
feel more joy were I an Emperor--no not even were I a gov