so naturally into his modest hands.' Smooth told the old
gentlemen that the very best way to hasten Uncle Sam's getting Cuba
was to point out a process by which he could keep his hand out of his
pockets. 'We, Mr. Smooth, do not question your correctness on the
point, so far at it refers to this Cuba business, and the tripartite
treaty which we would you had signed merely that your fingers were
kept off the property; but you have misconstrued our amiable
motives--we only wanted to form a trio, honorable in combination--that
is, we would it were mutually understood that you do not annex Cuba,
and we will not!' said my Lord Littlejohn, who spoke quite as spunky,
though with less assurance on geography, than he did to the very
amiable Mr. Everett. Smooth understood the P's and Q's of the thing,
without examining further into the portfolio. It was Johnny Bull
saying to Johnny Crappo--'them Yankees 'll get Cuba!--in spite of all
we can do.' Of course something must be said in return; so Crappo puts
in his say:--'Can't you suggest some way to stop it, Uncle John?' he
inquires, with a quizzical shrug, adding--_mon dieu!_ 'But, by gar, we
may do him somefin yet, by gar!'

"To make rogue one honest man is one clever thing; Mr. Jonathan
mistake himself in tinking himself great, when he not so great. Now,
dem Yankee one grand 'cute fellow; you no catch him wid de, bird
chaff,' he is supposed to conclude. Smooth very amiably suggested that
it were better to let Cuba be Cuba, until the time came when, if she
felt like snugly brooding under Uncle Sam's wings, without any
assistance would he attend to the little matter of offering her a
roost. Uncle Sam was growing, but had grave ideas, with which he
generally maintained his own dignity. They here reckoned Mr. Smooth
had delivered his speech with becoming dignity. Of this fact I was
fully sure, for my Lord Littlejohn put his finger into his mouth and
began to suck it, as is common with him in these his days of
tribulation. 'Let us quit the Ottomans and go into the eatables: the
one is so dry nothing is to be made at it, while at the other
everything is to be made, for there is something to eat,' rejoined
John. They carried the suggestion by acclamation. Just then,
whang!--bang!--whiz! somebody thundered at the door, when, alarmed,
they all cried out--'whose there?' In answer to this the man with the
long rod cried out at the very top of his voice--'Stop the game!' The
old fellows beg