Citizen of the United
States--excuse these things for the present,' rejoined Dablerdeen, who
looked as if he did not know which way to turn, or how to please his
people. Seeing this I sat down and watched the very odd style in which
they played the game. Dablerdeen did all the talking, and Littlejohn,
whom the reader will see had returned home helped him make his muff;
and then there was a good deal of assisting one another to forget each
move. But Sandy always moved slow, as if he had something under his
thimble he was afraid of damaging. 'That's Turkey, that's Russia,
that's France, and that's Austria--and this is ourselves!' he would
say, making the moves up or down, but not knowing where to stop. 'It
won't do to push that one, it won't!' he continued, pointing at the
one he called Austria. 'If you did, nothing would you get from under
it. It's a costly cup with a tender handle, somewhat dangerous to
turn: only the cup of Spain is more costly; but that in this emergency
is of no account whatever.' They had no United States cup to move,
inasmuch as Jonathan had very respectfully declined to hazard a point
in European games when he withheld his ascent to a tripartite treaty
for the purpose of keeping his delicate fingers off Cuba. Now these
very antiquated gentlemen seemed to entertain some respect for the
British Lion, some apprehension of Jonathan and Nicholas, and a great
dislike for fighting, which they had been driven, or rather drifted,
into much against their imagined obligations to peace; for, indeed,
did they carry on the war tail foremost, finding everything they had
done large of stupidity. By and by a loud call rang through the
tabernacle, and in another minute the platter of dough-nuts was borne
in by two cooks. One, they said was Mrs. Victoria, and the other was
Mr. Napoleon, curious acquaintances, who lugged and tugged, and puffed
and blowed; and the piping hot doughnuts nuts gave out their
glows. Then the players all seemed to quicken up, as if they had
sooner be eating than thinking.

"'Strange things will come to pass at times, and nothing stranger has
come to pass than that John Bull and Johnny Crappo have gone into the
brotherly-love business, by which they hope to bring about one grand
object,' I said. 'Neither had I any objection to Spain joining,
provided she kept Cuba all right. But, Cuba being so near Uncle Sam's
fingers, nothing more than the common course of events was needed to
let it slide